WORKFORCE ENGAGEMENT A practical guide

HSE attaches a great deal of importance to a culture where worker participation is encouraged.
Our own studies show that rms striving for sustained business excellence by cultivating a
genuine partnership between workforce and management also attain an overall reduction in
injuries and work-related ill health. The reasons for effective Workforce Engagement are obvious
- it creates a collaborative safety approach and fully utilises the skills and knowledge that only the
workers on the ground have.
Steve Walker
Head of Offshore Division, HSE
We see Workforce Engagement with regards to safety matters as absolutely vital to improving
all round safety performance. Those exposed to day to day hazards, the workforce, must be
able to inuence decisions affecting their safety and the safety of others. We dont see this as a
difcult concept; wed say it was common sense.
Jake Molloy
Regional Organiser, RMT
What Workforce Engagement in Safety means to industry
Steve Walker
Jake Molloy
Making the UK the safest place to work
in the worldwide oil and gas industry
Step Change in Safety vision
Good Workforce Engagement is required if we are to deliver world class
safety performance, however, the key question we need to address is
how to sustain and improve engagement over time. We hope that regular
use of the engagement toolkit, including repeated use of the survey, will
foster continuous improvement. We also hope that over time the level
of Workforce Engagement as measured by the engagement survey will
become widely accepted as an additional Leading Indicator of safety
performance. Through establishing industry Workforce Engagement
benchmarks we can recognise, and learn from, those companies with
exemplary engagement performance.
Mike Bowyer and Ian Sharp
(Workforce Engagement Steering Group co-chairs)
Workforce
disengaged
with the
safety effort
Workforce
partially
engaged with
the safety
effort
Workforce
routinely
engaged with
the safety
effort
Workforce and
management
working in
partnership to
improve safety
Workforce
leading
the safety
improvement
effort
What are we trying to achieve?
Mike Bowyer Ian Sharp
A focus on Workforce Engagement in Safety
What exactly is Workforce Engagement in Safety?
In a safety context, Workforce Engagement is the active participation
of everyone in the workforce in managing and improving safety
performance. When engaged, workers feel as able as managers to
improve safety where they work. Workforce Engagement therefore
means that all workers participate in and challenge how safety is
managed where they work.
Why is Workforce Engagement important?
Great improvements in the safety performance of the oil and gas
industry have been made over the last 20 years. However, the trend of
improvements has attened and accidents and incidents continue to
happen, including:
Accidents resulting in serious personal injury
Incidents resulting in re or the release of hydrocarbons
More and more incidents with a root cause being indentied as
human factor issues or individual behaviours
If we are to make the UK the safest place to work in the worldwide
oil and gas industry, we need the help of our whole workforce. An
engaged workforce is one of the most effective active barriers against
incidents and accidents for an organisation to have. In practical terms,
this means creating a workforce in which everyone feels able to actively
participate and free to challenge.
There is clear evidence that a fully engaged workforce will
drive a safer workplace and will also result in improved overall
business performance. This process does not have a natural end
as there will always be opportunities to improve further.
Piper Alpha
Deepwater Horizon
1
This practical guide describes these behaviours and obstacles relative to improved Workforce Engagement. The
associated toolkit aims to help the workforce identify areas where improvements can be made and gives tips on
how this can be achieved.
Workforce Engagement increases when positive engagement behaviours are seen to be the norm and obstacles
to engagement are removed.
Involvement
Condition
of plant and
equipment
See page 38 See page 9 & 10 See page 1115
Working Formula for Workforce Engagement
Positive
engagement
BEHAVIOURS
OBSTACLES
to workforce
engagement
CULTURE of
engagement
Challenge
Participation
Negative
engagement
behaviours
Adequacy of
processes
Visibility
Communication
Support
2
Positive Engagement Behaviours
Visibility
Communication
Support
Involvement
Participation
Challenge
All roles on a worksite
are seen to be openly
promoting Workforce
Engagement in Safety
All roles on a worksite
engage and encourage
others by consulting,
listening, and including
them wherever possible
All roles on a worksite
actively provide and
exchange safety-related
information or news
All roles on a worksite
help others engage in
safety by providing time,
resources and support
whenever these are
required
All roles on a
worksite ensure
their views and ideas
about safety are
heard
All roles on a
worksite actively and
positively contribute
to the safety effort
Engagement behaviours have been divided into six key elements: visibility, communication, involvement, support,
participation and challenge. The following diagram shows enabling behaviours that, when improved upon, can
increase those positive behaviours listed as outcome behaviours.
