Duration: 15 minutes

Aim

The aim is to motivate participants to take part in group work and to create an open and confidential atmosphere for discussions. Participants acquaint themselves with the background, goals of the programme and the role of HR management and occupational health services in the implementation.

Course of the exercise

The trainers introduce themselves and the programme to the group. Group discussion on the confidentiality of issues dealt with during the programme.

Instructions

Introduce yourself to the group and tell them something about your background or experiences as a trainer of groups such as this. You can also tell them in your own words about the background and goals of the method.

Programme background and goals

The goal of the Towards Successful Seniority® group method is to improve career management in today’s changing work life. Increasing work life challenges and changes in one’s personal life mean that we need to strengthen our personal resources. Active use of stress management promotes well-being and makes it easier to cope with one’s workload.

This programme outlines in general terms the skills that are important for managing one’s work and planning one’s career. This means, for example, identifying one’s own strengths and development goals. During this programme, participants will predict potential setbacks and create solutions to overcome them. The goal is that every participant compiles a realistic near-future action plan to achieve their targets.

The Towards Successful Seniority® group method is a theory-based method developed by an expert group of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. The group work model is based on that launched by the University of Michigan, USA. The programme was designed as a mutual tool for occupational health services and HR management.

The success of the method relies on active participation in group work: small group exercises and discussions. The method utilizes the participant’s own experiences, knowledge and skills. During the programme, participants discuss issues and work in small groups. Therefore it is advisable to agree upon the confidentiality of matters discussed together in the group. You can also remind participants that everyone may decide for themselves how much they wish to reveal about their own career and goals.

Note

Get acquainted with the goals of the programme before group work begins. Together with the other trainer, put together a short example case based on your own career experiences. In the example, pay attention to the significance of personal strengths and interests in your own career. In addition to positive information, also describe some setbacks and how you overcame them. By doing this, you take on an expert position in the eyes of the participants, but also emphasize that you too are human. (See Leading the group)

Duration: approximately 15 minutes

Aim

The aim of this exercise is to make participants think about work, work life and its contents. The exercise helps participants get to know each other and gives them an idea of the working methods of the course.

Course of the exercise

Participants look at pictures on the wall and think about how the pictures might be connected with work life.

Small groups gather round the pictures and form a story.

One of the trainers summarizes the stories.

Instructions

Provide four pictures for this exercise. Hang the pictures in the classroom for the participants to see. You can, for example, cut pictures from magazines, use photographs, posters, paintings, drawings etc. In online implementation, share the pictures on the screen.

Ask the participants to stand up, look at the pictures more closely and think about how the pictures are connected with work life.

When the participants have examined all of the pictures, ask them to stand beside the picture that most appeals to them or that sticks in their mind or, in online implementation, to state which picture they selected (e.g. the number of the picture), for example, in the chat.

When everyone has taken their places beside their pictures, ask them to tell the other participants in the small group why they chose this picture and then discuss the common factors in their choices. In online implementation, divide the participants into breakout rooms. Start by briefly explaining the basics of the breakout room function if the participants are not familiar with it and provide instructions on how to return to the shared workspace.

When all of the groups have finished, ask each one to compile a story on the basis of what had especially appealed them in the picture they chose. Finally, each small group shares their thoughts with the whole group and the trainers.

Note

In the event that there is only one group member beside a picture, one of the trainers can join them. One of the trainers can also take part in the exercise in some other way. This allows the trainers to get closer to group members.

Conclusion

Thank the group for the stories.

Make a short summary of all the stories, for example what was common to them. Try to unite the stories without causing conflict between the groups, even though the stories may be different. You can tell the group that the forthcoming working methods will be like the exercise they just completed. Different work life themes will be contemplated both individually and in groups during the programme. The groups will discuss things, and exchange views and opinions. Every participant’s contribution is important for the success of the group – each one plays a leading role.

Duration: approximately 45 minutes

Aim

The aim of this exercise is to acquaint the group members with each other. The exercise encourages participants to consider their own work life and future goals and offers them an opportunity to compare them. The exercise gives the trainers basic information regarding the group members, which they can use later on in the exercises.

Course of the exercise

Group members interview each other and then present their partner to the whole group. A short presentation is made of the participants on flip chart sheets, or a shared screen in online implementation, based on the interviews.

Instructions

Write the following text on the blackboard:

Instructions for presenting your partner:

• Your partner’s name
• Where does your partner live?
• Their present work situation
• Their plans regarding work (e.g. further training, courses, flexible working times)
• Hobbies

The trainers divide the participants into pairs. They can also form one group of three. Try to direct participants to form a pair with a person they do not know well. The trainers can also suggest that group members seek the person they are least familiar with or with whom they have had the least contact. In online implementation, the trainer can ask whether any of the participants know each other in advance.

