Reducing injuries and claims by 98%.

In late 2004, discussions with Elf Mushrooms were conducted because of management’s belief that a morale problem had emerged within the workplace. Following MKA’s Risk Management’s consultation and development of a workplace strategy, injuries and claims dropped by a massive 98%.

Although unclear about the cause, management were aware that the morale problem needed to be addressed. There was also a sense that despite management’s ongoing attempts to communicate and share information, the workforce was not listening.

Concurrent with the morale problem, was a sudden spike in workers’ compensation claims during the previous twelve months. There were also concerns that workers were not being supportive of their injured colleagues. This in turn was causing challenges in effecting successful return to work programs.

It was suggested to management that several steps needed to occur. The first step was to interview injured workers who had been on workers’ compensation, and to invite them to be part of a peer education program on workers’ compensation. This program would address workers’ obligations under workers’ compensation, and present information about the “realities” of what it is like to be an injured worker in the workers’ compensation system. Specifically, insurance companies take over your pay, so there can often be delays and glitches in processing of wages and reimbursements (because there is a system of accountabilities for insurance companies). It is also necessary to attend medical examinations (which can often be quite gruelling). Then there is the pain of being injured and the impact that this can have on a worker’s family life, not to mention how the problem is intensified with unsupportive work colleagues. In other words, contrary to popular belief, it is no picnic being on workers compensation! Several injured workers were interviewed and were indeed eager to participate in a peer education program.

The next step for management was to nominate additional workers who could be educated as part of a peer communicators’ network. The principal behind this is a common sense one - workers have greater credibility with their peers than management do. From this perspective, properly briefed and informed peer communicators are going to be more effective in getting information about a range of topics out to the workforce.

The workforce had a high component of non-English speaking background workers. It became apparent that some workers were relying on their children (who were fluent in English) to obtain information about a range of areas. Consequently a peer communicator was picked from each major language group.

To build source credibility, the consultant also went and worked for a half day picking mushrooms. The consultant then introduced herself to the workforce during morning tea. The consultant explained her role and advised that she would be speaking to various workers. The consultant also invited anyone who had questions about the project to approach her privately if they were more comfortable communicating this way. Several workers accepted this offer and did approach the consultant with questions. Although the consultant was quite frankly a disastrously unproductive mushroom picker, the experience of learning the job was invaluable in terms of helping the consultant to understand the workers’ perspective.

The next step involved interviewing the nominated peer communicators for each language group. In January 2005, the consultant met with each individual peer communicator and interviewed him/her about morale within the workplace, and enquire aboutconcerns the workforce was experiencing. The consultant also asked each peer communicator what he/she would like management to do for the workforce as a whole.

It eventuated that morale problems had begun because of an unresolved personal conflict in the workplace, which had occurred eighteen months before. Management were entirely unaware of this conflict and were astonished at the impact it had. This initial conflict had eroded the workforces’ willingness to trust management, as the workers erroneously believed that the manager was aware of the conflict, and that he should have rebuked the initiator of the behaviour. The erosion of trust had meant that the workforce was not prepared to listen openly to information from management about various wage negotiations that occurred ten months later. Mistrust compounded with language difficulties certainly reduced the chances for full communication. Consequently when the wage changes and a bonus system were bought in, sections of the workforce felt mislead. It was very apparent during the interviews that the members of the workforce had no awareness of the fact that they were in fact being paid above award wages.

The morale continued to spiral down from there. It was apparent that the situation was about very much more than workers’ compensation. As individuals became increasingly depressed, they were less likely to be careful with safety and look after themselves or others.

It was decided that a one day peer communicator program needed to be run. This program would create a discussion forum for all the issues that the peer communicators wanted management to tackle.

The communicators raised a number of issues at the workshop. Top of the list was the issue of bullying and competition in the workplace, and a request that management communicate that such behaviour was unacceptable. Closely related was the issue of how conflict was resolved in the work environment. Then there was the matter of how the bonus system operated, the structure of work teams, the importance of team work and the importance of treating each other with respect. Wages information and occupational health and safety issues were another concern. Management and the workforce consolidated a list of briefing topics that management would present to the workforce as a whole, and that each peer communicator would then do a follow up on briefing within each of their language groups.

The training day also covered issues such as listening and communication skills, as well as the importance of stress management and handling one’s own emotions (and the contribution of these aspects to effective communication). The peer communicators were also trained in techniques for resolving conflict, and effectively deflecting bullying behaviour.

After the day’s training, management were coached in how they could provide the peer communicators with support and demonstrate commitment to the relationship with the workforce. The key principals were around the issue of integrity, consistency and willingness to hear the workforce. Through persistent application of the principals from this project, the management team achieved a staggering reduction of 98% in claims and injuries. Although there were some unique interventions such as the creation of a peer communicator’s network, coaching of management and the workforce, the key point to learn from this case study is really about the fragility and importance of good workplace relationships. If a relationship is not based on mutual trust, then there can be no effective communication and information sharing, which are central principals in creating safe workplaces.

AWARD NIGHT PHOTOS

Martha Knox Haly and David Tolson receiving their Finalists awards at the 2005 NSCA/Telstra National Safety Awards dinner for their work on the Elf Mushrooms Project

Martha Knox Haly (MKA Risk) and David Tolson (Elf Mushrooms CEO) at the National Safety Awards of Excellence dinner as joint finalists at the Rydges Jamison Hotel

Comic Vince Sorento keeping the night entertaining as the MC for the National Safety Council of Australia’s Awards evening.