EP 702 - Unmasking Safety Culture_ The Real Unseen Players

Show Transcript

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Welcome everyone to our very first episode of you unmasking safety culture the real unseen

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players I'm Jay Allen your host for this deep dive into the intricacies of safety culture

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today we're unraveling the unseen forces and players that influence safety within organizations

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when we talk about safety culture we often default to discussing systems and policies

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however what about those hidden aspects those invisible players who silently shape these

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practices this is exactly what we're here to uncover together we'll be exploring the

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complex layers and dynamics that are not often discussed instead of sticking to the surface

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level narratives it's time to challenge the status quo and bring to light the factors

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and influences driving safety culture from the shadows safety culture isn't just a set

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of manuals or guidelines it's an evolving entity influenced by numerous unseen factors

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recognizing these elements is key to understanding and improving the culture of safety within

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any organization so why are these unseen elements so crucial essentially they greatly impact

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how safety policies are formed how effectively they are put into practice often they remain

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masked by general assumptions and standard protocols but their influence is substantial

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through the lens of the organizational performance or hop we'll examine how these hidden influences

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can be identified and addressed hop helps us understand the human aspects and systemic

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interactions that affect performance and safety outcomes keep your ears peeled as we embark

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on this journey to unveil the real players behind safety cultures that often remain hidden

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but are integral to shaping safer organizational environments thank you for joining us today

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as we set the stage for this exciting exploration with that said let's dive into our journey

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of discovery and transformation pushing the boundaries of conventional safety narratives

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stay tuned as we venture into our first insight packed exploration and now let's smoothly

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transition to our next section remember we are scratching the surface here and there's

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much more to uncover as we progress now that we've set the stage for our exploration of

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unmasking safety culture it's time to meet our first guest who brings a wealth of insight

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and experience in this domain joining us today is samantha jones a seasoned safety consultant

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specializing in human organizational performance or hope samantha has spent over 10 years diving

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deep into the intricacies of safety cultures within organizations bringing a unique perspective

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that does not often make it into conventional narratives her role has been pivotal in altering

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the way organizations perceive and implement safety protocols samantha it's a pleasure

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to have you here with us as we delve into the hidden forces and players that truly influence

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safety culture can you share a bit about your background and what led you to specialize

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in this field thank you for sharing your professional background with us samantha now i'm curious

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about your journey into the world of safety consulting it's often these personal paths

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that really shed light on how someone becomes passionate about a field could you tell us

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more about your personal experiences that brought you to focus on the deeper aspects

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of safety culture absolutely jay it's been quite an adventure honestly like many in our

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field i didn't start in safety consulting immediately my journey began when i was working

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at a manufacturing plant right out of college i was in a management trainee program and safety

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was merely one of the numerous check boxes to tick off in our operations that seems to

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be a common entry point for many but what changed that initial view and led you to pursue

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safety consulting with a focus on culture interestingly it was a significant incident

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at the plant that served as a turning point i witnessed an accident that thankfully didn't

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result in any serious injuries but it exposed glaring oversights in our established safety

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protocols it was then that i realized we were often missing the human element in our safety

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strategies it's amazing how an incident like that can really open one's eyes to systemic

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issues and how did that experience lead you to explore the depths of safety culture after

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the incident i delved into human organizational performance or hop which changed everything

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for me it placed emphasis on understanding human behaviors systemic factors and how they

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intertwine with safety policies my interest grew from here and i began to explore not

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just the surface level procedures but the deeper cultural aspects that influence these

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practices that's such an insightful exploration samantha understanding the real players behind

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safety practices certainly offers a fresh perspective how did your exploration shape

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your approach in the field of safety consulting it reshaped my entire approach i started working

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with different organizations helping them realize that a robust safety culture needs

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to integrate hop principles this involves viewing safety not just as a set of rules

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but as a dynamic interplay of factors influenced by human behavior organizational processes

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and cultural attitudes and with that realization i'm sure you've been able to make impactful

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changes in the organizations you've worked with it's indeed fascinating to hear how your

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personal journey and career path have unfolded samantha thank you jay it's been rewarding

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to see organizations evolve their safety culture and recognize the unseen players or factors

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that impact safety it's a continuous journey and i'm always learning from each organization

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and situation i encounter as we delve deeper into the concept of safety culture it's crucial

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to understand that it's not just about policies and procedures on paper it's a living breathing