Ask participants to interview their partners using the points above. Allow 10 minutes for the interviews.

The trainers also interview each other. Start by presenting each other and try to keep the presentation compact. The trainers’ presentation serves as a model for the group.

After this, ask participants to present their partners. Record name, dwelling place, experiences, plans and hobbies on the flip chart (titles only if there is a lot of information). Make sure that you write something for each point. Try to write each pair’s presentations on one flip chart sheet.

Alternative: You can give each pair a flip chart sheet and felt-tip pens. They can then write their presentations directly onto the sheet. This allows you to save time, especially with a large group.

Note

It is important to write each participant’s presentation on a flip chart sheet and hang these on the wall. Be sure to do this even for people who for some reason were not present during the introduction exercise. The trainers can interview them and write their answers directly on a flip chart sheet.

Duration: approximately 15 minutes

Aim

The aim of the summary is to offer an overview of the contents of this method and how it is connected with career management, which will ultimately promote the action plan participants will formulate during the final group session.

Course of the exercise

One of the trainers presents the contents of the programme.

Instructions

Write the following on the board or share your computer screen:

Contents of the programme:

1. Personal strengths and interests
2. Skills needed at work
3. Lifelong learning
4. Obtaining the information and support necessary for career management
5. Preparing for setbacks at work and in your career
6. Mental well-being and stress management
7. Formulating a work or career plan.

Go through each section:

1. Personal strengths and interests

In the course of the programme

• we discover our personal strengths and skills
• we consider which jobs we might enjoy.

2. Necessary skills for work

In the course of the programme

• we cover various work life changes and how to cope with them
• we learn how to control work and workload
• we develop the presentation and group work skills needed at work.

3. Lifelong learning

In the course of the programme

• we assess the developmental needs of strengths and skills
• we recognize various learning environments
• we consider the importance of learning new things from a career management perspective.

4. Obtaining the information and support necessary for career management

In the course of the programme

• we consider the significance of social support and networks in work life issues
• we explore channels that make it easier to obtain information regarding work.

5. Preparing for setbacks

In the course of the programme

• we learn to anticipate the setbacks and challenges we may meet during our careers
• we plan solutions to overcome setbacks.

6. Mental well-being and stress management

In the course of the programme

• we consider the meaning of well-being
• we learn ways in which to enhance well-being and stress management.

7. Formulating a work or career plan

In the course of the programme

• we formulate a personal plan to achieve our work-related goals and expectations.

» Tell participants that page 7 of their Workbook contains a more specific description of how the contents are divided into different sessions.

Duration: approximately 15 minutes

Aim

This exercise is designed to motivate participants from different life situations and backgrounds to get involved in the exercises. Recognizing the significance of the exercises from the perspective of their own development and ability to cope has a positive impact on participants’ motivation.

Course of the exercise

» Discussion on participants’ expectations and on the course topics they consider useful.

Instructions

Inform the group that this programme utilizes the participant’s own experiences, knowledge and skills. The success of the programme requires everyone’s active participation in the group work exercises and discussions.

Discuss the expectations participants have of the programme and how they can benefit from the programme contents presented on the previous page.

Write down the benefits the participants decide upon on the flip chart.

Wait for group responses. Guide the group towards the following conclusions:

• Career management skills help you set and reach your own goals in today’s changing work life.
• Good management of work maintains and promotes your ability to cope at work and your general well-being in different areas of life.
• When we discuss things together, we see new perspectives and become aware of things we might not have found on our own.

Conclusion

Make a summary of the benefits.

End by reminding participants that things can only be learned during group work when everyone makes an effort and plays an active role in the activity.

Duration: approximately 20 minutes

Aim

The aim of this exercise is for participants to recognize their own strengths and skills. Recognizing their own strengths enhances their self-esteem and well-being and offers building blocks for plans and self-development. Through the recognition of our own strengths, talents and skills, we can perceive our own expertise, consider our own development opportunities and effectively direct our own work. During this exercise participants consider the skills necessary for their own career which they have learned at work, as well as skills they have so far only used outside work life.

Course of the exercise

» Participants chart their expertise through a Workbook exercise.

» Participants consider the skills they like to use.

» In conclusion, participants note that it is preferable to direct their development towards their personally preferred strengths and skills.

Instructions

Ask the participants to open their Workbooks on page 10, at the Personal strengths and skills section. The participants can use this list of skills when estimating their own strengths and skills.

The list of strengths and skills is not exhaustive. At the end there is room for skills that are not on the list.

