Developing a Change Strategy
Which finally brings us to developing a change strategy . Below is a compilation of points most cultural change experts agree on , modified in places to add relevance .
1 . Leadership and Buy-In
• Leadership and management must be fully committed because safety and health is a hard cost and will compete against profitability . If safety and health issues are affecting profit margins , it is an easy sell . In our business , some may risk safety for higher profit margins , while others simply “ don ’ t know what they don ’ t know ” and unwittingly expose themselves ( and others ) to risk . Whatever the situation is , it is unreasonable for any event or service provider to not have a safety program .
• Due to the time required to establish and maintain a safety program , management may choose to hire a safety director and create a safety and health committee from existing staff to report to them .
• Management has to get behind and back the change process because they will need to approve the costs for the provision of resources to enable the program to operate .
• You will also need to get buy-in from staff , employees , unions , independent contractors , subcontractors and all others on the front line . They are generally in higher risk working environments than management and are more likely to experience a reportable injury or damage incident .
• It ’ s easier to obtain buy-in from those on the front line for improving worker safety and health , than it is to get buy-in for improving quality or increasing profitability .
• Take time to determine which means of engaging your team will be successful . When it comes to staff turnover , some organizations are more stable , like venues , event agencies , some equipment and service contractors and so on . Meanwhile at-will employees , freelancers and project staff may work with a team for a day , a week , a month , a tour or longer and one day all or part of the team moves on . Consider the type of people you are working with and use appropriate messaging .
• Align the organization by establishing a shared vision of safety and health goals and objectives . Upper management must be willing to support by providing resources ( time ) and holding managers and supervisors accountable for doing the same . The entire management and supervisory staff need to set the example and lead the change . It ’ s more about leadership than management . ( USDOL , 1970 )
• How do we convince management to commit to such a change ?
Typically , organizational leadership is business minded , they are charged with watching the bottom line must often be compelled to approve the additional costs associated with a safety program . Do everything in writing , this is the beginning of your safety policy record keeping .
• Expect pushback from those who do not understand the need for health and safety initiatives . Prepare for thorny conversations by doing your homework in advance .
• Establish a Sense of Urgency : Prove the status quo is more dangerous than launching into the unknown . The urgency rate is high enough when about 75 % of leadership is honestly convinced that business as usual is no longer acceptable . ( Kotter , 1995 )
• If possible , demonstrate how the bottom line is suffering from on-the-job injury and damage costs , work stoppages or slow-downs , production and delivery delays , and other direct and indirect costs of accidents .
• If applicable , explain how the organization may be suffering from workers affected by fear , lack of trust , feeling of being used , and so on .
• Point out insurance costs can reduce and back it up if possible with documentation from your insurance broker . While the organization may not receive an immediate savings on their insurance premiums , there may be significant long-term savings once your program is up and running .
• A company with a strong safety culture typically experiences fewer at-risk behaviors . Consequently , they also experience lower accident rates , lower turn-over , lower absenteeism , and higher productivity . They are usually companies who are extremely successful by excelling in all aspects of business and excellence in general . ( US- DOL , 1970 ) They understand risk management of safety and health issues is a way to improve the performance of the organization .
• Will an incident or decision , pass the newspaper test ? When faced with push-back , ask the following question : “ How would we feel if the front page of the newspaper tomorrow says ( state headline of worst case scenario )”, then add as the newspaper ’ s tagline “ What were they thinking ?!”
• It ’ s the law . The OSHA Act of 1970 General Duty Clause ( USDOL , 1970 ) clearly states “ each employer shall furnish to each of his employees , employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees ”. ( USDOL , 1970 ) It also states that each employer shall comply with the standards presented in the act , and , “ Each employee shall comply with
31
Developing a Change Strategy
Which finally brings us to developing a change strategy. Be-
low is a compilation of points most cultural change experts
agree on, modified in places to add relevance.
1. Leadership and Buy-In
• Leadership and management must be fully committed
because safety and health is a hard cost and will com-
pete against profitability. If safety and health issues are
affecting profit margins, it is an easy sell. In our business,
some may risk safety for higher profit margins, while oth-
ers simply “don’t know what they don’t know” and unwit-
tingly expose themselves (and others) to risk. Whatever
the situation is, it is unreasonable for any event or service
provider to not have a safety program.
• Due to the time required to establish and maintain a
safety program, management may choose to hire a
safety director and create a safety and health committee
from existing staff to report to them.
• Management has to get behind and back the change
process because they will need to approve the costs for
the provision of resources to enable the program to op-
erate.
• You will also need to get buy-in from staff, employees,
unions, independent contractors, subcontractors and all
others on the front line. They are generally in higher risk
working environments than management and are more
likely to experience a reportable injury or damage inci-
dent.
• It’s easier to obtain buy-in from those on the front line
for improving worker safety and health, than it is to get
buy-in for improving quality or increasing profitability.
• Take time to determine which means of engaging your
team will be successful. When it comes to staff turnover,
some organizations are more stable, like venues, event
agencies, some equipment and service contractors and
so on. Meanwhile at-will employees, freelancers and
project staff may work with a team for a day, a week,
a month, a tour or longer and one day all or part of the
team moves on. Consider the type of people you are
working with and use appropriate messaging.
