Giving Safety Talks - AWES · AWES would also like to acknowledge the Alberta Construction Safety Association ... e.g. using PPE ... Giving Safety Talks Alberta Workforce Essential

Giving Safety TalksA guide for the construction sector

PARTICIPANT WORKBOOK

Alberta Workforce Essential Skills Skilled people. Safe, profitable workplaces.

Participant WorkbookGiving Safety Talks

Alberta Workforce Essential Skills Society page 1

Giving Safety Talks: A guide for the construction sector

•FacilitatorGuide

•ParticipantWorkbook

•Self-DirectedGuide

•50SafetyPosters

Thisresourcehasbeenwrittenforsafetysupervisors,teamleadsandotherstaffresponsiblefordeliveringsafetytrainingwithintheconstructionsector.Therearethreemanualswhichprovideinformation,tools,tipsandpracticeopportunitiesfordeliveringbettersafetytraining.

TheFacilitatorGuideandParticipantWorkbookcanbeusedtodeliveroneortwo3-hourtrain-the-trainerworkshops.

TheSelf-DirectedGuideisusefulforsmallerorganizationswhichmaynothavethecapacity,timeortrainingdollarstohireaworkshoptrainer.

Eachofthemanualscanbeusedinconjunctionwiththesetof50SafetyPostersdepictingdifferentsafetytopics.

ThisresourcewasdevelopedtobeusedinorganizationswithworkerswhosefirstlanguageisnotEnglish.

Facilitator Guide and Participant Workbook

Thesemanualsaimtoincreaseanorganization’scapacitytodelivermoreeffectiveandengagingsafetytalks,andtheyworkbestwhentheyareusedtogetherwiththe50SafetyPosters.

Torequestaworkshop,todownloadthePDFversions,ortoordercopiesofthemanuals,pleasevisittheAWESwebsite:www.awes.ca

Self-Directed Guide

Thismanualwaswrittenforsmallerorganizationsasanindependentstudyforstaffinterestedindeliveringmoreeffectiveandengagingsafetytalks.Itcanbeusedwiththe50SafetyPosters.TodownloadthePDFversionortoordercopiesofthemanualandthesafetyposters,pleasevisittheAWESwebsite:www.awes.ca

50 Safety Posters

Fiftyhighlyvisualsafetypostersrepresentinghottopicsrelevanttotheconstructionindustryweredevelopedwithplainlanguageteachingpointsandtipsontheback,toaidsafetytrainers.TodownloadthePDFversionsortoordercopiesofthesafetyposters,pleasevisittheAWESwebsite:www.awes.ca

Acknowledgments

FundingforthecreationandpilotingofthisresourcewasgenerouslyprovidedbyAlbertaEmploymentandImmigration,nowAlbertaHumanServices.Byinvestinginthisresearch,thefundershavehighlightedthepressingneedtobuildcapacityanddevelopresourcestoequipemployers.

AWESwouldalsoliketoacknowledgetheAlbertaConstructionSafetyAssociation(ACSA)forsharingresources,expertiseandfeedback;theAlbertaConstructionAssociation(ACA)forpromotingthebenefitsofparticipatingintheprojecttoitsmembership;theConstructionSectorCouncil(CSC)foragreeingtodisseminatetheprojecttoindustry;andfinally,thecompanieswhohelpedpilottheresourceandprovidefeedback:DMTMechanical,Altair,PickerPeople,andScottBuilders.

ProjectManager:CindyMessaros

ProjectTeam:PaulHolmes,EmilTarka,LoreneAnderson,BarbBurfoot

©AlbertaWorkforceEssentialSkillsSociety(AWES)

Thematerialmaybeused,reproduced,storedortransmittedfornon-commercialpurposeswhentheAlbertaWorkforceEssentialSkillsSocietyisappropriatelyacknowledged.Thematerialmaynotbeused,reproduced,storedortransmittedforcommercialpurposeswithoutwrittenagreementfromtheAlbertaWorkforceEssentialSkillsSociety.

