Bring Workplace Assessment into Business Communication Classrooms: A Proposal to Better Prepare Students for Professional Workplaces.

Workplace Assessment
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Abstract
Workplace assessments that are simulated within classroom settings are important to high-level learning students as it helps them better understand the workplace setting earlier before joining one and preparing the student for their future jobs. Business communication teachers, therefore, have an obligation to learn various workplace assessment methods that they can teach their students during the classroom simulated workplace assessments. Throughout the article, the major point of focus of this proposal is its relevance to future workplace success considering the effectiveness of workplace settings (Yu, 2010). This proposal also compares both settings, that is, classroom and workplace, practices so as for show the connection between the two phenomena as well as their difference. Various organizations use various assessment methods. Thus it is of great importance that students practice some of them before their actual employment. Workplace assessment, in the real sense, possesses several benefits to both the employees and the employer. For instance, assessments motivate employees, enhance communication and create enthusiasm towards work. For instance, the tasks, contingencies, opportunities, as well as the obstacles presented to students during workplace assessment into business classrooms’ lessons are a direct example of what really happens in workplaces thus students can familiarize themselves ((Yu, 2010).

Therefore, a basic technical communication program is aimed at keeping students ready for workplace performance so as to attain organizational goals (Moschkovich, 2002).
Learning from workplaces is important to students for various reasons. For example, some organizations are not profit-oriented, and thus their workplace environments are created in such as way everything is efficient and work flows precisely. However, it has been discovered that these organizations do not contribute so significantly towards student learning, regardless of their capacity to do such so efficiently. For institutions to completely embrace the concept of changing assessment ways so as to improve performance in both schools and workplaces, the stereotypical views should be brought to a halt. Additionally, according to Boud and Falchikov (2007), it is very essential for teachers or managers to understand the assessment criteria to be used even before understanding knowledge, skills, as well as the experience necessary for commendable performance. Additionally, students need to understand the approaches used in workplace assessment early enough. Furthermore, assessment is a critical and strong organizational tool thus students require exposure to the various aspects of workplace assessment at an early level in a classroom environment. The simulated workplace in classroom settings also exposes students to the various ways in which employees interact amongst themselves and management.
Understanding the type of assessment criteria required for organizations is an essential move in creating a workplace business communication classroom. Understanding the assessment type allows for examination of possibilities as tutors try to merge classroom and workplace settings. Creating workplace business communication assessments is also important as it helps students understand the various types of assessments to expect in various workplace settings and how to behave to ensure maximum compliance with performance, discipline, and work ethics (Boud & Falchikov, 2006). Students can, therefore, understand the essence of various workplace assessment methods and criteria even before employment. Workplace assessments in classroom settings also create motivation in interested students as they are taught various sensitive aspects of their future careers (Milliman, Czaplewski & Ferguson, 2003). These settings also enhance communication as students interact and share as employees of a certain organization. This is enhanced in that employee work enthusiasm is improved as they consult each other, thus interpersonal communication is between employees is enhanced in the workplace.
Bringing workplace assessment is however faced with several setbacks. For both real workplaces assessments and those simulated in classrooms, it is the responsibility of the employer or the teacher in charge to ensure smoothness and efficiency of the assessment process so as to ensure effectiveness and creation of relatively better results. For example, transparency is one of the major problems facing workplace assessments. During assessments, the employee knows that their jobs are at stake so they can not hesitate to manifest outstanding results. Biases of information is also a problem as employees’ fear that poor performance might lead to retaliations from the managers. Recognition for outstanding performance and warnings for poor performance acts as motivations for improved employee performance over the next period. Furthermore, some teachers do not have adequate knowledge of the various workplace assessment criteria and methods as they are less involved in such. As a result, such teachers cannot efficiently intervene the creation of such settings as they lack adequate knowledge. Besides, some students lack the time, dedication and devotion to engaging in such settings as they do not see their essence at school unless they are compelled to do so. Pygmalion is another important workplace aspect and involves the perception the once employees discover the credibility and fairness of the assessment criteria and methods used; they strive hard to manifest good results so as to acquire recognition. However, the discussed workplace assessment changes can be solved (Norcini & Burch, 2007). Transparency amongst employees can be improved via allowing employee access to assessment materials as we as the evaluations and the criteria used. This allows workers understand the specific performance evaluation criteria used by their employees. Thus necessary adjustments can be made to improve future results. Biases of assessment results can be mitigated by allowing employees’ response to negative assessments so as to ensure each party feels recognized.
Various deductions can be made from bringing workplace assessments in classroom settings. For instance, these settings can be used to make evaluations on the various aspects such as employee performance, communication, and interpersonal relationships at workplace. For instance, from the workplace settings in classrooms, in can be inferred that the eve of commitment of different employees of a company is different, thus their performance is also low. Additionally, the effectiveness of communication in various organizations can be observed from workplace assessments held in classrooms. More importantly, using workplace assessments to make various decisions in an organization is important as various changes can be made before their actual occurrence as well as making certain significant organizational strategies. Besides, the level of satisfaction of different employees from workplace assessments in both learning institutions and workplaces is different. For instance, some employees might feel that others are being favored or different and unfair scales of assessments have been used. Therefore, employees may perceive that there may be unfair treatment amongst themselves, an instance that might defer total productivity of some employees who feel left out.
In conclusion, workplace assessment is a fundamental tool for evaluating employee performance, motivating employees so as to improve their performance, and improving interpersonal communications amongst the employees in an organization. Workplace assessment is important as it keeps employees on their toes in fear of manifesting poor results that might risk their jobs. Integrating workplace assessment in classroom settings is important in schools as it is associated with various benefits. First, students familiarize themselves with the various employee assessment methods and criteria. Also, bringing workplace assessment in classrooms familiarizes students with what to expect later in their workplaces as they advance in their careers ((Yu, 2010). However, teachers should ensure they possess adequate knowledge concerning workplace assessment criteria and methods so as to ensure effective delivery to students. Workplace assessments from classroom settings should, therefore, be encouraged so as to ensure students familiarize themselves with workplace procedures at early stages of their careers. For workplace assessment to be meaningful and relevant, necessary changes should be made after evaluation of the assessment results. Workplace assessment is also important in influencing the work spirit of employees in that they ensure ultimate performance in fear of recording poor evaluations. Organizations that engage in carrying out workplace assessments for their employees stand higher chances of achieving their goals in the short run unlike in organizations where employee performance is not well considered, an instance that might cause laziness and unproductivity in most employees. Organizations, therefore, need to come up with viable strategies that they can put in place to ensure utmost employee productivity, and such strategies include workplace assessment.
References
Boud, D., & Falchikov, N. (2006). Aligning assessment with long‐term learning. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(4), 399-413.
Milliman, J., Czaplewski, A. J., & Ferguson, J. (2003). Workplace spirituality and employee work attitudes: An exploratory empirical assessment. Journal of organizational change management, 16(4), 426-447.
Moschkovich, J. N. (2002). Chapter 6: Bringing Together Workplace and Academic Mathematical Practices during Classroom Assessments. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. Monograph, 93-110.
Norcini, J., & Burch, V. (2007). Workplace-based assessment as an educational tool: AMEE Guide No. 31. Medical Teacher, 29(9-10), 855-871.
Yu, H. (2010). Bring workplace assessment into business communication classrooms: A proposal to better prepare students for professional workplaces. Business Communication Quarterly, 73(1), 21-39.