Newsletter: June 2021 Newsletter

I have heard one definition of ‘character’ as being the way a person behaves when they think no one is watching, or when they are put under pressure. Character traits are most likely a combination of both genetic and environmental factors, and psychologists, scientists and religious types have been arguing about the relative importance of these factors for generations. This can be best summarised by asking yourself the following question. Would I be the same person I am today if I had grown up in a different household, environment, or even race? The best answer I can come up with is maybe, or maybe not.

Similarly, ‘organisational culture’ can be defined as how an organisation operates when the bosses’ backs are turned, or how the organisation responds to a crisis.

The Business Leaders’ Health and Safety forum recently commissioned a research study on how organisations survived the Pandemic, specifically looking at what helped and what hindered their response to Covid-19. The top two recommendations were not that surprising.

• Invest in developing organisational culture and leadership.
• Prioritise health, safety, and wellbeing for staff.

The three insights gained by the study were that the following characteristics were paramount

• Good communication in all directions, and both internal and external.
• People centred leadership, in which there is a high level of trust and empowerment, combined with empathetic and decisive decision making.
• Planning and preparedness, where organisations have the resources and time to ‘flex’ to meet the demands of the crisis.

The good news is that these recommendations and insights align perfectly with the strategic direction of the Charter, and more importantly, with our next event. This event features Dr David Williams, who was instrumental in changing the culture at Fonterra Capital projects following two deaths in an 18-month period.

The session will explain the five different types of culture, but more importantly, it will describe the Five Elements that make up a culture and how they differ from one type of culture to another. Using stories from the past decade’s worth of successful cultural change within the Dairy Construction sector, David will describe how the Elements of Culture can be leveraged to drive culture change.

The optimal role as a Manager or H&S professional within each type of culture will be described so people can adapt their professional praxis to suit their environment, and thus influence how organisations can change their cultural trajectory.

The session will provide a clearer picture of where organisations sit on the H&S cultural continuum, and a greater understanding of how individuals specifically can influence transformational change.

This will be a great session for business owners, managers, and health and safety leaders.  The next crisis is just around the corner….

Paul Duggan,  General Manager

Join us on Tuesday, 29th June, in the Mezzanine Lounge, Hornby Club for the Charter Annual General Meeting and presentation by Dr David Williams on Changing Organisational Culture.  

Commencing at 5.30pm with light refreshments 

Better Questions are Now Being Asked – The Charter is here to help you to answer them

In recent months I have noticed a significant increase in the level of conversation about duty holder responsibility and what the White Island court case means for companies that engage multiple contractors and trades in New Zealand.

The high volume of pre-qualifications that I have personally been assisting businesses undertake, suggests further that industries with overlapping PCBUs are now tightening up their control measures and ensuring that each have an adequate safe system of work in place.

The 13 companies and individuals charged by WorkSafe over the deadly eruption will be appearing in the Whakatāne court a little later this month.

The hearing follows an adjournment from the Auckland District Court in March to give the defendants time to consider WorkSafe’s case against them.

At the time the charges were laid, WorkSafe chief executive Phil Parkes​ said an investigation into the parties found they did not meet their obligations under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 when taking tourists to the island.

“As a nation we need to look at this tragedy and ask if we are truly doing enough to ensure our mothers, fathers, children and friends come home to us healthy and safe at the end of each day.

“It is now up to the judicial system to determine whether they did or not.”

The top advice I can give business leaders right now is what my good friend DeAnne Brabant, (past Senior Solicitor WorkSafe, Associate Teaching Fellow Massey University and Mediator) told me in an interview at the time of the first hearing:

“Business owners should be aiming for the path of least regret, to double check, to second guess yourself and make sure you get the right things in place…”

From what I have seen and heard, many executives and boards are becoming increasingly comfortable to ask for greater quality of information from their management teams and more consistency from their prequalification processes, to provide confidence that their duties are being met.

The timely arrival of Totika, the single framework that brings all health and safety pre-qualifications together under one umbrella, will arguably make the process of pre-qualification not only, cheaper, and quicker for everyone but also of higher quality and standard.

The challenge for managers and advisors now will be the requirement to keep up to speed with the latest insights, industry good practice and digital solution options.

That is why I am so proud to be a part of the Canterbury Safety Charter as it continues to provide such critical support and guidance to industry and individuals throughout the region and beyond.

Matt Jones, Charter Board Member

are you an 

HSR?

HSA?

HSM?

If you answered yes to any of the above then our mentoring event is for you.  Mark in your diary Wednesday, 28th July, 5.30pm.

Details will be updated on the Charter website and newsletter.

Business Leaders Health & Safety Forum recently held a ‘Mental health and wellbeing by design’ forum in Christchurch presented by Roger Gray and Dr Hillary Bennett.  Over the coming months, the Forum will be looking at a range of implementation support options around the new Guide.  

Additional resources available HERE. 

Join NZISM and NZOHNA for their Continual Professional Development day at Hornby Club on 02 July 2021 from 0815 – 1630.  

Elecot Ltd

L Ward

CanRecruit 

Markham Williams Associates