Formoreinformationcontact:

TheExecutiveDirectorAlbertaWorkforceEssentialSkillsSociety(AWES)www.awes.ca

AlbertaWorkforceEssentialSkills(AWES)isanonprofitorganizationdedicatedtobuildingacompetent,adaptableandinnovativeworkforcethroughworkplaceessentialskillsinitiatives.

www.awes.ca



Learning goals

Thegoalofallsafetytrainingistopreventaccidentsandinjuries.Beingabettercommunicatorofsafetyiscentraltoachievingthatgoal.Therefore,forthosetaskedwithraisingthesafetyskillsofworkersintheconstructionsector,thistraininghasthreemainlearninggoals:

•Strengthenyourpresentationskillsthroughtheselearningresourcesandtools.

•Removeyourpresentation“blindspots”throughreal-timefeedbackfromfellowparticipantsandtrainers.

•Advancethe“cultureofsafety”inyourworkplacebyenablingyoutobeabettercommunicator.

Workshop activities

Part 1: The Quick-and-Dirty on Safety Talks (3hours) 3

Activity1 Introductions 4

Activity2 Brainstorming 5

Activity3 BeingClear,CoherentandConcise 6

Activity4 SettingGoals 8

Activity5 Preparing.Opening.Delivering.Closing. 10

Activity6 Talk1 11

Part 2: Better Safety Talks (3hours) 15

Activity7 The3-30-3Outline 15

Activity8 Talk2 17

Activity9 PlainLanguage 19

Activity10 Talk3 21

Activity11 ReviewingGoals 24

Tools and Tip Sheets

Tool1 SafetyTalkSkillsChecklist 25

Tool2 BodyLanguageandSpeechQualityChecklist 26

TipSheet1 GivingSafetyTalks 27

TipSheet2 LearningStyles 28

TipSheet3 UsingOpen-EndedQuestion 29

TipSheet4 UsingClosed-EndedQuestion 30

TipSheet5 DealingwithDisruptions 31

TipSheet6 BridgingCommunicationGaps 32

TipSheet7 BridgingCulturalGaps 33

TipSheet8 BuildingCulturalIntelligence 34

TipSheet9 CreatingUnderstanding 35



Part1

The Quick-and-Dirty on Safety Talks

Likeanyquick-and-dirtysolution,part1isa“howto”overviewofskillsforsafetytalks.Part2goesintomoredetail.Forpart1,youwill:

•Buildyourpurposeforenhancingyoursafetytalkskills

• Identifywhatisessentialinthe4stagesofatalk

•Practicetalkstogetreal-timefeedbackfromfellowparticipantsandtrainers

• Identifyyourblindspots

•Obtainstrategiestocloseyourblindspots



Activity 1 Introductions

Introduceyourselftotheworkshoptrainerandfellow-participantsbygivingyournameandyourorganization.

Thenanswereitherofthefollowingpromptsinaminuteorless:

•Describeofoneofthebettersafetytalksyouparticipatedin.

•Whatistheworstinjuryorincidentintheworkplacethatyouhavewitnessed,experiencedorheardabout?Whathappened?



Activity 2 Brainstorming on Credibility

Learning goal

Tostarttheprocessofreflectingonwhatmakesaspeakercredibletotheconstructionsector,andtothinkaboutwhataspectsofcredibilityyouneedtodevelop.

Safety talks

Safetytalkshappenatweeklyormonthlygeneralsafetymeetingswithallemployees,aswellasduringtoolboxtalksandtailgatemeetingswithteamsatthestartofshifts.Whereverasafetytalkhappens,thespeakerneedscredibilitytogainthetrustandattentionofthelisteners.Credibilitydoesn’thavearecipe.Howyoucreateitvariesdependingontheoccupations,organizationsandteamsyouareworkingwith.However,credibilityisacriticalfactorinensuringthatsafetyistransferredfromthemeetingtotheworkplace.

Instructions

Workinpairsorgroups.Readthelistofqualitiesthatbuildthecredibilityofasafetytalkspeaker.Inthebox,putacheckmark()nexttothetopfivethatyouthinkaremostcriticalforestablishingcredibilityinyourworkplacecontext.Attheendofthelist,makeanoteofanyadditionalaspectsthatarealsoessentialtobuildingthecredibilityofthespeaker.

