Changing Workplace Attitudes December 2020 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT D
Changing Workplace Attitudes December 2020 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT D: Distribution authorized to the Do. D and U. S. Do. D contractors only; December 31, 2020. Other requests shall be referred to: Director, Operational Safety, OUSD(P&R), 4000 Defense Pentagon, 2 E 580, Washington, DC 20301. WARNING: This document contains technical data whose export is restricted by the Arms Export Control Act (Title 22, U. S. C. , sec. 2751, et seq. ) or the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended, Title 50, U. S. C. , App. 2401 et seq. Violation of these export laws are subject to severe criminal penalties. Disseminate in accordance with the provisions of Do. D Directive 5230. 25. Aug 2020
Objectives • During this presentation, you will learn to: 1. Differentiate between S&H climate and culture 2. List reasons why poor S&H culture develops 3. Describe the effects of a poor S&H culture 4. Recall the benefits of a positive S&H culture 5. List roadblocks to S&H culture improvement 6. Describe ways to assess S&H climate and culture 2
3 The set of employee attitudes characterizing life in an organization Culture The specific way individuals believe or feel about something Climate Attitudes The Difference Between Climate and Culture The impacts of climate contributing to an organization’s values and behaviors
What is a S&H Culture? Common beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors towards risk and S&H policies, procedures, rules, and requirements 4 Image retrieved from Bing Images
The Impact of Workplace Attitudes on S&H Climate and Culture Workers learn these attitudes over time through their work experiences! 5 “Management gives lip service to S&H, but all they really care about is production!” Poor S&H climate & dangerous S&H culture “That’s not my job – it’s safety’s job” “I don’t need a guard to protect me; I’ve been doing things this way for years!”
Why Poor S&H Culture Develops Lack of participation by leadership Poor communication or feedback Perceived priorities vs. actual priorities Negative legacy attitudes, climate, and culture Lack of resources No SPIs – S&H is not measured or tracked 6 Images retrieved from Bing Images
The Effects of Positive and Negative S&H Cultures Negative 7 Positive Attitudes Unsafe behaviors passed on to new employees Attitudes Welcoming to S&H; work with leadership; committed to safe and efficient production Climate Strained leadership and employee relations; morale issues Climate Trust; partnership; commitment to the organization Culture Increased injuries & illnesses; high turnover; high compensation costs; compromised mission Culture Safe work environment; production met with quality; low turnover rates
Seven Example Characteristics of a Positive S&H Culture 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 • Safe work practices are emphasized and embraced • All personnel share the same responsibility for safe work • The SMS is informed by workers, not designed by managers • Existing S&H processes are constantly developed and improved • Two-way communication occurs openly throughout the organization • Management is active in demonstrating the S&H of the workforce is a top priority • Incidents, issues, or stopping work for S&H concerns are not met with negativity Images retrieved from Bing Images
The Benefits of a Positive S&H Culture Decreased FECA costs S&H becomes a part of all processes & procedures S&H go beyond minimum compliance Adds competitive edge & improved brand Positive S&H Culture Quality improvement 9 Reduction in absenteeism & turnover Increased productivity & mission readiness
How to Assess Your S&H Culture q Talk with employees to understand the organizational climate q Observe your work environment to understand the work culture q Conduct and analyze perception surveys q Learn from other sites 10 Images retrieved from Bing Images
Anticipate Roadblocks – Overcoming Flawed Perceptions Your organization’s climate and culture already established Figure out the current state of your climate and culture Identify negative perceptions creating roadblocks Embrace the truth about how your organization perceives S&H Work on improving climate and culture to reach a desired state 11 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Anticipate Roadblocks – Overcoming Flawed Perceptions “We’ve been operating this way for years. ” 12 “Injuries and illnesses are a cost of doing business. ” Image retrieved from Bing Images “It will never happen to me. ”
Anticipate Roadblocks – Overcoming Flawed Perceptions “What’s in it for me? ” “Our leaders don’t care anyways. ” 13 Images retrieved from Bing Images
Anticipate Roadblocks – Perceptions are Often Reality S&H not a core value Shifting blame or responsibility Double standards 14 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Anticipate Roadblocks – Perceptions are Often Reality Failure to utilize SMEs Limited resources Fear and lack of trust 15 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Six Ways to Improve S&H Climate and Culture 1. Use a climate or perception survey to determine the starting point 2. Consider change management actions and focus on trust 3. Encourage accountability and consider long -term, not short-term 4. Involve your employees 5. Remove barriers for reporting and increasing communication 6. Measure your progress 16 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Use a Climate or Perception Survey Perception surveys are useful for: • Gaining feedback on past/current performance • Obtaining leading indicators of S&H performance • Determining where SMS components work/fall short • Differentiating between what’s said and what’s actually done • Highlighting differences between groups (e. g. , management vs. employees) 17 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Use a Climate or Perception Survey Perception surveys help: • Encourage open communication • Employees understand management cares • Provide employees a sense of S&H ownership • Evaluate S&H culture overall 18 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Consider Change Management Actions Help all adjust to change Build trust & be consistent Sell your need to improve Consider change management actions and focus on trust 19 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Encourage Accountability Set expectations for personnel accountability Use a manager as a champion for action items Managers Supervisors Employees Contractors 20 Image retrieved from Bing Images
How Best to Accomplish Employee Accountability Establish employee ownership Set expectations Review progress Award performance Ensure individual accountability 21 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Involve Your Employees Conduct employee interviews Review safe work procedures Conduct workplace S&H inspections Participate in strategic planning Market S&H Provide training to peers Participate in a S&H committee or working group 22 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Remove Barriers Remove barriers for reporting to increase communication Publish written S&H policy 23 Establish an open-door policy Meet with employees Encourage reporting
Measure Your Progress Use a combination of leading and lagging indicators Redo your safety perception survey to assess improvement Tailor your S&H strategic plan to improve upon identified cultural issues 24 Image retrieved from Bing Images
Summary • In this presentation, you learned to: 1. Differentiate between S&H climate and culture 2. List reasons why poor S&H culture develops 3. Describe the effects of a poor S&H culture 4. Recall the benefits of a positive S&H culture 5. List roadblocks to S&H culture improvement 6. Describe ways to assess S&H climate and culture 25
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