Psychology in the Workplace

RSS

As a safety and health professional, there will inevitably be those trying times when you must counsel a worker who has lost a finger, multiple fingers, a hand, or an entire arm to a work-related injury.

It seems that workplace injuries are directly influenced by economic situations. As the price of raw materials increases, there is a natural tendency to take additional risks to produce more volume.  As the end of the calendar quarter approaches, there is added pressure to meet goals or deadlines.

In April, a high-altitude avalanche killed 12 Sherpa guides and seriously wounded three in the single deadliest accident on Mount Everest, according to news reports.

Are all accidents preventable? The idealist says that, under the right circumstances and with early detection of risks and trends, they are. The realist says that given probability, massive exposure to risks, human nature and imperfect performance a certain number of accidents are inevitable.

A company should have a Code of Conduct that is understood through training and sign offs. After that it's a matter of implementation and enforcement. Usually these behaviors are a sign of larger issues that must be investigated and dealt with.

Google, eBay, Intel and General Mills offer classes on it. So do Harvard Business School, Ross School of Business and Claremont Graduate University, among other campuses. Mindfulness is not just a corporate trend, but a proven method for success. Mindfulness – being focused and fully present in the here and now – is good for individuals and good for a business’s bottom line.

As I was catching up on the goings on of my friends and family on Facebook, I stumbled on a story of a teacher who truly knows how to communicate with students. First, the teacher made it a part of the job as a communicator to know and understand the audience. We, as safety leaders need to do the same.

The human brain is a wonder of the universe, but our understanding of it can seem contradictory, says Steven Jay Fogel, author of the new book, "Your Mind Is What Your Brain Does for a Living.“ On the one hand, we’re often told of those crucial years that our brain develops in childhood, when we’re rapidly progressing in development of our language and other skills, and our preadolescent and teenage years, when our brains undergo a sort of second Big Bang of learning,” says Fogel.

Recently I was talking to colleagues on the subject of talking to strangers on airplanes. Like many safety professionals I spend a fair amount of time crammed into an uncomfortable seat, breathing stale air, and having my space invaded by a mouth-breather whose idea of a good trip is chatting up the stranger beside him.

Our personal risk tolerance is directly influenced by the severity of the outcome. If there is a high cost associated with a risk, we are more prone to comply with the rules set in place. While writing this post, I am reminded of today’s airline industry.