Enabling behaviours
Outcome behaviours
At all roles within an organisation, people need to exhibit the correct behaviours to reinforce and support
Workforce Engagement. The following pages list the behaviours expected from the workforce at different levels.
3
Positive Engagement Behaviours
Senior Management
Involvement
Ensure early involvement of the workforce
when planning business changes that may
affect their H&S
Encourage and recognise worker
contributions to H&S improvements
Work with the management teams of
other (partner) organisations to ensure an
integrated approach to H&S
Prior to conducting worksite visits,
research H&S issues and concerns, and
prepare potential solutions to these
Conducts site visits to spend time with all
members of the workforce
Spend time with the workforce on
regular, planned visits to worksites
Visibly encourage workforce involvement
in solutions to their H&S issues
Support
Set clear expectations regarding H&S for
each worksite location and role
Provide people with the training and
resources they need to be involved in
H&S in a meaningful way
Provide people with the time they need
to be involved in H&S in a meaningful
way
Communication
Ensure the what and the why of H&S
expectations are clearly understood by all
groups in the organisation
Listens to workers views on H&S-related
matters
Provide honest and timely feedback
regarding workers views on H&S-related
matters
Ensure that agreed H&S actions are
managed to closure and communicated
back to the worksite
Visibly recognise and communicate H&S
achievements
Visibility
Senior managers are instrumental in establishing the behavioural expectations and
reinforcing Workforce Engagement in Safety in their organisations.
4
Positive Engagement Behaviours
Site Leaders

Involvement
Regularly initiate team discussions about
H&S performance
Routinely involve safety representatives
and the workforce when planning H&S
improvements
Encourage safety representatives and
workforce to share safe working lessons,
knowledge and practice with each other
Work with the management teams of
other (partner) organisations to ensure an
integrated approach to H&S
Visibly reinforce expectations regarding
H&S for each worksite location and role
Ensure a clear and mutual understanding
of expectations about H&S behaviour
when new workers and visitors arrive on
site
Regularly participate in team briefs /
informal team meetings in each worksite
location
Visit individual work locations and get to
know workers one-to-one
Demonstrate that production / time
pressures never compromises H&S
Support
Adopt an open door policy by making
themselves approachable for informal
discussions about H&S issues and concerns
Provide people with the training and
resources they need to be involved in H&S in
a meaningful way
Ensure safety representatives have the
training, time and resources they need to
perform their duties effectively
Engage in regular dialogue with
safety representatives in addition to
communication during planned safety
committee meetings
Provide one-to-one coaching to supervisors
/ foremen and safety representatives to
improve their Workforce Engagement
behaviours
Maintain a clear understanding of the
strengths and limitations of the workforce in
relation to H&S
Communication
Ensure the H&S priorities of different
areas are clear, mutually understood, and
communicated to the workforce
Respond quickly to H&S issues and concerns,
and ensure progress remains visible to the
worksite
Ensure safety committee meetings are
formally documented with clear responses to
any H&S issues raised
Maintain and share action registers for close-
out of H&S issues
Provide honest and timely feedback on any
H&S issues and concerns raised by workers
Visibility
Site leaders are critical in creating the environment and atmosphere for effective Workforce
Engagement in Safety.
