News & Insights
The new language of safety : creating a culture of care
The paper highlights the role of effective communication, empathy and trust in building strong safety cultures. Communication is a critical part of leadership in safety, because it drives positive change and fosters a sense of shared responsibility for safety.
By reframing the safety conversation, from compliance to commitment, we shape cultures of care in which safety performance is improved, accident rates are reduced, and a more positive and productive work environment is created.
This white paper explores the evolution of safety leadership to involve a focus on role modelling, engaging teams and building trust. The authors draw from the experiences of large companies to illustrate the difference between success and failure in delivering safety excellence. They then send a call to action to leaders, to set a clear and positive “tone from the top”, to ensure safety is valued in both words and actions.
The Future Safety Leader
The role of the leader in safety is undergoing significant transformation, driven by factors such as changing employment structures, ESG commitments, increasing digitalisation and technological innovations. Today’s safety leaders must demonstrate adaptability and agility to navigate complex external and internal influences.
This IILSC Insights white paper offers two perspectives on the evolution of the safety leadership role. The first view is that of a senior HSE professional, the Institute’s COO, Bertrand Gibert, who has held a series of senior roles in health, safety, environment and sustainability. The second is from a leading recruiter of safety leaders, Laura Aucott. The recruiter is positioned between industry and the safety profession and can therefore share valuable insights on what employers are now asking for in their senior safety roles.
This white paper cannot be an exhaustive account of the many and varied trends and developments that are shaping the future of the safety leadership role. It does, however, highlight common themes that are informing personnel and development decisions by organisations. You will read about the rise in demand for skills described variously as ‘soft’, ‘human’ or ‘professional’. At the same time, rapid advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and wearables, are delivering both challenges and opportunities for workplace safety…
By Bertrand Gibert and Laura Aucott
Safety in the Digital Age: old and new problems
This IILSC Insight explores the implications of new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence, automation and cyber security, on safety. The author joins the dots between word processing software and aviation safety for a unique illustration of the risks we face when introducing new technology into a work environment.
The author argues that technological advancements affect our relationship with the world as we know it, reshaping the environment around us, adding to the socio-technical fabric of our lives.
The digital world shapes a new context for our social interactions, our identity, our cognition and our imagination, and this has implications for our safety at work.
By Jean-Christophe Le Coze
Safety culture maturity: A problem disguised as a solution
Safety culture, once seen as a comprehensive solution to safety challenges, has evolved into a problematic concept, particularly regarding its measurement and implementation. The notion of safety culture maturity, often depicted as a developmental journey through stages, is central to this issue. Popular models like the HSE culture ladder and DuPont Bradley curve lack operational clarity and fail to provide necessary knowledge for defining current states and setting achievable goals. This renders safety culture maturity an aspirational yet impractical concept. These limitations reflect broader issues in safety management: the reliance on simplistic solutions that reduce complex socio-technical realities to singular remedies. The pattern of safety approaches has evolved from technical safeguards (18th century) to human factors engineering (mid-20th century) to managerial focus, with each shift reflecting reactions to previous inadequacies. This paper critically examines the deficiencies of safety culture maturity models and calls for a more nuanced, systemic approach to safety management in complex environments.
By Erik Hollnagel & David Slater
beyond the myth of individual responsability
This paper by Rosa Carrillo challenges the prevailing belief that individual responsibility is the key to workplace safety. It argues that an overemphasis on individualism can erode empathy, hinder collaboration and ultimately create a less safe work environment.
The author argues for a relationship-centred approach that acknowledges the interconnectedness of individuals and their environment. This approach emphasises the importance of social dynamics, collective responsibility, and the influence of broader social systems in shaping safety outcomes.
By shifting the focus from individual responsibility (accountability) to social and technical factors, leaders can cultivate a culture of care, collaboration and open communication, leading to a safer, more inclusive and future-ready workplace.
By Rosa Antonia Carrillo
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