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ecosystem shaped by a myriad of factors that aren't always visible at first glance exactly

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jay safety culture goes beyond the usual check boxes it's about the deeply embedded norms

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values and beliefs that guide how individuals within an organization perceive and act upon

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safety issues and this perception isn't just about what's overtly communicated often there

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are subtle cues within an organization that influence how safety is prioritized right

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these unspoken rules can be quite powerful sometimes even more so than formal guidelines

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they can dictate whether employees feel empowered to speak up about potential hazards or if

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they feel pressured to maintain the status quo let's talk about the concept of safety

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culture in practical terms what are some common misconceptions that you've encountered in

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your experience a common misconception is that safety culture can be changed overnight

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with a few new policies or a revamped safety program but in reality it requires a fundamental

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shift in organizational mindset which takes time and persistent effort it sounds like

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it involves a continuous process of engagement and reflection more than anything else absolutely

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it's about creating an environment where continuous learning and adaptation are encouraged

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organizations need to understand the dynamic nature of safety culture how can organizations

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better identify these hidden influences that shape their safety culture one effective approach

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is to engage in open dialogues with employees across all levels understanding their perspectives

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can illuminate underlying issues that might not be evident through traditional safety

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audits that's a powerful insight it seems that understanding safety culture requires

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empathy and active listening just as much as it does analytical assessments exactly

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building a robust safety culture is ultimately about fostering trust and mutual respect and

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that only happens when leaders truly listen and act upon the insights gathered from their

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teams this conversation about safety culture seems to tie perfectly into understanding

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its relationship with other factors which brings us closer to our next topic but before

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we get there any final thoughts on this subject Samantha only that organizations should remember

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safety culture is not static it's vital to continually evaluate and nurture it as an

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integral part of achieving operational excellence as we continue our conversation on safety

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culture we now delve into the principles of human organizational performance or hop and

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how they reveal the hidden intricacies that exist within our organizations notably hop

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isn't just a set of guidelines but it lends through which we can view and understand the

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complexities of human behavior within safety systems that's right Jay hop offers a unique

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perspective focusing on the system rather than the individual it's about recognizing

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that human error is inevitable and that systems should be designed to absorb and manage these

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errors it's a transition from blaming individuals to understanding systemic influences exactly

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Samantha by shifting our focus from the notion of error as a personal failing hop allows

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us to consider how organizational structures policies and cultures contribute to safety

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outcomes this understanding prompts leaders to emphasize learning and improvement rather

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than punishment and Jay this shift in perspective really opens up new avenues for enhancing safety

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when organizations adopt hop principles they start to see errors as opportunities for deeper

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inquiry and learning it's about being proactive rather than reactive Amanda I agree wholeheartedly

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hop posits that safety isn't the absence of error but the presence of defenses it's

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fascinating to see how this approach not only mitigates risks but also fosters an environment

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of mutual respect and open communication within teams moreover embracing the hop approach

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encourages us to engage with frontline workers as key informants their insights can reveal

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systemic vulnerabilities that might otherwise go unnoticed thus playing a crucial role in

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shaping more resilient safety cultures and in this way the principles of hop are instrumental

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in unmasking the players behind safety culture by focusing on human interactions and systemic

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conditions we gain a clearer picture of the unseen dynamics at play within organizations

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this understanding is crucial as we move forward to exploring other unseen forces at play in

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shaping safety culture moving beyond the human organizational performance insights let's

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delve into the unseen forces shaping safety policies and practices from within our guest

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Samantha Jones has done extensive research in this field and is here to share her insights

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thank you Jay one of the most underestimated factors impacting safety culture is actually

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the organizational structure itself many assume it's all about leadership decisions or frontline

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practices but the truth lies deeper the way an organization is structured can often dictate

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its safety dynamics subconsciously that's fascinating Samantha could you elaborate on

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how organizational structure imposes these unseen forces certainly for instance hierarchy

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levels and communication channels within an organization have a profound effect in a rigid

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top-down structure crucial safety information might not reach all levels effectively leading

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to misunderstandings or compliance issues meanwhile a more horizontal structure might

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foster open communication and quicker dissemination of safety practices it sounds like there's

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a delicate balance that organizations need to strike how do these structures impact decision-making

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processes the decision-making process is often influenced by who holds the power to decide

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what in many cases those making safety policy decisions are far removed from the day-to-day

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operations where the realities of these policies play out this gap can lead to policies that