5
Positive Engagement Behaviours
Supervisors / Foremen
Involvement
Encourage workers to actively participate
in team discussions about H&S
Seek input from workers when planning
H&S improvements
Involve workers and safety representatives
in incident investigations / H&S-related
inspections and audits
Encourage open reporting about H&S
issues and concerns
Ensure a mutual understanding of
expectations about H&S behaviour and
practices with all workers and safety
representatives in respective work areas
Prioritise spending time with the
workforce at the work location on a daily
basis
Take the time to get to know workers on
a personal level
Be a H&S role-model by doing what you
say in relation to H&S
Support
Maintain a clear understanding of the
strengths and limitations of workers in
relation to H&S, and take action to ensure
the necessary competency to perform
work safely
When required, provide one-to-one
coaching to workers on H&S matters to
ensure they perform their work safely
Ensure workers understand how changes
in working practices may affect the H&S of
themselves and their colleagues
Act quickly on H&S issues and concerns,
and seek site leadership support where
necessary
Communication
Set and reinforce clear expectations that
workers need to take responsibility for the
H&S of themselves and their colleagues
Seek to establish trust by treating workers
with respect
Seek and listen to worker views on H&S
Provide regular feedback to workers on
H&S priorities and progress updates on any
issues and concerns raised
Visibly recognise positive H&S practices and
behaviour
Visibility
Supervisors / foremen have a very strong inuence on their teams attitude towards health
and safety and Workforce Engagement in Safety.
6
Positive Engagement Behaviours
Safety Representatives

Challenge
Ensure a mutual understanding with site
leadership of safety rep regulatory functions
Work with site leaders to ensure enough
time is allocated for the effective
performance of the safety rep role
Encourage open reporting of H&S issues
and concerns
Provide regular feedback to workers on any
H&S issues and concerns raised
Actively seek opportunities to improve H&S
performance
Challenge any work-arounds / short-cuts,
or unsafe instructions, procedures, practices
or behaviours
Participation
Regularly participate in team briefs and other
informal team meetings
Regularly conduct H&S meetings with
workers and encourage open and honest
dialogue
Take time to meet any new members within
your constituency to ensure a mutual
understanding of expectations about H&S
behaviour
Actively support H&S improvement initiatives
by explaining the specic purpose and
benets of these initiatives to workers
Participate in incident investigations /
H&S-related inspections and audits where
appropriate
Regularly attend facility / cross-asset H&S
meetings and monitor actions to close-out
Communication
Ensure the H&S priorities of different
areas are clear, mutually understood, and
communicated to the workforce
Respond quickly to H&S issues and concerns,
and ensure progress remains visible to the
worksite
Ensure safety committee meetings are
formally documented with clear responses to
any H&S issues raised
Maintain and share action registers for close-
out of H&S issues
Provide honest and timely feedback on any
H&S issues and concerns raised by workers
Safety representatives are the conduit to Workforce Engagement in Safety and need to
proactively support open dialogue between workplace supervision / management and the
workforce.
7
Positive Engagement Behaviours
Workforce

Challenge
Insist on getting feedback on any H&S
issues and concerns raised
Challenge any unsafe instructions,
procedures or practices
Challenge any work-arounds / short-cuts
Challenge any unsafe behaviour on the spot
Stop work when you have a H&S issue or
concern
Stop other workers from acting unsafely
Participation
Take the time needed to plan and undertake
work safely
Check your assumptions about work tasks
and verify understanding of the steps
involved
Anticipate potential risks by appropriately
using permit to work processes
Report any H&S issues and concerns to site
leadership or safety representatives
Report incidents or near misses to the
appropriate workplace supervisor
Report to your direct supervisor when unt
to work for any reason
Communication
Seek to establish trust by treating other
workers with respect
Listen to feedback on your personal H&S
behaviours and thank anyone who gives you
feedback
Share safe working knowledge and practice
with other workers
By taking personal responsibility for their own and their colleagues health and safety, an
engaged workforce has the largest inuence on incident-free operations at any worksite.
8
There are many obstacles to engagement, which can be difcult to understand let alone remove. The following
provides an overview of the different types of obstacles identied by workers in the UK oil and gas industry.