• Align the organization by establishing a shared vision of
safety and health goals and objectives. Upper manage-
ment must be willing to supp �'B'�&�f�F��r&W6�W&6W0��F��R��B���F��r��vW'2�B7WW'f�6�'266�V�BЦ&�Rf�"F���rF�R6�R�F�RV�F�&R��vV�V�B�@�7WW'f�6�'�7Ffb�VVBF�6WBF�RW���R�B�VBF�P�6��vR��N( �2��&R&�WB�VFW'6��F����vV�V�BࢅU4D����s��(
"��rF�vR6��f��6R��vV�V�BF�6��֗BF�7V6��6��vS�G��6�ǒ��&v旦F�����VFW'6���2'W6��W70�֖�FVB�F�W�&R6�&vVBv�F�vF6���rF�P�&�GF��Ɩ�R�W7B�gFV�&R6��V��VBF�&�fP�F�RFF�F����6�7G276�6�FVBv�F�6fWG�&�Цw&��F�WfW'�F���r��w&�F��r�F��2�2F�R&Vv��Ц��r�b��W"6fWG��Ɩ7�&V6�&B�VW��r�(
"W�V7BW6�&6�g&��F��6Rv��F���BV�FW'7F�BF�P��VVBf�"�V�F��B6fWG���F�F�fW2�&W&Rf�"F��&琦6��fW'6F���2'�F���r��W"���Wv�&���Gf�6R�(
"W7F&Ɨ6�6V�6R�bW&vV�7��&�fRF�R7FGW2V��0���&RF�vW&�W2F���V�6���r��F�F�RV���v��F�P�W&vV�7�&FR�2��v�V��Vv�v�V�&�WBsRR�b�VBЦW'6���2���W7Fǒ6��f��6VBF�B'W6��W722W7V��2�����vW"66WF&�R����GFW"���R��(
"�b�76�&�R�FV���7G&FR��rF�R&�GF��Ɩ�R�27VffW"Ц��rg&�����F�R֦�"��W'��BF�vR6�7G2�v�&�7F�ЧvW2�"6��r�F�v�2�&�GV7F����BFVƗfW'�FV��2���B�F�W"F�&V7B�B��F�&V7B6�7G2�b66�FV�G2�(
"�bƖ6&�R�W������rF�R�&v旦F�����&R7VbЦfW&��rg&��v�&�W'2ffV7FVB'�fV"��6��bG'W7B�fVVƖ�p��b&V��rW6VB��B6����(
"���B�WB��7W&�6R6�7G26�&VGV6R�B&6��BW�`��76�&�Rv�F�F�7V�V�FF���g&����W"��7W&�6R'&��W"�v���RF�R�&v旦F�������B&V6V�fR����VF�FP�6f��w2��F�V�"��7W&�6R&V֗V�2�F�W&R��&R6�rЦ�f�6�B���r�FW&�6f��w2��6R��W"&�w&��2W�@�'V���r�(
"6���v�F�7G&��r6fWG�7V�GW&RG��6�ǒW�RЧ&�V�6W2fWvW"B�&�6�&V�f��'2�6��6WVV�Fǒ�F�W��6�W�W&�V�6R��vW"66�FV�B&FW2���vW"GW&���fW"���vW �'6V�FVV�6���B��v�W"&�GV7F�f�G��F�W�&RW7V�ǐ�6���W2v��&RW�G&V�Vǒ7V66W76gV�'�W�6V�Ɩ�r����7V7G2�b'W6��W72�BW�6V��V�6R��vV�W&���U2ФD����s�F�W�V�FW'7F�B&�6���vV�V�B�b6fWG���B�V�F��77VW2�2v�F���&�fRF�RW&f�&��6R�`�F�R�&v旦F����(
"v������6�FV�B�"FV6�6����72F�R�Ww7W"FW7C�v�V�f6VBv�F�W6��&6��6�F�Rf����v��rVW7F��㠮( Ć�rv�V�BvRfVV��bF�Rg&��BvR�bF�R�Ww7W �F���'&�r6�2�7FFR�VFƖ�R�bv�'7B66R66V�&��( ���F�V�FB2F�R�Ww7W.( �2FvƖ�R( �v�BvW&RF�W��F��涖�s�( Ю(
"�N( �2F�R�r�F�R�4�7B�b�svV�W&�GWG�6�W6P��U4D����s�6�V&ǒ7FFW2( �V6�V����W"6���gW&�6��F�V6��b��2V����VW2�V�����V�B�B�6R�`�V�����V�Bv��6�&Rg&VRg&��&V6�v旦VB��&G2F�@�&R6W6��r�"&RƖ�VǒF�6W6RFVF��"6W&��W2��2Ц�6��&�F���2V����VW>( ���U4D����s��B�6�7FFW0�F�BV6�V����W"6���6��ǒv�F�F�R7F�F&G2&RЧ6V�FVB��F�R7B��B�( �V6�V����VR6���6��ǒv�F��3