Author: Audra Sayn-Wittgenstein

Listening – Workplace Communication Problems

Audra Sayn-Wittgenstein 2 Comments

Better listening can improve workplace communication problems.

To communicate well and wisely, sometimes employees need a little coaching.   Work is full of distractions, different personalities and challenging situations.  It can be hard to hear and absorb everything that is going on in the workplace.  Helping employees better focus and understand how to behave during interactions with others can result in positive outcomes like better staff and client relations and more productive work. 

People watch, listen and express themselves when communicating by using personal tools like body language, voice volume & tone, and facial expressions.   A smile, a calm voice and a non-threatening stance are powerful things when trying to deliver a message effectively. Managers should reinforce with staff the importance of taking the time to listen and observe attentively when some one is talking. 

Training should focus on what to do and listen for when interacting with others.  With minimal cost, employers can help staff develop listening skills and improve communication.  Role playing activities or videos can help individuals become more aware of how poor listening can negatively impact others during conversations.  

The easy to remember customer service acronym – H E A T – can also be a helpful training tool to improve communication  skills at work.

H – Hear the person

  • Just listen.  Don’t interrupt or rush the person.
  • In your own words, “re-state” what you think is the problem. 
  • Acknowledge feeling of anger or distress.  Try to truly understand the speaker’s concern.
  • Make sure you have privacy and personal space, if necessary. 

E – Empathize – analyze the situation.

  • Don’t argue or personalize the issue (it is not about you). 
  • If the person is angry, politely ask them to calm down so you can help.
  • If the person repeats their concern several times say “I think that I understand the problem well enough now. Let’s find a solution”.
  • Be respectful and treat them as an equal. 

A – Apologize – If a problem exists say, “I’m very sorry to hear this”.

  • Providing an apology does not imply guilt. You are simply acknowledging their feelings.
  • If the person misunderstands your intentions, say ‘I’m sorry that I wasn’t clear enough. I would like to help.  Let try this again”.

T – Try to Resolve – develop an action plan.

  • Take action and say “What can we do to resolve this?”  “How can we work together?” 
  • Educate them so they understand.  Perhaps they just “didn’t know”.   Confirm they understand. 
  • Don’t make promises you can’t keep & be realistic with time lines .
  • Don’t speak for other departments or offices.

Many simple training methods can be used to fix communication problems at work. Talk is cheap but potentially damaging for businesses if it isn’t done well.  It is important employers observe and listen to interactions in the workplace and take action to develop communication skills among staff.   

Healthy workplace

Imagine a Healthy Workplace

Audra Sayn-Wittgenstein

Take a moment to imagine a healthy workplace.

A place that supports the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of employees. October is Healthy Workplace Month in Canada – a time to think about your workplace. Is it a healthy place?

The World Health Organization says physical, mental and social wellbeing are requirements for optimal health. Health is more than simply not having a physical illnesses. To be healthy, people must also be free of excessive mental distress and feel socially connected to others.

Similarly, a healthy workplace is an environment that promotes health for employees by preventing physical injury, undue stress and providing social support. Physical hazards are controlled. Employees feel their workloads are balanced and manageable. And, the social environment is positive.

Workplace activities that promote a healthy environment include:

  • Health & Safety programs and activities
  • Training opportunities to learn and develop skills
  • Opportunities to socialize and work with others
  • Wellness programs and activities
  • Discussions and evaluation of workplace health achievements

It doesn’t matter if you envisioned your workplace as healthy or you feel it needs some improvements. The status of workplace health changes often due to the normal variations in factors that influence businesses. Workplace health is achieved through commitment by individuals and employers who regularly choose healthful behaviours at work. Initiatives that manage physical, mental and social problems in the workplace will lead to happy and productive employees and a healthy workplace.

Improve Safety with Pictures at Work

Improve Safety with Posters and Videos

Audra Sayn-Wittgenstein

Improve safety campaigns with thought-provoking pictures and videos in the workplace. 

Seeing images of safe and unsafe work practices is an effective way to improve health & safety practices at work.  There is a recent online trend of social sharing of photos and videos of health & safety practices at work.   Images help spread the safety messages to the general public.  The safety industry is using the popularity of social media to spread the word and improve safety in the workplace. 

This principle, used by teachers and marketers, of displaying graphic images to reinforce a message should be applied to workplace safety training programs.  Posted images remain present long after health & safety training is completed.  Similarly, this approach is used in government regulations with requirements for posting various signs and posters as visual reminders of legislation.  No smoking signs, exit signs, WHMIS labels and WSIB’s  “In Case of Injury at Work 1-2-3-4” poster are all examples of graphics used to reinforce safety messages.   

To improve safety training, employers can easily add visual content to their corporate H&S messages.    Wall posters, images on workstation computer screens, videos and pictures on websites and newsletters and infographics can be  friendly reminders of safety training.  With minimal cost or effort, employers can easily find interesting images to post in the workplace. 

