Building R-E-S-P-E-C-T at work Verna Blewett CQUni, Appleton Institute, Adelaide.

Building R-E-S-P-E-C-T at work

Verna BlewettCQUni, Appleton Institute, Adelaide

Mutual Respect

Collaboration Trust

Autonomy and Job Control

WHS in management decision making

Healthy, safe and respectful workplace

© 15 April 2015

ASET ProcessBlewett and Shaw, 1995

‘Targets’ are outcome measures of WHS performance

Ask - why do these occur? Conduct an incident investigation.

Targeteg incidents, near-misses, lost time injuries,making errors…

© 15 April 2015

Exposure Target

eg state of equipment, conditions in the workplace, behaviour

eg incidents, near-misses, lost time injuries

‘Exposures’ are the immediate antecedents of incidents. To reduce incidents, reduce exposures - take them out of the workplace or minimise them - eg,

work fewer hours. But is this the whole story?

Exposure Targeteg hours of work & fatigue, state of equipment, conditions in the workplace, behaviour…

eg incidents, near-misses, lost time injuries,making errors…


© 15 April 2015

‘Systems’ are the immediate antecedents of exposures. The nature of systems will lead to particular exposures

being present in the workplace.


Systems Exposure Targeteg roster design, training, purchasing policy, hazard management, recruitment procedures, information systems…

eg hours of work & fatigue, state of equipment, conditions in the workplace, behaviour…


© 15 April 2015

Atmosphere Systems Exposure Targeteg our reason for being and how we go about achieving that, our vision, values, common goals…

eg roster design, training, purchasing policy, hazard management, recruitment procedures, information systems…

eg hours of work & fatigue, state of equipment, conditions in the workplace, behaviour…


The culture of an organisation determines the nature of management systems.

The ASET Process explains how incidents occur. It’s used for planning and developing positive performance measures.


© 15 April 2015

Six principles of influence

1. Authority

2. Likeability

3. Reciprocity

4. Consistency

5. Consensus

6. Scarcity Cialdini, R. B. (2001). Influence: Science and practice (4th ed.).

Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

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A model for building respect at work

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Platinum Rule 1Remember you are working with people

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Platinum Rule 1Remember you are working with people Don’t exhaust them

People aren’t machines

Treat them with dignity and respect

© 15 April 2015

Platinum Rule 2Listen to and talk with your people

© 15 April 2015

Platinum Rule 2

Listen to and talk to your people Be inclusive

Do it often

Value and develop people skills in HSRs, supervisors and managers

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Platinum Rule 3Fix things promptly

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Platinum Rule 3

Fix things promptly

Don’t let issues fester

Keep people informed of progress

Don’t let them think things only happen in the land where pigs fly

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Platinum Rule 4Make sure your paperwork is worth having

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Platinum Rule 4

Make sure your paperwork is worth having

Keep it current

Make sure it’s meaningful

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Platinum Rule 5Improve competence in work health and safety

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Platinum Rule 5

Improve competence in OHS

particularly at management levels

DILBERT

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Platinum Rule 6Encourage people to give you bad news

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Platinum Rule 6

Encourage people to give you bad news

– Canaries are the most important workers in a mine

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Platinum Rule 7Fix your workplace first

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Platinum Rule 7

Fix your workplace first

Before even thinking about the bells and whistles!

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Platinum Rule 8Measure and monitor the risks that people are exposed to

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Platinum Rule 8

Measure and monitor risks that people are exposed to

Don’t just react to incidents: fix things before they happen. Control risks at their source.

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Platinum Rule 9

Keep checking that what you are doing is working effectively Are you achieving what you think you are?

Do you know where you are in OHS?

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The only way to make a workplace healthy and safe

is to make it healthy and safethere is

no substitute for action!

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Using the Model

• Organisational self-reflection

• Participative organisational review

• Participatively develop improvement strategies and interventions

• Participative evaluation of organisational change

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Keep in mind…

have the serenity to accept the things you cannot change

the courage to change the things you can…

and the wisdom to know the difference… that is - work on common ground and work together to shift the boundaries

to expand common ground

with apologies to St Augustine

The way we work© 15 April 2015

Key questions

1. What evidence do I have that what I want to do will be effective in building respect?

2. How do I know that people won’t be injured or made ill by what I want to do?

© 15 April 2015

Key questions

3. Will what I want to do build dignity and respect in my workplace?

4. Will it increase autonomy and control in my workplace?

5. Will it encourage effective participation and collaboration?

© 15 April 2015

Key questions

6. Will what I want to do eliminate risk and prevent hazards?

7. Will it focus on action where we can make a difference - or is it cleaning up afterwards?

© 15 April 2015

Verna BlewettAdjunct Associate Professor Work Health and SafetyAppleton Institute, CQUniversity Australia44 Greenhill RoadWayville SA [email protected] 990 066

Acknowledgements

• NSW Department of Trade and Investment for the use of the 10 Platinum Rules

• Thanks to the CRC for Rail Innovation (established and supported under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres program) for the funding of this research. Project No. R2.101: Keeping Rail on Track.

Building R-E-S-P-E-C-T at work Verna Blewett CQUni, Appleton Institute, Adelaide.

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