THE INDIVIDUAL
Negative engagement behaviours
Negative engagement behaviours are those that decrease participation and challenge in the workplace. They
create worksites where people do not feel part of the safety management system. They stop people speaking up.
They reinforce a hierarchical approach to safety and promote attitudes that safety is the responsibility of certain
people / functions. They make worksites undesirable places to work. Negative engagement behaviours include:
not sharing information
not having an open door policy
not making time available for discussions and support
breaking commitments
responding to intervention in negative ways
treating contractors differently to permanent workers
failing to involve safety representatives
acting to undermine change efforts
not always welcoming constructive input and challenge
Why do people perform negative engagement behaviours?
Most of the time, people are unaware that they are performing negative
engagement behaviours. They dont realise the impact that they
are having their intentions are usually positive, but they arent
translating this into behaviour as well as they could. Sometimes,
people choose negative engagement behaviours because they
feel these are a good way to reinforce their position, or the
way that things are done around here.
Obstacles to Workforce Engagement in Safety
9
THE WORKSITE
Adequacy of processes
Inadequate processes are those that make people want to avoid them. They dont seem to result in the outcome
they should they seem long-winded, out-of-date, too bureaucratic, or serving a purpose other than what they
should. The processes which affect engagement are varied relating to things like training and development, risk
assessment, production planning, maintenance and shut-down processes. Examples of inadequate processes can
include:
not consulting safety representatives during implementation and review of processes
not actively seeking input on how and where processes can be improved
failing to review processes to ensure ongoing clarity
having poor communication and information sharing processes
a lack of coordination in scheduling and shut-down processes
Condition of plant & equipment
Not surprisingly, the condition of plant and equipment impacts how engaged people feel at work. Well-maintained,
t-for-purpose equipment makes it easier for people to engage with safety. If people in control of worksite resources
are willing to invest in plant and equipment, they clearly value the safety and efciency of the workforce. Plant
and equipment in poor condition communicates an unhelpful key message, not to mention creating potentially
hazardous conditions to work in. Factors involving plant and equipment which impact on how engaged people
feel include:
pressure in capex, operating and maintenance budgets
poor housekeeping and general condition of plant
ageing equipment
Obstacles to Workforce Engagement in Safety
10
A Culture of Engagement
Engaged employees participate in safety and challenge the status quo by doing the following.
Visibility Communication Support Involvement Participation Challenge
Colour key:
Go the extra mile
to improve H&S
Feel fully
involved in H&S
Stop others
from acting
unsafely
Report H&S
issues
Look out for the
H&S of co-workers
Care for their
personal H&S
Work as a partner
to improve H&S
Challenge
unsafe work
practices
Raise H&S
concerns
Respond well when
unsafe behaviour is
challenged
11
Visibility Communication
Leadership impact is only
felt through decisions.
Leaders rarely visit
worksites.
Communication is passive and
on a needs to know basis.
Leaders generally only visit /
become visible on worksites
when there is particular
news to share.
Communication is regular, but
typically one-way, top-down
and information-focussed.
Leadership roles are often visible
on worksites and are seen /
felt / heard to promote worker
engagement in H&S matters.
Communication is often two-
way, with clear messages and
content.
Leadership roles are frequently
visible on worksites and are seen
/ felt / heard to promote worker
engagement in H&S matters.
Communication is frequently
two-way. Active feedback
is sought to make sure that
the messages sent are the
messages received.
Leadership roles are highly
visible on worksites and
consistently available to workers
to engage in all aspects of H&S
management.
Communication means
dialogue frequent, multi-
directional, open, on all topics,
and ultimately constructive.
Workforce
disengaged
with the safety
effort
Workforce partially
engaged with the
safety effort
Workforce routinely
engaged with the
safety effort
Workforce and
management working
in partnership to
improve safety
Workforce leading the
safety improvement
effort
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 4
LEVEL 5
Culture of Engagement
Maturity Model
Safety is seen to be a
management issue. The
common view is that workers
should just follow the rules and
let management take care of
safety.