Clarity–speaksclearlywithclearpurposeandclearwordchoices

Coherence–speakscoherently(well-organized,keypointsandtransitioningwordse.g.first)

Conciseness–speaksconcisely,staysontopicandeliminatestheunnecessarydetails

Speechquality–usesgoodspeedandvolumewithlimitedinterjections,suchas“um”“ah”

Preparation–comesacrossaswell-prepared

Bodylanguage–usesgoodeyecontact,facialexpressionetc.

Rapport–connectswiththeaudiencetogaintheirtrustandattention

Expertise–knowledgeableandexperiencedinthesafetycontentofthetalk

Other...



Activity 3 Being Clear, Coherent and Concise

Learning goal

Tostructurethoughtsandcommunicationinalinearorder.

Linear communication

Tocommunicateeffectivelyinasafetytalk,youshouldfollowthefollowinggeneralguidelines:

• Be clear. Choosethesimplestwordsandconcepts,andlimitcomplexitywheneverpossible.

• Be coherent. Organizeyourideasintospecificpoints.Startwiththemainpointsuchaswhatyouwantpeopletoknowordoattheendofthetalk.Thentransitionclearlyfromonepointtothenext,usingmarkerslike“first”,“next”etc.

• Be concise. Gettothepointquickly.Eliminatetheunnecessary.Sticktothetimelimit.

Instructions

•Workinpairs.

•Sitback-to-back.

•Onepersonwilldescribeapictureofaspecificshape,withoutshowingthepartnertheactualdrawing.Makesureyousitonyourhandssothatyouonlyhaveyouroralcommunication(nonon-verbalslikegestures).

•Theotherpersonwilldrawwhatheorshehears,withoutlookingattheoriginalpicture.Usetheboxbelow.

•Youhave4minutestocompletetheactivity.

•Whenyouarefinished,comparetheoriginalwiththedrawing.Discusswaysthatthecommunicationcouldbeimproved,intermsofbeingclear,coherentandconcise.

•Changeroles.Dotheactivityagainusingthenextpicturefromyourtrainer.



Drawing



Activity 4 Setting Goals

Learning goal

Toclarifyyourspecificlearninggoals.

Instructions

Workinpairsorgroupstoanswerquestions1through4.Theseareshortbrainstormingdiscussionsofacoupleofminuteseach.

Fromthediscussions,writedownresponses,ideasandcommentsthatarerelevanttoyourworkplaceandrole.

1. The role of safety talks

Howdosafetytalkscontributetobettersafetyonthejob?

2. The common gaps

Whatarethecommongapsinsafetytalksthatlimittheireffectiveness?

3. My organization’s safety talks

Identifythreepracticesthatyourorganizationshouldkeep,stopandstartdoingintheirsafetytalks?

“keepdoing”

e.g.startingontime

“stopdoing”

e.g.puttingintoomuchinfo

“startdoing”

e.g.engagingtheaudiencemore

Tip: The aim

Becoming a slick public speaker is not the goal; instead aim to advance a culture of safety at work. Aim for engaging talks that get workers to bring safety from the safety meeting into the workplace.



4. My team’s safety on the job

Identifythreepracticesyourteamshouldkeep,stopandstartdoingforsafetyonthejob?

“keepdoing”

e.g.usingPPE

“stopdoing”

e.g.allowingsmallinfractions

“startdoing”

e.g.gettingbetterfollowthroughonsafetybyothertradesweworkwith

5. Workshop goals

Immediateworkshopgoal – Usethelearningyouhavereceivedthroughtheactivitiesandfeedbacksofartodeveloptwoormorepersonallearninggoalsforthisworkshop.

Post-workshopgoal – Useyouranswersfromquestions1to4toidentifyonechange,injobsafetyorinhowsafetyiscommunicatedinyourorganizationorteam,thatyoucouldinitiatethroughyourfuturesafetytalks.

Immediateworkshopgoal

1.

2.

Post-workshopgoal

1.

Tip: The approach

Give clear, concise and coherent safety messages. Eliminate the unnecessary. That means simple language. To the point. And logically organized.

Activity 4 Setting Goals for the Workshop



Activity 5 Preparing. Opening. Delivering. Closing.

Learning goal

Toidentifystagesandprocessesforgivingsafetytalksthatenablebettercontroloveryourmessages.

