One can study the culture of a company and understand it, to set new values, introduce new ways of doing things and express new ideas, but these things only prepare the ground for a new behavior.
If many find that the new behavior helps them to do things better, they may try it over and over again, and after many trials, the organizational culture may incorporate a different way of looking at things.
But even so the culture has not changed, only the ground has been prepared for its evolution.
This slow and uncertain process is often not the preferred one for those implementing change management.
On the contrary, they prefer the dispatch of all the top management in a company and consolidate it, proposing a whole new set of rules.
With this procedure a new culture is not created, only the one that already existed is destroyed.
A.- Previous considerations
" Cultural change is a long process that is measured in years instead of months"
Is it possible to create a culture that influences behavior according to the wishes of management?
An experiment was tried in one company. We seek to create a positive and productive culture. How it was made?
1.- The executives met regularly to establish the basic values of the company.
2.- A document was created in which the values were exposed as:
"Pay attention to others"
"Do things right the first time"
"Deliver products without defects"
3.- The basic values document was distributed among the intermediate level managers so that they could review the proposals.
4.- The refined document was distributed among all employees as the set of guiding principles of the company.
But…
In the organization there was a gap between the culture that initiated the management, and the actual working conditions and practices of the organization.
In addition, there was a chain of command that was strictly enforced and an exclusively "downward" communication system.
The culture creation experiment was too artificial and the employees didn't give it much thought.
However, there were negative consequences: a drop in morale, higher employee turnover and a much poorer financial performance. In the end, the company declared bankruptcy and closed.
Moral: It is difficult to impose a culture.
When it is done, resistance is often encountered.
It is difficult to create basic values. If there is a disparity between reality and an established set of values, employees will be confused, irritated, and skeptical. Enthusiasm and respect are lost when a false image is promised.
Creating a culture doesn't happen just because a group of well-intentioned managers gets together and prepares a document.
In a textile company, the emergency topic area had the following material in its first aid kit:
- Gauze
- Espaladrapo - Hydrogen
peroxide
- Bandages
- Scissors
- Cotton
- Three liter bottles and a half containing "Agua de Azar"
As the Head of Security explained to me: "It is that here we work under pressure."
Warning:
Before starting it should be understood that Behavior Based Security (SBC from now on) is just a complement.
Prior to this step, there must be a comprehensive occupational health and safety system implemented in the organization.
Trying to apply the following methodology without first considering this warning can cause very serious complications to the work environment in the company.
Elements of a comprehensive occupational health and safety system.
To make things easier, the following are preliminary steps that must be completed, this in order to achieve a comprehensive security system:
1.- Install the committee and its regulations:
For Companies with 25 or more workers
The members of the committee must have the necessary support from the management in the performance of their functions.
2.- Initial risk assessment by a third party
2.1.- study of the process
2.2.- hazard identification
2.3.- Risk assessment
a.- severity
b.- probability
Why a third party? Depending on the type of activity and the complexity of the tasks, a specialist is required to develop a professional assessment of occupational hazards, which is very difficult to find in average organizations.
2.4.- Application of control measures
2.5.- Maintenance (evaluation of control measures)
3.- Implement levels of control (design, engineering, reengineering, Personal Protective Equipment)
4.- Run medical exams
5.- Investigation and registration of accidents
6.- Create and maintain records
7.- Technical audits of Safety and Health at Work.
8.- Return to point 2 (continuous improvement)
If your organization develops the previous steps indicated, it will maintain an ideal baseline for the creation of a safety culture.
In a cleaning products factory, the head electrician put his life on the line every day. He changed the fuses in the electrical system in the production areas without shutting down the system. Nothing ever happened to him.
He was hired an assistant, who followed the same style as his boss… Everything happened to him.
B.- A methodology
"Work to obtain consensus from the peer group by involving employees and creating a climate of high trust."
The plant cop
“I want you to be behind the staff. You must not allow them to omit the use of your personal protective equipment. " These words were addressed to the Chief of Safety at a meeting of the Safety Committee, chaired by the Plant Manager.
"I am not a policeman… that is the job of the Area supervisor." The aforementioned answered.
A short time later, I know I had another person in the position of Head of Security.
1.- Identify the critical activities / areas to observe
It is recommended to consider a maximum of 06 activities / critical areas.
It is obvious that the preferred organization is those activities where the accident rate is high.
This scheme should be considered to be equivalent to a pilot plan.
2.- Approval and endorsement of the General Management and directors of the areas to observe
Without this participation, the pilot plan cannot be carried out successfully.
3.- Sampling and determination of the reference level
3.1.- Sample: Determination of the size of the sample considering all workers, an area or specialty.
3.2.- Form: Photography type or for a limited period of time and registration.
Use only one criterion.
3.3.- Observe: Before taking actions to change behaviors.
Use security index.
