Essay Example on Ensuring Workplace Safety: The Role of Performance Management

Introduction

Workplace safety is crucial for every employee, as everyone has a preference for workspaces that are safe and protected. Both health and safety combine to guarantee the well-being of both employers and employees. Thus, every organization has not only a legal duty but also a moral obligation to protect its employees. Any losses or injuries incurred by the employees could result in major losses to their families. Further, the human loss cannot be quantified and should not be tolerated.

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The management should go the extra mile towards making strategies that seek to layout safety precautions. While it does so, feedback from the employees regarding their comfort should be welcome as well. Employees are better placed to provide input on the areas they would need enhancement of safety measures (Beatty, Schneier & Shaw, 1995). Doing so will help in realizing specific steps or measures that help guarantee the safety and comfort of the workers.

The government has branches such as the Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA), which provide a framework within which workers ought to be protected, and employers need to ensure that certain health and safety standards are met. However, the management in organizations ought to come out proactively, set out goals that seek to enforce the standards, as well as motivating all the employees to participate. Some of the goals include 1) to prevent injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the workplace or as a result of the workplace; 2) to set up well-structured plans that guide the rest should accidents, fires, natural disasters, etc. occur; 3) to identify specific roles and duties of both employers and employees during the response to any incidents that may arise (Beatty, Schneier & Shaw, 1995); 4) to minimize or get rid off any impending dangers to improve the conditions at the workplace; 5) to positively motivate employees to practice safe behavior at the workplace

Organizational Objectives

It is the organization’s policy to ensure that the health, safety, and welfare of its workers, while at the workplace is well protected. Anyone else who may be affected by the organization’s operations should be protected as well. The following objectives shall be set up to achieve these goals: 1) risks within the workplace shall be identified and voluntary measures set up to help alleviate them; 2) to stabilize an environment that is safe and healthy throughout the organization; 3) both the staff and the children should be guided by working procedures that are safe; 4) arrangements ought to e made to ensure that there is safety and that risks are non-existent while using or handling equipment or facilities within the organization; 5) to formulate effective procedures should any accidents or emergencies arise; 6) to establish procedures that ought to be adhered to in the event of any accidents; 7) to provide adequate facilities that will free up space and prevent congestion.

Summary of Relevant Performance Measures

Competency models are the basis for evaluating any performance management system. They show knowledge and abilities that are necessary towards achieving successful outcomes. Competency models encompass the three most important attachments to success. These are the technical aspects, leadership, and interpersonal relations (Cawley, Keeping & Levy, 1998). They do not just lay emphasis on what is essential to the organization. They lay up the framework within which any measures can be successfully integrated.

The purposes of performance management ought to be considered concerning the essential job behaviors and expectations that align with them. For instance, on employees being required to practice safety behavior, defined behavioral competencies lay out a strong foundation for determining which employees are doing better than the others. When moving across different job groups, there is bound to be a difference in the pay, owing to the different contributions, duties, or qualifications. Performance management establishes the change in expectations across the various levels and the efficiency with which everyone performs their duties to ensure safety.

The main advantage of having competencies that are well-defined with regards to behavioral performance standards is to aid employees to comprehend better the expectations the organization has of them and to layout standardized procedures within which evaluation of both the employees and the organization can be done (Cawley, Keeping & Levy, 1998). Some of the competency models and performance management standards are harmonized in such a way that they can apply across all needs. On the other hand, others are customized to solve specific issues or technicalities.

Performance Baseline

The performance of any project, as well as those that steer the project, ought to be measured to determine whether or not they have been successful. It is important to have a clear goal, in this case, those discussed earlier, for there to be an effective comparison with the present. Only then can there be a clear indication of the direction the organization is headed.

For instance, some of the goals included to prevent injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the workplace or as a result of the workplace, to set up well-structured plans that guide the rest should accidents, fires, natural disasters, etc. occur, to identify specific roles and duties of both employers and employees during the response to any incidents that may arise, to minimize or get rid of any impending dangers to improve the conditions at the workplace and to motivate employees to practice safe behavior at the workplace positively.

The performance management baseline for these would be weighed against them, to determine whether there has been a success. If over a particular period, say a year, there have been no cases of accidents or fatalities witnessed within the workplace. Then it is appropriate to determine that work safety is being realized. Also, check to see whether some of the requirements of OSHA have been implemented as a baseline can be done (Engelmann & Roesch, 2001). Further, how well the employees respond and adapt their behaviors towards ensuring safer practices at the workplace can be used as a baseline to determine the progress made, and its relation with the goals sought.

Performance Evaluation

Appraisal of performance in performance management is essential. It shows the trajectory within which the organization is headed—as such, selecting the best appraisal technique is crucial in any performance management system. For this task, the “360-Degree Feedback Method” would be ideal. It incorporates the feedback made by every employee or stakeholder who is directly affected by the management. Objectivity is usually advised when making feedback. Every information presented is fundamental towards concluding whether or not there has been a success (Engelmann & Roesch, 2001). Further, it lays the platform for constructive criticism, which keeps the management on its toes. Through constructive criticism, the management can continue to implement more effective safety measures, thus contributing directly towards the achievement of the organization’s goals.

This tool allows every employee to voice their concerns or provide feedback from their employers. It also operates in vice versa, where employers use the tool to give employees performance feedback. It presents the opportunity for each employee to know how effective and essential they are or how their colleagues perceive them (Engelmann & Roesch, 2001). Further, it emphasizes the skills and behaviors preferred by the organization in its bid to achieve its mission, vision, and goals.

The essence of the 360-Degree Feedback method is to aid every single person at the workplace to have an understanding of what strengths or weaknesses they harbor, as well as advising on how they can get better.

Success

The success of performance management involving safety in the workplace is glorifying, both from a legal and moral perspective. Every single person wants to work or be associated with an organization that priorities their health and safety. Adherence to the guidelines set up by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration helps ensure that safety and health at the workplace are realized. Further, when the safety and health of an employee are guaranteed, their motivation to work more efficiently is intensified. Consequently, the productivity of the organization as a whole is witnessed. Management that shows concern for its employees’ safety and health pushes the employees to practice safe and healthy practices themselves.

Human loss or accidents suffered are usually bitter and painful, and often have long-term implications, not only on the employees but their families as well. The success of workplace safety not only benefits the organization and the employees but their families as well.

References

Beatty, R. W., Baird, L. S., Schneier, E. C., & Shaw, D. G. (Eds.). (1995). Performance, Measurement, Management, and Appraisal Sourcebook. Amherst, MA: Human Resource Development Press.

Cawley, B. D., Keeping, L. M., & Levy, P. E. (1998). Participation in the performance appraisal process and employee reactions: A meta-analytic review of field investigations. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83, 615-633.

Engelmann, C. H., & Roesch, R. C. (2001). Managing individual performance: An approach to designing and effective performance management system. Scottsdale, AZ: WorldatWork