Quite often I discuss with H&S Managers how we can set objectives and key results for their teams around the big picture, particularly around a team’s health. Personally, I feel this is a big area where we can improve as a function and whilst we are happy to debate zero harm, safety differently and behavioural based safety ad nauseum rarely do we focus on what makes and sustains a high performing H&S team, much to our own detriment.
Discussions with HS Managers are wide ranging depending on their knowledge of general management and leadership base knowledge and typically start with the Managers current practise. Often this resembles some key performance indicators for audit and inspection activity only or other numerical, binary metrics. But hey, it’s a start and something to build from!
The individual performance review process inevitably gets raised as a measure, however, to accept an aggregate of individual performance as a measure of a teams health ignores the social dynamics and by-products of working in a team (both positive and at times not so positive). So I’m loathed to have this be our go to tool to measure or gain data on team health.
In the past teams have successfully and unsuccessfully used methods such as surveys, 360-degree reviews and the like to help create a snapshot as to the health of a team based upon internal and external data sources. Most have been externally facilitated which to me represents a lost opportunity to drive reflection, acknowledgement and improvement by the actual team rather than ‘on’ a team.
What we need is a mechanism and process which can be organically used, internally facilitated and contextual to the team. Let’s also point out this need not come from an H&S source. There are no new problems and to recreate the wheel thinking H&S teams are unique is misguided.
My two choices for those early adopter managers and leaders who want to improve their team health (tools not theory below)
Both are backed by their internal research and are externally validated and improved by the consistent seeking of feedback from internal and external users. They include generous and detailed how-tos and are free to view, download, use and adopt! These should be a go to and starting point for any H&S Manager or leader interested in the topic.
As a side note, the sharing and transparency of internal processes are gathering momentum with Laing ORouke releasing their Next Gear H&S Management System to the wider public in 2016. To me, this is a positive trend reflect there is no Intellectual Property in Safety or indeed standard business processes where we have an ethical responsibility to our people.
Would love to hear your feedback on initial thoughts on the above two options and if you are going down the path of contextualising for your teams. Also if there are other options in addition to Atlassian’s and Google’s please drop me a line so I can update the post.
Happy leading and teaming!
Reframe my Safety Brain 