The four stages

Asafetytalkismadeupofatleastfourstages.First,theplanning,whichmeansputtingdownonpaperwhatyouneedtocommunicate.Second,theopeninginthefirstfewminutesofthesafetytalk,tocoverintroductionsandgeneralhousekeepingitems.Third,deliveringthecorecontent.Andlast,ashortclosingtowrapupthesafetytalk.

Question

Fromyourexperience,whatarethreepracticesessentialtoeachofthefourstagesofasafetytalk?Workinpairsorinfourgroupstobrainstormanswersandwritethemintheboxesbelow.

Global Facts

The Global OHS facts from the International Labour Organization, Geneva, are listed below.

“Across the globe, there are some 270 million occupational accidents each year.”

“Each day, there are an average of 6, 000 fatalities due to work-related accidents or diseases. This totals more than 2.2 million deaths a year. About 350, 000 are from workplace accidents, 1.7 million are work-related disease, and 158, 000 are commuting accidents.”

“Each year, workers suffer about 270 million occupational accidents that lead to work absences of 3 days or more.”

Planninge.g.knowingyouraudience

Openinge.g.connectingwithaudience

Deliverye.g.usingtransitionwordssuchasfirst,nextetc.

Closing e.g.summingup



Activity 6 Talk 1: Using the posters for a 45-second talk

Learning goal

Togetrealtimefeedbackfromfellowparticipantstoidentifyareasforgrowththroughfirstimpressionsofyourpresentationskills.

The safety posters

Theworkplacesafetypostersareaneasy-to-useresourceforsafetytalks.Theyaddresscommonsafetyissuesintheworkplace,suchasfatigue,housekeeping,eyeprotectionandproperlifting.Onthefrontoftheposterisanimageshowingthesafetytopicfordiscussion.Onthebackarefacts,tips,andquestionstoteachandengagetheaudience.AllthepostersareavailableontheAWESwebsite.

Task 1: Be the safety talk presenter

Chooseoneofthesafetyposterstogivea45-secondpresentation.

Take5minutestoreadthroughtheinformationonthebackoftheposter.

Makenotesonthemainpointyouwanttospeakon.Ithastobeshort.

Youwillstandinfrontoftheotherparticipantsanddelivera45-secondsafetytalkonthesafetytopic.

YourfellowparticipantswilluseCHART1belowtomakenotesastheylistentoyoupresentyoursafetytalk.Theywillgiveyoufeedbackattheendof45seconds.MakesureyourecordtheircommentsinCHART2,onthefollowingpage.

Task 2: Be the evaluator

YouaregoingtoevaluateyourfellowparticipantsusingCHART1below.Forthistask,usethegeneralcriteriaofagoodsafetytalkthathasemergedsofarintheworkshop.Usethe“Peer-EvaluationChart”tomakenotesasyoulistentootherparticipantspresenttheir45-secondtalks.Youwillgiveyourfeedbacktoeachpersonattheendofthetalk.

Tip: The focus

Eliminate the unnecessary – build your talk around what the audience needs to know and/or do.

Tip: Get feedback

Use the “keep-stop-start” method to regularly seek direct feedback from colleagues. Use their feedback to further improve your skills.




Chart 1: Peer-Evaluation

Whatshouldthespeakerkeep,stopandstartdoing?

“keepdoing”

“stopdoing” “startdoing”




Chart 2: Notes

Whataretheareasthatyourteamidentifiedforyoutodevelop?

“keepdoing”

“stopdoing” “startdoing”



Part2

Better Safety Talks

Part2goesintomoredetailbyutilizingaclearoutlineforsafetytalks,andexploringbodylanguageandvoicequality.Forpart2,youwill:

•Usethe3-30-3Outlineapproachtostructureasafetytalkclearly,coherentlyandconcisely

•Practicetalkstogetrealtimefeedbackfromfellow-participantsandtrainers

•Applybetterbodylanguagetechniques

•Adjustvoicequality

•Usecheckliststotargetyourlearningcurve



Tip: Transition clearly

Use clear transition words such as first, next, lastly, to move from one point to the next. Also, repeat key words and terms and concepts.

Activity 7 The 3-30-3 Outline

Learning goal

Tousethe3-30-3Outlineformoretargetedandstreamlinedsafetytalks.