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look great on paper but aren't practical or effective on the ground it's a crucial insight

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it seems that aligning policymaking with operational realities is key can you talk about any specific

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mechanisms that organizations can use to identify these unseen forces one effective approach

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is to establish cross-functional teams that include members from all organizational levels

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these teams can provide diverse perspectives and identify gaps that might otherwise go

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unnoticed additionally maintaining open feedback channels encourages all employees to share

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their insights and concerns ensuring a more holistic view of the safety culture that makes

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a lot of sense before we transition to our next segment what advice would you give leaders

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wanting to address these unseen forces i'd advise leaders to engage in active listening

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and be willing to adapt their perspectives based on feedback from all organizational

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levels encouraging a culture of transparency and continuous improvement can reveal these

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unseen forces and pave the way for more effective safety practices thank you samantha as we

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continue our exploration of safety culture let's start questioning the conventional

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narratives that often go unchallenged stay with us for more insights as we move forward

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let's take a moment to challenge the conventional narratives that often cloud the real contributors

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to safety culture these narratives tend to oversimplify the dynamics at play within organizations

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masking the complexity and the real challenges employees face on a daily basis absolutely

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jay the typical narrative often focuses solely on compliance and metrics such as incident

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rates and lost time while these are important they don't fully capture the essence of safety

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culture or the human and organizational behaviors that drive those metrics exactly samantha

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by focusing purely on numbers organizations might miss the opportunity to delve into the

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human side of the equation the narrative is often driven by the need to report positive

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statistics but what about the underlying practices that actually contribute to a safer work environment

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there's a tendency to view safety solely through the lens of compliance which can lead to a

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compliance culture rather than a true safety culture what we need is a shift from checking

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boxes on a form to understanding why people make the decisions they do and how the organization's

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culture supports those decisions and by dissecting these conventional narratives we can start

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to peel back the layers and reveal the why behind behaviors we start to discover what

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really influences safety culture beyond the surface level it's about shifting the conversation

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from blame and punishment to understanding and support when employees feel less like

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they are under constant scrutiny and more like partners in safety they are more likely

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to participate actively in safety initiatives as we continue this discussion it's crucial

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uh to keep questioning and digging deeper the next step is to shine a spotlight on

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those hidden players who drive and influence safety culture in ways we sometimes don't

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see immediately now shifting gears let's dig deeper into the roles of the unseen players

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within organizations those who impact safety culture in ways we might not immediately recognize

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while the official policies and safety protocols often bear the fingerprints of top level management

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it's the nuanced behaviors and decisions made by less visible players that truly shape

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the day-to-day safety practices within a company exactly jay it's remarkable how much influence

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these hidden figures have take for instance the role of maintenance staff or supervisors

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in the field they are the ones who ensure equipment is functioning safely often making

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critical judgments on the fly absolutely samantha their insights based on direct hands-on experience

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can sometimes challenge or even override official guidelines not out of disregard but in pursuit

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of real-time safety solutions and let's not forget the influence of experienced frontline

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workers they often hold institutional knowledge and have a keen sense of potential risks which

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they relay through informal channels shaping a safety-minded culture organically right

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amanda this kind of informal knowledge transfer is crucial and often goes unacknowledged it's

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a direct illustration of human organizational performance in action where real understanding

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transcends formal training moreover these hidden players are pivotal during transitions

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or changes in procedures their ability to adapt and communicate effectively within their

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teams ensures smoother transitions and continuity and safety practices so what we're saying

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is that while we may focus our attention on the top-down approach to safety compliance

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it's these ground-level interactions and decisions that sustain the safety culture in an organization

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exactly by acknowledging and empowering these unsung heroes organizations can cultivate

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a robust safety environment that doesn't just exist on paper but thrives in daily operations

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and it's such acknowledgement and integration that can bridge the gap between safety directives

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and practical application facilitating a more resilient organizational safety culture as

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we move forward it's crucial to understand how sometimes the most significant influencers

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of safety culture are not the ones on the organizational chart samantha you've given

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this a lot of thought can you shed some light on these overlooked influencers within organizations

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absolutely jay when we talk about safety culture the typical focus is on leadership and formal

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roles like safety officers however many real influencers are those who operate quietly

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in the background these include longtime employees informal leaders or those who may not carry

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a formal title but have earned the respect of their peers their day-to-day actions and

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beliefs can significantly impact the way safety measures are perceived and adhered to by others

