By Dr Rabindra Karna

 

Employee engagement in OHS (Occupational Health & Safety) is not only critical to its effective management but also an integral part of productivity and quality management at the work place. Achieving this necessitates commitment of all parties concerned – the management, employees and the Union – to meet the objectives and long term approach of an organisation. The existence of issues related to health and safety at a work place has a huge impact over business performances. It adversely affects employees’ performances and encourages absenteeism due to illnesses, injuries etc. Health & Safety, an important element in our daily life, affects everyone including employees, managers, owners, family, society, contractors and visitors. Effective OHS management helps improve the well-being of employees, workplace environment and business operation. All these factors together ensure overall business. The employees’ engagement towards OHS seeks to change workplace culture and beliefs for improved and safe work practices through positive engagement of people, communication and training.

 

Effective communication is vital for business management wherein periodical group discussions cultivate consultation among the workforce. Health, safety and environmental issues are discussed in these forums in addition to measures for current business improvement and the way forward. These consultations intend to instill the entire organization’s trust and direct everyone to follow the targeted business destination. The employees are encouraged to participate in various decision making practices such as process enhancement, management plans, skills development and risk analysis. This actively encourages open communication amongst the workforce resulting in operation and work culture improvement.

 

While trust plays a vital role in achieving desired level of people engagement, it is one of the most difficult tasks for business leaders. Business leadership requires demonstrating consistency in words and action by resorting to fair communication. It supports creation of a culture securing complete engagement of human resources and driving business results. At present, businesses are recognizing safety, health and environmental responsibilities as integral parts of daily routine. They are focused towards preventing occupational injury and illness as well as minimizing adverse impact on the environment. Business operations are extensively engaging in identifying priorities to ensure that these initiatives match people resources and community expectations. They are also working on an awareness drive to see regular communication and basic as well as specialized training on OHS. Employers have the responsibility of providing a safe place and work system. At the same time, employees are responsible for strictly adhering directions floated for safe work practices. Effective safety management requires compulsory integration of health and safety into planning, purchasing, production, distribution, sales and financial aspects of a business. There must be moves with clear understanding and considerations giving equal importance to productivity & quality management. It is because business improvements, risk reduction and efficient cost economy flow from a successful implementation of OHS management system.

 

Further, industrial relations and OHS are interlinked and these must be recognized throughout management efforts in building productive and safe work environment. The most essential requirement is to train and provide logistical support to the health and safety committee inviting its engagement for generating awareness and workforce’s interest in OHS. It is also inevitable to recognize that the Union plays a vital role in facilitating effective people engagement for participatory mechanism afforded by them keeping industrial relations in mind. This makes the employees, the Union and HR associates key stakeholders leading to dedicated participation towards the OHS program. The Unions and HR practitioners’/associates’ involvement facilitates effective dissemination of OHS process. It also encourages a better understanding of risk exposures and need for the mandatory usage of protective devices, workplace equipment, changed work practices etc on the employees’ part.

 

The frequency and severity rate is the traditional form of statistical measurement of incident, accident, injury and illness. These measurements are indicators for cost efficiency, associated cost on workplace safety, loss of working hours etc. More than anything else, people resources utilization largely depends on effective improvement of working conditions to the extent of changing circumstances in the workplace. Constant and regular surveys are popular initiatives aimed at improving public commitment towards health and safety. Top management leadership in association with HR associates is critical in terms of integrating OHS management system into core business and its philosophy. The leadership displays genuine concern for employees’ welfare, provides greater opportunity to succeed and achieve OHS performance at the desired level. This also results in capturing an organization’s greater commitment towards health and safety policies thereby cultivating high degree of awareness and reducing accident and injury risks. At present, the business teams are highly energetic and equipped well with strong communication skills. Most essential and desired expectations can only be achieved with proactive approach, effective engagement and structured coaching.

 

One of the key elements of the OHS drive is standard policy and implementation strategy. OHS policy cannot have productive implementation unless it overcomes traditional approaches which deal with troubles as and when they occur. On the other hand, proactive approach is the current practice and need which is based on elimination of causes rather than dealing with effects. Documented OHS system, process and policy demonstrate and quantify the need as well as explain the necessity while obtaining commitment from all parties in writing. An OHS system enables coordinated approach to health and safety instead of dealing with conflicting information leading to confusion. Any uncertainty pertaining to work practices amongst people resources exposes organizations to unacceptable risks. Though many organizations perceive health & safety management implementation as too difficult, there are key advantages of systematic implementation and health & Safety management. Investment towards OHS management system minimizes workplace illness and injury and contributes towards reducing direct and indirect cost to the company.

 

Above all, the feedback from the workforce is important evidence to measure OHS effectiveness and employee engagement. It plays a vital role in improvising OHS strategies and works as an eye-opener towards improvement needs in the current system. It quantifies actual measures of OHS performance which is open for manipulation through leave arrangements, changing shift of the affected employee etc. Both formal and informal feedback must be applied for qualitative checks on OHS program practices within the work schedule. While OHS encourages people’s contribution towards internal processes and learning, workers and the Unions are more likely to commit themselves and participate in best practices. As a matter of fact, this is essential for employee engagement in dealing with OHS in the form of a joint OHS committee and other participatory mechanisms such as labor relation committee.

 

It is also advisable to involve people through workplace inspection, periodical interaction with operational team and work groups and measurement and evaluation exercises. This is where an organization instills the opportunity to drive the changing process of OHS management system. It ensures prevention from future injuries, accidents and illnesses. This can be taken as the best opportunity in view of the well known and accepted fact ‘Prevention is always better than cure’. 

 (Dr Karna is the Executive Chairman of MARK Business Solutions Pvt Ltd and Ad Abhyas Marketing & Communications Pvt Ltd. The article is based on various research reports and his practical experiences as management practitioner.)