3-30-3 Outline

The3-30-3Outlineisaeasy-to-usestrategytoplanyourpresentation.Itmakesitquickandtothepoint.The3-30-3Outlineasksthreequestions:

• IfIhadonly3secondstospeak,whatwouldIsay?

• IfIhadanother30seconds,whatpointsbestsupportthatmainpoint?

• IfIhadanextra3minutes,howwouldIexpandeachpoint?

3-30-3isacommunicationhabit–awayoforganizinginformation–sothattheinformationisalwaysclear(inplainlanguage),concise(tothepoint)andcoherent(logicallyordered).

Whenyouanswerthethreequestionsduringplanning,youcreateaframeworkto“hang”yoursafetyinformationon.Infact,itisagoodframeworktousewhenyouhavetogiveupdatesorimpromptutalks.Takealookattheexplanationbeneatheachquestion.

3-30-3 Framework

3 IfIhadonly3secondstospeak,whatwouldIsay?

30 IfIhadanother30seconds,whatpointsbestsupportthatmainpoint?

3

IfIhadanextra3minutes,howwouldIexpandeachpoint?

Main pointTheanswerbecomesthemainpointofyoursafetytalk.Thisquestion,undersuchshorttime,focuseseverythingtothecoremessage.Youcouldalsoaskitthisway:whatdoesmyaudienceneedtoknowand/ordo,oncethetalkisover?Itmakesyourpurposeclear.

Supporting pointsTheanswersgivethesupportingpointstoyourmainpoint.Ifyoubreakitdownto3points,youwouldhave10secondstostateeachpoint.Clearlyorderedsupportingpointsmakeyourtalkcoherent–arrangedlogicallyinsteadofmuddledup.

BodyThisisthe“how”.Thisquestionhelpssetoutthebody,orcorecontent,ofyoursafetytalk.Itgivesyou60secondstoexpandoneachofyour3supportingpoints.Duringarealtimesafetytalk,youwouldnaturallyextendorlimitthetime,andfillyourcontentwithexamples,visuals,demonstrations,storiesetc.Bylimitingyourtimeintheplanningstage,youcaneliminatetheunnecessarydetails,whichmakesyourtalkconcise,orto-the-point.



Activity 7 The 3-30-3 Outline

Task 1

ThefollowingfivesentencesformtheworkingoutlineforasafetytalkonthetopicofWHMISlabels.Puteachsentenceintotheboxthatbestmatchesitspositioninasafetytalk.Writeonlythenumberdown.

Task 2

Afteryouhaveorderedthem,underlinethetransitionwordsthatshiftfromoneideatothenext.Thereareatleasteighttransitionwordsand/orphrases.

Outline for WHMIS label safety talk

1. Andjustasimportant,you,theworker,areresponsiblefortwocriticalactivities.First,makesureyouunderstandtheinformationontheWHMISlabel.ThatmeansreviewingtheMSDSsheetswhennecessary.Andsecond,reporttomeoranothersupervisorwhenalabelisunreadableorhasbeenremovedordefaced.Itisnotjustyoursafetybutalsothepersonworkingwithyouthatmatters.

2. IwouldliketorevisitWHMISlabelsinthissafetytalk,withthemainpointofmakingsureyouknowexactlywhatyouareaccountableforastheworker.

3. Tostart,andsimplyput,suppliershavetoobtain,applyandupdatethelabelstotheircontainers.Thatistheirjob.

4. Astheemployer,weneedtoensureallcontainersofcontrolledproductsthatenterthisworkplacearelabelledproperly.Thatmeansobtainingsupplierlabelswhentherearenoneorcreatingworkplacelabelsasrequired.

5. First,wewilldoaquickreviewofthesupplier’sresponsibilities.Then,thelabelingresponsibilitiesofthemanagementteamhere,meaningyouremployer.Thatwillmakeitcleartofinallylookatyourtwomainresponsibilitiesasaworkeronthisteam.

Mainpoint:#

Supportingpoint:#

Body:Supportingpoint1

#


#


#




Learning goal

Tousebodylanguageandvoicequalitymoreintentionallytogivemoreeffectivesafetytalks.