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it's fascinating really to consider that someone without a formal leadership role can wield

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so much influence could you provide a practical example of how these individuals might affect

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safety culture in a tangible way certainly consider an experienced technician who's

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been with the company for decades while they may not have a formal management position

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their extensive knowledge and willingness to share it can influence how newer employees

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view and prioritize safety if this person values and practices safety it sets a standard

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among their peers conversely if they're dismissive of certain protocols it can lead to a culture

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of non-compliance among their colleagues that's such an important point samantha it reminds

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us of the human side of safety culture how relationships and respect play into adhering

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to safety policies how might organizations better leverage these informal influencers

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to improve their overall safety practices organizations would benefit from recognizing

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and integrating these informal influencers into safety discussions and decision-making

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processes this could involve inviting them to safety meetings seeking their input on

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safety policies or even creating mentorship programs where they can guide less experienced

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colleagues by valuing their insights organizations can create more organic buy-in to safety initiatives

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resulting in a more robust safety culture great insights samantha it's clear that

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sometimes the people who influence safety outcomes aren't those with the loudest voices

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but those with the most genuine connections and lived experiences within the company as

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we prepare to delve into our next discussion it's worth keeping these insights in mind

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to truly understand how safety culture is shaped within an organization we must look

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beyond the formal structures and standard operating procedures there exists as less

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obvious but immensely powerful force at play the informal network let's look at a case

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study to illustrate this point imagine a mid-size manufacturing company on the surface their

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safety protocols are by the book strictly aligning with industry regulations but dig

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a little deeper and you'll discover an entirely different layer the informal structures where

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the real power often lies take for instance the role of informal leaders these are individuals

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not necessarily informal leadership roles but are incredibly influential within their

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peer groups it might be the veteran machine operator whom everyone turns to for advice

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or the administrative assistant who seems to have a connection with every department

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in an arcade study a particular informal leader let's call him bob became pivotal in spreading

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crucial safety messages he wasn't on the safety committee nor did he hold any managerial

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position but his experience and natural charisma made him a central figure when a new safety

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regulation was introduced it was bob who interpreted it in a way that resonated with his colleagues

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simplifying complex language into practical terms everyone could understand this dissemination

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of information through the informal network ensured that safety practices were actually

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understood and implemented on the ground rather than just existing as another policy on paper

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but the influence doesn't stop with individuals the network strength also lies in its nodes

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and connections the relationships built over coffee breaks shared stories and mutual trust

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these bonds facilitate the rapid spread of information often much faster than any formal

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announcement could achieve so what does this tell us well for one it underscores the importance

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of recognizing and engaging with these informal networks when aiming to improve safety culture

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organizations that ignore this layer often struggle to understand why they're meticulously

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crafted safety protocols aren't yielding the desired outcomes as we prepare to delve

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deeper into the unseen facets that influence organizational safety keep these informal

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networks in mind they are just as powerful if not more so than the overt power structures

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that are usually scrutinized continuing from our last discussion the interplay of power

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and politics in an organization is a critical yet often overlooked component that can greatly

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influence safety culture as we delve into this we begin to unravel the hidden dynamics

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that can either strengthen or undermine safety initiatives it's not just about the policies

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we see on paper but about who holds the power to enforce or ignore these policies absolutely

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jay in my time working with various organizations i've seen how some individuals due to their

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position of power can significantly impact the effectiveness of safety protocols this

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goes beyond the written guidelines entering into personal relationships and influence

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that aren't captured in official documents samantha you've touched on an important point

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the unofficial networks and alliances within a company can often dictate whether a safety

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culture is thriving or failing how do you think these internal politics play out practically

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in shaping safety culture i've observed that those in unofficial leadership roles often

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have more sway than their job titles suggest for example a respected long-term employee

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might have more influence over workplace behavior than even higher level managers this can be

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both a benefit and a barrier depending on whether they prioritize safety or not that's

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fascinating so it's not necessarily about job titles but about influence and respect

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manna what's your take on this dynamic how does it affect the implementation of safety

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practices in many cases i've seen formal processes being overshadowed by these informal

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power structures when key influences dismiss safety practices as unnecessary it sends a

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clear signal throughout the organization it creates an environment where following rules

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isn't valued over fitting in with the prevailing mindset seems crucial then to identify these

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hidden influencers early in any safety culture assessment samantha from your experience what

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strategies have been effective in navig