Total safe behaviors observed
IS = ____________________________________ x 100
Rate of behaviors (safe + offenders / observed)
Unless IS, an accident is more likely to occur.
4.-Definition of key practices and ACC analysis
4.1.- Key practice: Behavior (or observable effects of behaviors) that is of relevant importance to consider the work being performed as safe.
Example: worker who uses his face shield when grinding.
Specify what is the safe way to work defining the key practices.
It is recommended to define a maximum of 12 per activity / for criticism.
Safety remarks
1.- Review the procedures and / or standards of safe work of the work to be observed and keep them in mind when making the safety observations.
2.- Choose the worker or workers to be observed.
3.- To be located in a safe place, avoiding distracting or disturbing the worker.
4.- Do not interrupt the worker during the observation process, except in the case of imminent risk of accident.
4.2.- Analysis of Activators, Behaviors and Consequences (ACC)
The ACC analysis should be performed on each offending behavior that is taken as a reference to define a key practice.
Questions to be resolved:
Trigger: Why is the worker behaving that way?
Behavior: observable behavior during the development of the work.
Consequences: Possible results obtained by the worker's behavior.
Positive or negative (P / N)
Immediate or distant (I / L)
True / Uncertain (C / I)
Example
Behavior Not wearing safety glasses
Triggers
Lenses do not fit properly
Lenses are scratched
Lenses produce heat
Lenses fog up
Consequences:
Increased comfort
Better vision
Exposure to injury
Disciplinary action
Example:
Behavior: No use of pedestrian bridge to cross the trenches
Triggers
There are not enough pedestrian bridges
There is pressure for production
Demonstration of “machismo”
There is no established / known norm
Consequences:
The time before
is shortened Supervisor pressure is avoided
Exposure to injury
Disciplinary measure
5.- Intervention and determination of objectives and goals
Establish contact with the group to observe and communicate what is going to be done: tell them that no name will be registered, nor will sanctions be imposed and that they should work as they normally do.
Steps to follow:
5.1.-Plan the general objectives of the behavior modification program
(PMC) to the group of workers to be observed.
5.2.- Present the results of the determination of the reference level.
5.3.- Determine and discuss OH&S procedures / standards to be fulfilled in each position / work area, using the key practices already defined.
5.4.- Define the goal that the group intends to achieve (Use the IS as a reference)
5.5.- Consider all suggestions and proposals.
The Safety Committee of a company dedicated to the Foundry, met emergency due to the high number of accidents registered in the last month.
Guilty was sought: "The worker is responsible for not using safety boots."
Ultimately, a rule was established: "Anyone who comes to the first aid topic for a burn will be punished drastically."
The first aid topic stopped being visited by the workers, only the engineers came… to talk with the paramedics. The grease for the metal parts of the plant maintenance area mysteriously began to wear off.
Workers with burns used it secretly in the locker room to treat their injuries.
6.- Monitoring, feedback and reinforcement
Give feedback to the workers (individually) with respect to the observed safe behaviors and then respect for the transgressions (For every 03 safe behaviors, give feedback on a transgressive behavior).
Steps to follow:
6.1.- Always give feedback with a positive approach, in a respectful and cordial way, highlighting the safe behaviors effusively and highlighting the interest in the worker's well-being by giving feedback on transgressive behaviors. Never argue or blame.
6.2.- Carry out with the worker involved in a transgressive behavior the initial analysis of possible causes, focusing on them as an opportunity for improvement and commitment to the group of colleagues. Thank the collaboration.
6.3.- Accumulate the observations made during the pre-established observation cycle.
7.- Evaluation and monitoring
7.1.- Analysis of results by the behavioral improvement process guide team (PMC).
The improvement process guiding team is made up of the members of the security area and (after training) by the members of the security committee.
8.- Rome was not made in a day
8.1.-There will be stumbling blocks.
8.2.- The workers will doubt the truth of their words: "In reality, they will not apply a sanction to me."
8.3.- The immediate managers will become impatient. Even the safety indicators can show that the accident rate “increased”.
8.4.- The annotation of the records is tedious, but necessary.
8.5.- It is advisable to inform the management of the progress by stages of the work plan. Specify the advances and "stumbles". Say the Why?
In general, what is developing is the creation of a micro culture (in the selected area). You will not see results in 06 to 08 months, but it must be constant. Use the proposed Safety Index to evaluate how you are walking.
C.- Bibliography
Jaime Cuzquen Canero: "The safety and health regulations at work"
Manfre: Behavior-based safety
Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion: Implementation of an occupational health and safety management system (03/07/2007)
DS 009-2005-TR:
Stephen Robbins Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. "Organizational Psychology"
John M. Ivanocivich: "Organizational behavior"
Diario El Comercio: Lima Peru. Supplement "Day 1" (October 2008)
El Peruano Newspaper: Lima Peru 02/02/2006 Edition.