Task 1

Readthroughthetablesonthefollowingpage.Discusseachofthequalities.Whichareyougoodatandwhichdoyouwanttodevelop?

Also,makesureyoureadthroughTool1:SafetyTalkSkillsChecklistandTool2:BodyLanguageandSpeechQualityChecklistatthebackofthisresource.Usethemastheevaluationtoolforthis90-secondtalk.

Task 2

1. Chooseanewtopicfromthesafetyposterstopresentasafetytalk.

2. Take10minutestopreparea90-secondtalkthatisclear,conciseandcoherent.

3. Usethe3-30-3frameworktooutlineyourtalk.

4. Yourfellow-participantswillassessyouusingTool1:SafetyTalkSkillsChecklistandTool2:BodyLanguageandSpeechQualityChecklist.Thechecklistsareatthebackofthisresource.

5. Makenotesonthechecklistsasyouobserveyourfellowparticipantsgivetheirtalks.Aftertheirtalk,providethemwith“keep,”“stop”and“startdoing”feedback.

Tip: Less is more

Lessismore.Don’ttrytopacktoomuchintoasafetytalk.Insteadfocusonafewspecificpointsandaimforhightransferenceofknowledgeintotheworkplace.



Body language

EyesMakeeyecontactwitheveryoneacrosstheaudience.Avoidfocusingononepersonorstaringdownatthefloor.

ExpressionKeepyourfacialexpressionconfident,friendlyandopen,butfocusedbystayingontaskandontime.

Gesture Usearmsandhandstostrengthenandsupportyourwordsandideas.Makesureyourgestureshaveanimpact,buttrynottobedistracting.

Spatial command Standupstraight,berelaxed.Appearcalmandcollected.Avoidfidgetingorslouching.

Speech quality

SpeedSpeakatamoderatespeedsothatlistenerscanprocessideas.

RhythmVaryyourvoicepitchwithhighandlowinflectionsbystressingkeywordsinasentence.

InterjectionsLimitinterjectionssuchassighs,um,ah,likeetc.

Pause Usewell-placedpausestochunkinformationintothoughtgroups.Itiseasiertoprocessinthebrain.

ToneMoodissetthroughtone–thewordsyouselectandtheemotioninyourvoice.Createapositive,openandoptimisticmood.

RepetitionAvoidunnecessaryrepetitionofwords,phrasesandsentencesunlesstoemphasizeorremind.

VolumeSpeakloudenoughforeveryonetohearclearly.

ClarityPronounceyourwordsclearlybymoderatingyourspeakingspeed.

Compensation strategiesIfyougoblank,orgetstuck,justpause.Think.Lookatyournotes.Givethegroupaquicktask.Tellastory.Butlimityourinterjectionsandrepetition.Ithappenstoeveryone.Relax.




Activity 9 Plain Language: Closing language and literacy gaps

What is plain language?

Plainlanguageistheskillofadjustingyouroralandwrittencommunicationtofittheaudienceitisbeingdeliveredto.Ratherthanover-simplifyingandlosingtheoriginalmeaninginyourmessage,plainlanguageshouldmakethemessageclearerthroughcarefulwordchoicesandsentencestructures.Bydoingthis,everyoneunderstandstheinformationandexpectationsbetter,especiallyinsafetytalks.

Inplainlanguage,speakerswill:

•useconcreteandfamiliarwords

•explainnewtermsandoccupationaljargon

•organizeideasinalogicalorder

Noteverywordorsentencecanbeputintoplainlanguage.Useyourdiscretion–sometermsandconceptsdefyrewriting.Inthesesituations,bettervisuals,definitionsorevenlanguagetranslationcouldbeusedtosupportunderstanding.

Ultimately,plainlanguagecontributessignificantlytoasaferandmoreinclusiveteamculture.

When to use plain language?

SpeakingandwritingwithplainlanguageiscrucialinlowliteracyorlowEnglish-speakingcontexts.Itisusefulforbothwrittenandoralpubliccommunications,fromsafetytalkstosafetybulletins,memos,instructionsandprocedures.Wherecouldplainlanguagebeappliedmoreeffectivelyinyourorganization?



