Responding to the pandemic is putting organizations’ OSH culture under scrutiny and testing how their working environments, systems, procedures and people interact. For a healthy and sustainable future, positive OSH cultures will continue to be central to motivating, supporting, and valuing workers.
So here are my “Super Six” takeaways for those organizations wanting to turn lessons from this past year into a lasting OSH legacy.
Leadership – embed leadership behaviors, intelligence sharing, flexibility, and a consultative approach throughout your organization.
Dialogue – enable workers to voice concerns and make suggestions and share your plans, discuss changes, and give regular updates using a range of technology, while avoiding overload.
Risk-based approach – get good OSH advice, manage occupational health and safety risks, and engage workers in this, extending it into your supply chains.
Workers’ health – use workplaces to protect and enhance health and wellbeing and promote your corporate health resources.
Build capacity – train and develop skills in occupational health and safety, technology use, change management, and mental health and wellbeing throughout your operations.
Horizon scan – continually assess your corporate context and future risk scenarios and optimize your emergency and continuity plans.