Worker involvement is based
on reactive management
of safety in response to
issues. When these occur,
they tick the box on worker
involvement.
Managers provide
opportunities to be involved,
but participation is still seen
as a worker responsibility.
Workers are proactive in the
H&S improvement effort.
Managers encourage workers
by walking the talk and
ensuring that any opportunity
for involvement is taken
advantage of.
Workers lead the safety effort as
much as managers do. Worker
consultation and involvement in
the management of safety is the
norm involvement is the way
that things are done around
here.
Involvement
means that the different roles on
a worksite are seen to be openly
promoting workforce engagement
in safety.
means that the different roles
on a worksite actively provide
and exchange safety-related
information or news.
means that the different roles on a
worksite engage and encourage others
by consulting, listening, and including
them as often as possible.
Denitions
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Workers are told what to do
and then left alone to do it.
Managers rarely use soft skills
when interacting with workers
its all about getting the job
done.
Workers receive little or
no support other than
instructions / directions to
work. Support usually comes
in the form of corrections
regarding how to do the job
properly.
Leaders and managers usually
provide resources and support
when required. Workers
feel that they are accessible,
though support is still generally
only provided through worker
request.
There is an open door
policy in relation to any
support required by workers.
Consideration is given to both
current and future needs.
Leaders and managers gauge
their own success by the
competence and success of
their workers. They anticipate
opportunities to provide
personal and meaningful
assistance and support.
Support
means that the different roles on a
worksite help others engage in safety
by providing time, resources and
support whenever these are required.
Workers only show up to do
the minimum. Leaders and
Managers recognise workers
only for their direct job-
related effort; workers take
an approach of working only
to an acceptable minimal
standard.
Safety rules and procedures
are never questioned
managers, supervisors and
the safety function dictate the
way things should be done.
Workers are only focused on
themselves.
Creating engagement is
primarily seen as someone
elses responsibility. Workers
only do more than is required
when they are watched; leaders
and managers tend to take a
similar approach and think their
intentions alone will create
engagement.
All levels of the workforce
tend to think only about their
own results. Intervention and
challenge is based around
correcting others mistakes
and therefore mostly a
negative experience.
There are some instances
of people doing more than
is required to get their jobs
done. Voluntary contributions
to H&S improvement are
beginning to happen.
Workers usually report safety
concerns, and challenge rules
and procedures that could
be improved. Intervention
occurs, but the impacts
of intervention can still be
experienced as negative.
Workers have an active
interest in things outside
their direct job roles, and act
to directly engage others in
the H&S effort. People who
dont look for opportunities to
participate seem out of place.
Safety concerns and
challenges are almost always
raised and communicated.
There is openness to H&S
challenge intervention
is generally seen to be an
improvement opportunity.
Going the extra mile for H&S
is the normal thing to do. All
levels of the organisation take
responsibility for current and
future success and they work to
improve the business together.
Intervention and challenge are
frequent and always welcomed
across the worksite. Safety
issues and concerns are seen
as learning opportunities.
Everyone is seen to proactively
challenge H&S for the better.
Participation Challenge
means that the different roles on
a worksite actively and positively
contribute to the safety effort.
means that the different roles on
a worksite ensure their views and
ideas about safety are heard.
Workforce
disengaged
with the safety
effort
Workforce partially
engaged with the
safety effort
Workforce routinely
engaged with the
safety effort
Workforce and
management working
in partnership to
improve safety
Workforce leading the
safety improvement
effort
LEVEL 1
LEVEL 2
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 4
LEVEL 5
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Culture of Engagement
A Continuous Improvement Approach
It is true that increasing Workforce Engagement can be challenging. It is also true that the specic set of activities
and perfect pathway to greater engagement at any particular worksite cannot be prescribed. However, there
is a sustainable approach which, if fully implemented, will result in greater engagement in any workforce. The
following gure presents this approach:
Workforce
Engagement -
Continuous
Improvement
Cycle
Implement plan and
review progress
Desire for change
Understand areas of
strength and areas
for improvement
Select and prioritise
improvement areas
Prepare
action
plan
14
Next steps to good Workforce Engagement in Safety
The Step Change in Safety Workforce Engagement toolkit has been developed to provide useful guidance on how
to drive continuous improvement in engagement at your worksite. Every stage of the continuous improvement
cycle is important. If a stage is either ignored or poorly executed then you will be setting yourself up for failure.