Therightsandobligationsofworkersgohand-in-hand.Asaworker,theOHSlawrequiresyoutoworksafelyandco-operatewithyouremployerbyadheringtothehealthandsafetyrulesforthejob.Asanemployee,youalsohaveOHSrights,namely:

1.toreceiveadequatetrainingpriortoperformingandexecutingtasksthatrequirespecificindustrytraining.

2.torefuseimminentlydangerousandhazardouswork.

3.toparticipateinallofyouremployersworksitehazardidentificationprocessesandbeinvolvedinthecontrolandeliminationoftheidentifiedhazards.Youcanexercisethisrightby completingyourhazardassessmentcardpriortocommencingyourtasks.

Therightsandobligationsofworkersgotogether.Asaworker,youhaverights,butyoualsohaveobligationstoyouremployer.OHSlawsaysyoumustworktogetherwithyouremployertofollowthehealthandsafetyrulesforyourjob.YoualsohaveOHSrights,suchas:

1.

2.

3.

Task

ThecolumnontherightisashortreviewoftheOccupationalHealthandSafetyrightsofworkers.Usethespaceintherightcolumntorewritethemintoplainlanguage.Thenworkingroupsoftwoorthreetocompareyourresponses.

Activity 9 Plain Language: Closing language and literacy gaps



Activity 10 Talk 3: A 2-minute Talk on Addressing Safety Hazards

Learning goal

Developwordchoicesandstrategiesforspeakinguptoaddresssafetyhazards.

Safety hazards and workers with low English skills

Theonlyapproachtotakewithhazardsistopreventorcontrolthem.Asasupervisor,itcanbeeasiertoaddresssafetyhazardsthatothersarecausing.However,whenyouareonateamorwithothersub-trades,speakingupmightnotbesoeasy.

SpeakinguptoaddresshazardsisevenmoredifficultifEnglishisnotyourfirstlanguage.Certainculturalnormscanalsomakeitchallengingtoconfrontorcorrectco-workers.SomenewcomerstoCanadaoriginatefromworkplacecultureswheresubordinatesdonotspeakuptomoreseniororexperiencedcolleagues,eveniftheissueissafety.

Thebestwaytocloselanguageandculturalgapsonateamisbyraisingawarenessthroughopenandrespectfuldiscussionsabouttheseissues.Givenewcomerssuggestionsonwhattosay.Establishopencommunicationonyourteamssothatpeoplefeelfreetospeakup.TipSheets6to9,atthebackofthisresource,areshortinformationsheetsthatcanfacilitateopendiscussiononadiverseteamtoclosecommunicationandculturalgaps.Workasateamtosetguidelinesforaddressinghazards.

Task

1. ReadthroughAddressingSafetyHazardsandLowEnglishSkillsasaSafetyHazardonthefollowingpages.

2. Addyourownpoints,thoughts,storiesandideas,aboutaddressingsafetyissues,tothesheets.Youneedtomakethesheetsyourown.

3. Take10minutestopreparea90-secondtalkthatisclear,conciseandcoherent.

4. Usethe3-30-3frameworktooutlineyourtalk.

5. Youwillbeassessedontheclarity,concisenessandcoherenceofthesafetytalkusingthechecklistsonthefollowingpages.

6. Yourfellowparticipantswillalsogiveyoufeedbackonyourbodylanguageandvoicequality.

UseTipSheets6to9atthebackofthisresourcetohelpdevelopyourpresentation.

Iftrustandrapportareessentialforcultivatingacultureofsafetyonateam,howdoyoubuildtheseonaculturally-diverseteam?



Addressing Safety Hazards

AskHaveyoueverseenaco-workerfailtofollowthroughonsafety?Haveyoueverwantedtosaysomething,butdidn’t?Didyoueverfeelawkwardhavingtoaddresssomeoneelse’spoorsafetyhabit?

TipTalkasateamaboutthebestandworstwaystotellaco-workerorsub-tradesheorsheisnotworkingsafely.

Doaquickroleplayofwhatyoushouldandshouldn’tsay.

ExampleAworkerupintheOilSandsdevelopedapaininhisback.Hetoldhissupervisorthathewasnotfitforwork,thathisinabilitytomoveproperlywasahazardtohispartnerandtheteam.Thesupervisorsaidhewasexaggeratingandshouldgetbacktowork.Hewenthome.Thecompanylaidhimoff.