There are many great visual campaigns and resources available online to use as inspiration for developing similar workplace strategies.  Here are a few examples:

  • WSIB Twitter photo contest #PracticeSafeWork– Individuals are tweeting safe work practice pictures.
  • Health & Safety video contest – High school students are making workplace safety videos.
  • Online Health & Safety videos collections – WorkSafeBC on YouTube

Start by going to Google and searching health & safety images. This is a great place to start. Then, decorate your workplace, website and training materials. These images will get noticed and promote your organization’s priorities, one of which should be safety.

Employee Opinions about Workplace Safety

Employee Opinions about Workplace Safety

Audra Sayn-Wittgenstein

Employees may hesitate to voice their opinion about workplace safety problems.  

Employee opinions are an important source of information.  Personal opinions are the expression of what individuals believe to be true. Though not always objective, employee opinions about workplace safety can be an indicator of the safety culture of a company.

Supervisors should find out what their employee think about workplace safety.   Do your workers feel safe at work?  What problems are employees coping with on the job? Are work days stressful and do unreported injuries or near-misses occur?  Are workers concerned that their job is compromising their health?

Engaging employees in non-judgemental conversations about what they think about the status of the workplace safety helps builds positive relationships and trust. Dialogues, including casual conversations, safety meetings and anonymous surveys, provide opportunities for employees to  express opinions and ask questions.

Awareness of employee concerns about workplace  safety allows managers to better train and supervise employees.  Understanding what employees think can help managers correct problems and create a better employment experience.  Employees often have practical solutions to workplace safety problems.

Start by asking this simple question: Do you feel safe on the job?  Openly talking about workplace safety is an important step towards developing a work environment where employees are safe, healthy and enjoy their jobs.  

safety planning small business

Health and Safety Planning & Small Business

Audra Sayn-Wittgenstein

Safety Planning and Management Solutions for Small Business 

It is the law that all workplaces have a Health & Safety program.  Small businesses often find it difficult to develop a program due to lack of knowledgeable staff and resources including time and money.  These problems are not a good enough reason for small business managers to avoid workplace H&S planning.   The only option is to develop an appropriate workplace safety program.

Where to start?  Committed managers, with or without the help of a Health & Safety Consultant, can develop an effective safety program.  The Workplace Safety & Prevention Service offers the “Roadmap for Small Business” which is an online resource that outlines easy to follow steps for developing a compliant workplace Health & Safety Program in Ontario. The Ontario Ministry of Labour also has many useful references.

To get started:

  • Learn about and commit resources to the project.
  • Assign employees to develop the program.  
  • Put the minimum requirements in place:
    • Provide required training to employees (H&S awareness, WHMIS, First Aid, etc.)
    • Maintain a Health & Safety bulletin board
    • Identify and train about workplace hazards
    • Keep appropriate records
    • Do workplace inspections
    • Report injuries and incidents appropriately
  • Start monitoring and evaluating program outcomes
  • Plan ongoing program development.

Employers cannot ignore their responsibility to manage workplace Health & Safety.  Due diligence is expected as Ontario actively enforces legislation with work stoppages, fines and prosecution recommendations for companies that violate Occupational Health & Safety laws.

Read more about H&S Program Development  Solutions for Small Businesses:

Roadmap for Small Business, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services. 

 

Keep Young Workers Safe

Audra Sayn-Wittgenstein

Young workers … energetic, eager and at increased risk of workplace injuries

Young workers are a unique group of employees who get injured frequently at work.  This recognized statistic is the reason why the Ontario Ministry of Labour conducts its May to August New and Young Worker Safety Blitz.

WHY are young workers at increased risk of getting hurt at work?

Unlike older individuals who have been previously employed, younger workers often have minimal knowledge of workplace expectations and routines.   Young people want to successfully complete assigned tasks but may be hesitant to ask for instruction. This combination of lack of experience and unwillingness to ask questions is dangerous.

HOW can employers keep young workers safe?

In depth orientation & training and competent supervision is the best way to keep young workers safe at a new job. It takes time and resources to properly train new employees. Repetition and extra supervision may be necessary until an inexperienced worker demonstrates good understanding of the safety requirements of a job. Employers should use training strategies that accommodate a young adult’s learning style and limited employment experience.

Tips to keep new and young workers safe at work include:

  • Provide an orientation with detailed information about the workplace routines, hazards and job requirements.
  • Be sure all workplace safety measures required by law are in place and the young worker is fully trained.  (Material handling, ergonomics, machine guarding, lifting, PPE, working from heights, workplace violence and harassment, etc.)
  • Properly supervise the young worker. Establishing a mentoring or buddy system with an experienced employee can be helpful.
  • Remind the worker to work safely and report anything unsafe.
  • Encourage the worker to ask questions.
  • Comply with minimum workplace age requirements (14 for industrial settings, 15 for factories, 16 for logging operations)
  • Ensure the Workplace Health & Safety Committee considers new worker issues.

This is the time of year that many young people start new jobs. Employers need to protect younger workers, as they would their own adult children, by providing adequate information and support. The result will be a well-trained, productive employee and a safer workplace for all.

Resources

New and young workers in your workplace, Ontario Ministry of Labour

Protect New and Young Workers, podcast by CCOHS with Steve Horvath