This process may be initiated by anyone on an installation or in a facility, who should rst ensure there is support for
taking this process forward from their colleagues and from line management at the worksite. The next step should
be to check that your senior leaders are committed to supporting your worksite through this process. The benets of
the process should be explained to all before you start the process. Details of initiating the Workforce Engagement
programme can be found in the accompanying toolkit, which can be downloaded at www.stepchangeinsafety.net.
Using the Workforce Engagement survey
To improve Workforce Engagement you rst need to identify what is currently working well and where there
are opportunities for improvement. The Step Change in Safety Workforce Engagement survey will provide an
understanding of current levels of engagement and help to identify areas where improvement is needed. It will
also allow the impact of improvements made to be measured over time by repeating the survey at a future date.
Your worksite survey results are likely to indicate that
some things need to be changed or improved to get
better Workforce Engagement. You will be able to
implement many of these changes and improvements
at a local level. Other changes may require support
from your senior leaders. The Workforce Engagement
toolkit offers material and advice on how Workforce
Engagement can be improved.
In addition to measuring your own worksites level
of Workforce Engagement, you will also be able to
compare your worksite with others in our industry.
We hope this will encourage you to seek good
practice from worksites that appear to be doing
better in areas you have selected for improvement.
Features of the survey include:-
All information is 100% condential, with
responses collated by Step Change and a summary
report issued back to the worksite.
All personnel, regardless of their employer can
participate.
Can be delivered via web or on paper.
Culture of Engagement
Workforce Engagement Toolkit
15
Toolkit Contents (download from www.stepchangeinsafety.net)
Section Element Purpose
1. Getting
Started
Introduction to Workforce Engagement in Safety
memo / yer
Provides an overview of Workforce Engagement in Safety and
the key benets of an engaged workforce
A culture of Workforce Engagement in Safety
self-reection checklist
Provides an overview of what a Workforce Engagement in
Safety culture is and a simple way to reect on this
2 Creating the
desire
What does Workforce Engagement in Safety
mean to us poster?
A worksite communication tool designed to raise awareness of
Workforce Engagement as a topic / initiative
Workforce Engagement in Safety survey
communications pack
Provides a range of communication tools (such as emails /
memos) to ensure a shared understanding of the topic
Engaging communications self-reection
checklist
A self-reection checklist to help review how well worksite
communications help or hinder engagement
3. Running the
survey
Guide to completing the survey at your worksite A brieng kit for managers and leaders planning to run the
Workforce Engagement survey at their worksite
Running a survey completion session brieng
notes
A detailed administration kit for people responsible for
administering the Workforce Engagement survey at a worksite
4. Understanding
the results
A guide to accessing survey results from the
Workforce Engagement survey portal and how to
focus on key messages
Understanding your survey results and how to communicate
them
5. Action
Planning
Engaging the workforce in simple and effective
action planning
A brieng kit for managers and leaders planning to undertake
an action planning session at their worksite
Summary of positive behaviours and common
obstacles to Workforce Engagement in Safety
A description of the positive behaviours and types of obstacles
that typically prevent Workforce Engagement
6. Feedback Improvement activity implementation and review
self-reection checklist
A self-reection checklist to support the ongoing
implementation of actions designed to increase engagement
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address 3rd Floor
The Exchange 2
62 Market Street
Aberdeen
AB11 5PJ
telephone 01224 577268
fax 01224 577251
email info@stepchangeinsafety.net
website www.stepchangeinsafety.net

Produced in association with
Published August 2012