Task

Ask the participants to go through the list and tick all the strengths and skills they think they have. Allow several minutes for this.

Next, they examine the whole list again and underline skills they like or are especially happy to use in their own work. When necessary, participants may even underline skills they did not think they had. Allow few minutes for this.

Finally, ask the participants to consider concrete examples of situations in which they have demonstrated these strengths. Ask them to write down the situation on page 12 of their Workbooks.

Conclusion

Discuss once again the skills the participants have chosen and why.

Inform participants that this exercise is important for their own career management. The exercise demonstrates strengths and skills that are likely to prove useful in the future.

Duration: approximately 15 minutes

Aim

In this exercise, participants learn to see the significance of learning environments outside of work, such as home and hobbies, as support for one’s vocational development. The transferability of skills helps expand our vision of the kind of work we could do in the future.

Course of the exercise

» The trainers describe the idea of transferable skills.

» With the assistance of the Workbook, the participants outline their job description, list the skills needed in their work and think about other work for which these skills would be useful.

Instructions

Tell the participants what the transferability of skills means: a transferable skill is a skill you have originally learnt in a different environment from the one in which it is needed. For example, the organizational skills necessary in families with children can be very useful when managing demanding work tasks, and orienteering skills might help clarify and plan the progress of a work project.

Task

Ask the participants to reflect for few minutes the work tasks of their present job and the skills necessary for these (Workbook page 13, Exercises 1 and 2). Allow 4–5 minutes for writing notes.

Next, ask the participants to circle the work skills they have acquired in previous work tasks, hobbies or elsewhere outside their present work. In conclusion, ask them to think about other work tasks in which their skills could be utilized (Exercise 3). If there is time, you can also put the participants into pairs and let them work together on this exercise.

Conclusion

Ask the participants what thoughts they had on benefitting from their skills, and discuss these. You can also ask them to consider whether they can find some examples that show how they have benefitted from the transferability of skills in their own lives.

Duration: approximately 30 minutes

Aim

This exercise deals with the role of leisure time in promoting well-being and in counterbalancing work.

Course of the exercise

» To start with, participants think about stimulating hobbies as a group.
» Small groups think of hobbies that counterbalance work life, which they note in their Workbooks.
» Participants think of hobbies that personally suit them best.

Instructions

Leisure time has a central significance in promoting our ability to cope at work and for our mental well-being. Ask the participants what kind of hobbies and leisure time activities invigorate them and promote their ability to cope. What makes them invigorating? Write down the answers on the flip chart. When the group cannot think of any new hobbies, you can go over the list once again.

Task

Divide the participants into groups of three and ask them to list hobbies that counterbalance different work situations (Workbook p. 14).

Allow 8–10 minutes for this.

Ask the participants to write down in the chart the hobbies that best suit them or their own situation.

Conclusion

You can conclude by asking the participants whether they obtained any ideas or new thoughts on their own leisure time activities.

Duration: approximately 10 minutes

Aim

In this exercise, participants consider their own expectations of work life. The exercise contributes to processing their own career prospects and motivates them to connect issues discussed during the programme to their own situations. This exercise operates as a foundation for drawing up an action plan.

Course of the exercise

» Participants consider their career expectations and write them in their Workbooks.

Instructions

Depending on your schedule, you can either ask the group to work on the next exercise as a group or to do it as homework.

Task

Ask the participants to open their Workbooks on page 16 and consider their expectations and goals regarding work life, for example for the next five to ten years. Allow approximately 10 minutes for this.

Conclusion

Ask some of the participants to tell you the kind of expectations they wrote down and the parts of the programme that they think may be especially useful for realizing their goals.

Duration: approximately 15 minutes

Aim

The aim of the concluding discussion is to summarize the day’s experiences and to give participants an idea of the next day’s programme. This will be repeated at the end of each day.

Instructions

Ask a short round of questions at the end of the day regarding the participants’ feelings and ask whether they have any questions on the section of the programme covered today or on future sessions. Make sure that everyone has the chance to speak.

Conclusion

Thank the participants for their input and for their contributions to the group work.

Note

When the group has left, go over group members’ roles with the other trainer and talk about how the roles affect the group atmosphere. Plan how you might influence the roles if they are a threat to achieving a positive result.

As preventive means you can, for example, change the seating or composition of the small groups so that they are more functional, plan to pay special attention to certain participants or issues, or plan to interrupt if a group discussion begins to digress.

Finally, check the next day’s distribution of work and make sure that the classroom is tidy for the next day and that the flip chart sheets are in the right order on the walls. All this makes it clear that you respect both your own work and the participants.