HSE as the foundation for Excellent Business Performance
I have arrived at a new doorstep of my career and leaving behind a career of a number of Project and Site Manager jobs in the vegetable oils and chemical industry in various countries. Experience and interest has moved me into the field of HSE.
First and foremost good HSE performance reduces human misery. Just that already justifies ALL the effort! But it also avoids extraordinary costs. Employers that have experienced severe accidents know what I am talking about. And not often recognised, but only in case of the whole team's involvement, is that good HSE-performance is a catalyst for motivating employees (my employer cares about me!) because they experience being valued, which results in better productivity, higher quality, better maintenance and therefore higher profitability and not to forget: a better company reputation.
But on the contrary, many companies consider HSE as a necessary evil, a must-be-done because of laws and regulations, to get done with and to get rid of asap. Preferably after five minutes during the morning meeting (in order to make it look important!) and to get going with the 'important' stuff. And that does not yield because safety has to be recreated time and time again, every day, every hour, every minute and must be fit for purpose. Time after time. Every job, every task does require safety considerations. And not by shooting with buckshot. Safety needs to be just right. "Like salt on your food. Too much, too little and both ways the flavour is awful", as Carsten Busch taught us.
And that is where I am stepping in. Why? I have experienced safety issues as Site Manager falling under SEVESO-ruling from all angles, from being summoned to the office of the local Safety Council for substandard performance, going full circle and been presented as an example for the industry.
HSE performance has come a long way over recent decades but performance has largely come to a stand-still, even worse: accident rating in The Netherlands is increasing again already for some years. And I don't think that The Netherlands are an exception. That trend has to change. New ways of thinking and working have to be developed to bend the downward trend back up.
And that is what is at the other side of the doorstep.
Ervaren CCO / Marketing & Sales / HR / Coaching
6 年I love the positive and warm quote regading Hse "my employer cares about me!".? that's the energy you want thriving in your company.
Safety Leadership for the Real World | Author | Speaker
6 年Rob Kreté A safe environment is foundational in operational excellence such as the Shingo model. But I also think it is a bit more subtle than simply showing care. The disciplines, approaches, values that underpin good safety also underpin good performance in other aspects of work. They are interdependent. Fix the underlying aspects as a whole and lift performance in every way
Safety Mythologist and Historian. The "Indiana Jones of Safety". Grumpy Old Safety Professional.
6 年In Charles Duhigg's book Habit you can read how HSE was used as a tool to turn around Alcoa. Btw - the salt quote was something I heard somewhere, I cannot take full credit for it. ??
Raadslid Eemnes PvdA, Klimaat & Energie en Sociaal domein, Loopbaancoaching, HR-advies, Energietransitie
6 年Another angle of approach: "HSE performance is a catalyst for motivating people." (My employer cares about me).