The benefits of positive
leadership and an effective
worker engagement programme
Martin Worthington
SHEQ Director
Introduction
 Leadership and shaping behaviours
 Improving soft skills to increase awareness
 Dealing with perceptions
 Motivating
 Barriers to safe working
 Influencing and achieving change
Leadership and shaping behaviours
Leadership and the SIX C’s
Cast a shadow
Committed
Clear Strategy
Consultation
Co-operation
Coaching skills
Shaping behaviours of an individual
 Adequately trained
 Engaged with people
 Respect for each other (welfare…)
 Look out for each other
 Provide feedback
 Challenge unsafe practices
 Stop work if not comfortable
 Don’t be compromised
A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT CREATES SAFE BEHAVIOURS
Improving soft skills to increase awareness
Soft Skills and V.O.I.C.E
 Engage operatives in identification of unsafe situations and conditions to
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agree improvements
Increase awareness of safe working practices
Achieve a shared perspective of site conditions
Identify any gaps in existing arrangements
Reduce incidents and accidents
Improve communication and trust and reduce gossip. Through LIFETALKS
Secure ‘frontline’ involvement
Encourage personal responsibility for safe working
Integrate safe working into the daily routine
Provide positive recognition for safe working
The VOICE Scheme has been developed by Morgan Sindall as part of our
commitment to worker engagement and LIFE.
Examples of V.O.I.C.E Supporting
Information
Other useful tools
Dealing with perceptions
Dealing with perceptions
We reap what we sow…………………..
Dealing with perception
SHECONOMICS
Applying SHECONOMICS and increasing our investment for better returns
 Listen to what people have to say by asking and listening
 Develop a transformational rather than transactional approach
 Provide effective inductions through interaction
 Focussed expectation exchanges
 Increase effectiveness of risk assessments through consultation
 Decide what feedback tools can be used such as climate surveys
 Further improve our ability to learn, Pass It On……………..
Remember that perceptions are real
Motivating
Motivation
 Improve competency levels
 Nurture the ability to influence
 Build a team spirit
 Share the load
 Build trust
 Recognise and reward
 Engage with people
 Encourage feedback and act on it
It’s about more than just knowledge
Barrier to safe working
Barriers to safe working
 Unrealistic demands and timescales
 Asking people to work outside their skill sets
 Lack of, or poor communication
 Lack of commitment, at any level
 Not understanding the principles
 Not sticking with it
 Inadequate understanding of consequences
 Over reliance on the H&S team
 Tolerating under-performance
 Poor planning and “fixing” too late
 Not applying learning
Influencing and achieving change
The 10 Pillars
1. Lead by example
2. Don’t Ignore unsafe situations
3. If in doubt STOP !
4. Unsafe working environment drives unsafe behaviour
5. Account for all the causes before making any decisions
6. Use your workforce for ideas and improving
7. Change does not usually occur overnight – stick with it
8. Knowledge is not enough
9. Encourage co-operation
10. Don’t neglect occupational health
Source LWE
The UK Leadership and Worker
Engagement forum
Five things to take away
1. Before you start, understand what engagement is It’s not an initiative
2. Be absolutely certain that there is commitment by all those involved
3. Engagement is about listening and learning not instructing
4. Do not be procedural in your approach and arrangements
5. Be prepared for a few knocks along the way - but don’t give up
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much”
Helen Keller
morgansindall.com