Every safety leader wants to make a difference — to keep people safe. Working hard is important, but working on the right things is even more important. The power of a well planned and clearly communicated strategy lies in its ability to rally everyone to a common vision.
Not only should strategy include a clear set of choices that define what we’re going to do, it should also define what we’re not going to do.
But despite best intentions, safety leaders often experience the following:
01
Strategy planning happens, then everyone goes back to business as usual — and nothing changes. As a result, strategy planning is seen as a ‘talk fest’.
02
Getting the safety team and other business unit leaders on board can feel like herding cats. This can lead to conflicting strategies or a lack of endorsement.
03
Safety can be seen as a cost centre rather than an investment in performance. This makes it difficult to secure an adequate budget for innovation.
Strategy is often treated as a once a year activity. It’s pulled out, dusted off, updated, then put away again. At best, there’s a process of collaboration with the safety team, frontline and other business unit heads. But more often than not, it’s developed, lodged and reported on, just to tick a box. The result? A long list of things to do, without team buy-in and accountability needed to drive results — the opposite of what’s needed to help safety be seen as a true business parter.
WHERE
STRATEGY
FITS —
ORG MISSION: Why we exist
ORG VALUES: What we believe in and how we behave
ORG VISION: What we want to be
STRATEGY:
What our competitive game plan will be
SCORECARD: How we will monitor and implement that plan
COMMUNICATION: Making progress visible
Regardless of the methodology used to develop the strategy, the job isn’t finished when the ink is dry… it’s just beginning.
Putting a strategy to work requires a change in mindset — from strategy planning happens once a year, to strategy is a part of work every day. This requires a structured plan to continue to drive collaboration, communication, refinement and measurement.
Everyday Massive takes a different approach to safety strategy. We understand the overall organisation context, where gaps exist, and how safety can be an invaluable and trusted business parter.
EM has facilitated strategy workshops for:
Kestrel Coal Resources HST, Emerald, 2021
PanAust H&S, Laos, 2019
Amazon Global WHS Human Integrations, Seattle, 2019
Lendlease Engineering, Sydney, 2019
QUU EX & communication, Brisbane, 2019
Amazon Global WHS Strategy & Innovation, Seattle, 2018
Origin Energy HSE, Brisbane, 2017
Pepsico Global EHS Comms, LA, 2016
EM will ensure your strategy will always:
Be aligned to the overall company vision, mission, values and business strategy.
Consider the voice of the employee.
Consider the capability and resources of the safety function.
Be aligned with other department strategies.
Be strategic, measurable and driven by high levels of accountability.
Be communicated effectively.
Become part of the way work is done every day.