Are you always able to act in accordance with the given instructions, if you are not convinced of the reasonableness of the instructions or their functionality?
I myself often have to ask myself the basics or otherwise think about the bigger picture behind the instructions. It is incredibly easy to deceive yourself, but the threshold for betraying a promise to another is already higher.
With participation, we awaken a collective sense of responsibility
With participation, we aim for a situation where we create guidelines and operating methods together. Then the agreed practices immediately feel like your own and acting according to them is natural, the only right way to act. At the same time, by participating in setting the goals yourself, you give others a silent promise to act as agreed. Participation therefore awakens a collective sense of responsibility and concern for the safety of the shared workplace.
For a few years, as the work manager of the Suurehko site, I have been able to see up close and participate in the construction of a work safety culture in a multicultural organization with specialists from several different professional groups and different task fields. It is easy to set up the basic functions according to the old models, but individuality and the operating methods that are suitable for our community must be tailored according to different situations.
There are many good and practical methods for participation in construction site conditions. It's worth harnessing all the appropriate means to the tool bank, starting with occupational safety plans for the work phases, extending through orientations to phase-specific workshops and weekly safety guards.
By adjusting the size of events, groups of participants and situations according to needs, we ensure that everyone's voice is heard in the creation of safety practices as versatile as possible. During the safety weeks, we are still able to strengthen the implementation of common practices by theme with various joint events and adventures.
Open, versatile and two-way communication is a prerequisite for effective interaction
Communication must be clear and to the point, and with the help of communication you must be able to provide sufficient reasons for the implementation of the agreed matter. Communication must extend to all parties, no one can follow instructions or react to feedback they have not received.
With continuous communication, we strengthen the effect by giving positive feedback on how things are handled according to the instructions, or correspondingly by guiding the non-performing performance to the agreed level. In communication, it is also important to ensure the functionality of the return channel. Feedback in any form gives the opportunity to improve the agreed models. It is also important to provide clear information about receiving feedback and its processing.
In communication, it's not worth getting locked into one or two channels. For example, safety observations can be received in any form, even if, as agreed, all of them are exported as Congrid observations to the system, which we use to monitor the handling of observations and further communicate to the various parties and stakeholders of the project.
By example, we create an atmosphere where acting in accordance with the instructions becomes something to aim for, and paying attention to problems, as well as putting things in order, becomes natural and usual. In this way, we create a community where we take care of each other's safety in the common workplace.
The goal of participation in safety management could well be to set a work community-specific understanding of the agreed operating methods and that everyone in their own activities sets an example of collective responsibility.
RT's safety group ended up challenging people working in management positions in the construction industry to share their own vision and experience about why safety must be managed, by what means, and what good it brings. Through the challenge, we want to send a message to the entire construction industry that good management plays a decisive role in promoting occupational safety and well-being.
Lujatalo's work manager Tom Varone took up the challenge ninth with his text on inclusion.
Previous blog posts:
- The first challenge: Riku Patokoski, CEO of Bonava Suomi Oy
- Another challenge: Hartela's director of land acquisition and housing development, Johanna Palosaari
- The third challenge: Risto Kivi, Const's branch manager
- Fourth challenge: YIT's Infra segment manager Aleksi Laine
- Fifth challenge: Lujatalo CEO Mikko Hollmén
- Sixth challenge: Hannu Tuukkala, CEO of Consolis Parma
- Seventh challenge: Petri Alatalo, CEO of Artic Infra
- Eighth challenge: A joint blog of the four members of the Uusimaa district board of the house building industry
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