Effective Horticultural Communications

Online Communication Skills Course

• Prompted and developed with input from industry including GCA and CIH
• Communication skills were identified as a common weakness in the horticulture industry, and often a roadblock to career progression
• A self paced, flexible, diverse practical learning journey involving videos, reading, practical tasks and self assessment tests. 

Lesson Structure

There are 5 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction to Horticultural Communication
   • Communication matters
   • Example workplace interaction: answering customer questions
   • Communication can take many forms
   • Worth knowing!
   • Example of ineffective communication: supervisor and employee
   • Different ways people communicate with each other
   • Code switching
   • Review what you have been learning
2. Workplace Communication: Communicating with Suppliers, Colleagues, and the Public
   • Recognise the chain of command
   • Example production middle management level nursery grower job description
   • Leading for impact
   • Example Leadership: supervisor and employee
   • All employees can feel more confident when they are prepared for the job!
   • Review what you have been learning
3. Attitude Counts in Horticulture
   • What is morale?
   • What is motivation?
   • Motivation to work better
   • Selling
   • Review what you have been learning
4. Aspiring Managers
   • Employee management in horticulture
   • Recruitment
   • Clear and effective leadership
   • Instructing staff
   • Direct communication
   • Stop and think: taking responsibility
   • Introducing change in the workplace
   • Team building
   • Reward systems
   • Quality control and problem solving
   • Case studies
   • Review what you've been learning
5. Workplace Wellbeing in Horticultural Settings
   • Self-awareness matters in career growth
   • Stop and think: developing self- awareness
   • Duty of Care
   • Create a healthy workplace and culture
   • Showing compassion
   • Review what you have been learning
   • Final assessment