WCBarrivedshortlyafterthatandshutthejobdownfor3months.Alltheothertradeswerenowonholduntilallthesupervisorscompleteda“leadershipforsafetyexcellence”workshop.Lessonlearned:listenwhensomeonespeaksuptoaddressasafetyhazard.

Definitions

•Addressingsafetyhazardsmeanstellingpartnersorco-workersthattheyarenotfollowingsafepracticeorprocedure.Addressingsafetyhazardscausedbyothersisdifferenttoreportingnearmisses,incidentsandaccidents,ordoingfield-levelhazardsassessments.

• Itmeansspeakingupoutofconcernfortheperson’swell-being,aswellasforyoursandtheteam’ssafety.

•Sometimes,itrequiresconfrontinganotherperson.Youmaynotknowtheperson,buttheirlackofsafetyputsothersatrisk.

Why talk about safety hazards?

Itisgoodtodiscussopenlyandsetoutguidelinestogetherasateamfortellingco-workersoothertradesandclientsthattheyarenotfollowingsafepracticeorprocedure.

• Intimidation.Somepeoplearemoreeasilyintimidatedbymoreexperiencedorseniorworkers,bymoreconfrontationalorclosedpeople.

•Culture.Insomecultures,“savingface”,yoursormine,ismoreimportantthanspeakinguptoaddressasafetyissue.

•Duediligence.People,environment,toolsandmaterialsarealwayschanging.

•Law.OHScanshutdownajobsiteatanytime.Theycanvisitajobsite24/7.Theydon’ttakeignoranceasreasonabledefense.

Thebestwaytopreventorcontrolhazardsistospeakupwhenyouseethem.

How to speak up!

Usethefollowingstrategiesforspeakingup.

•Reminder.“Heybuddy,youforgotyourglasses.”

•Suggestion.“Heyman,it’sgoodpracticetowearyourglasses.”

•Ask.“Heybuddy,couldyouwearyourglasses.Therearealotofrookiesaroundherewhodowhatyoumodel.”

•Advise.“Heybud,it’sgoodpracticetowearyourglasses.Thosesunglasseswon’thelpyouwhenthewindkicksthatsawdustup.”

•Code.“Heyman,OHScodeisprettyclear:wearyourglasses.”

•Warning.“Youneedtowearyourglasses.Otherwise,foryoursafetyandmine,Iwillneedtosaysomethingtotheforeman.”

Failingthis,thepersonmayneedtobereported.



Low English Skills as a Safety Hazard

Definitions

• NewcomerstoCanadamakeupanimportantpartofthelabourforceintheconstructionsector.SomeofthosenewcomersmaynothaveenoughEnglishskillstounderstandeverythingrelatedtosafetyonthejobsite.Continuedlabourshortagesmakethisanongoingrealityfortheconstructionsector.

• LowEnglishskills,orevenculturaldifferences,cancompromisesafetyattimes.Theycanbeasafetyhazard.ControllinglowEnglishskills,iftheyareasafetyhazard,isimportant.ItisalsoimportanttosupportnewcomersastheylearnEnglishandgrowintheirknowledgeandpracticeofworkplacesafetyinCanada.

Why think about low English skills as a safety hazard?

ThisapproachtocontrollinghazardsisnotmeanttosingleoutworkerswithlowEnglishskills,ortoputthematadisadvantage.Instead,itissimplyaprocesstomakesurethatallhazardsareaddressedandcontrolledwheneverpossible.

How to use the Hierarchy of Controls

UsetheHierarchyofControlsasawaytoassessaworkscenariothathasworkerswithlowEnglish.

Firstranktheseverityofthehazard(languagebarriers)i.e.imminentdanger,serious,minor,ornotapplicable.

Second,ranktheprobabilityofthespecificincidentoccurringi.e.probable,reasonablyprobable,remote,extremelyremote.

ThenapplytheHierarchyofControls:

• Eliminate:Firsttrytoeliminatethehazardcompletelye.g.reallocateanEnglish-speakingworkertodothejob.

• Substitute:Ifeliminationisnotpossible,pairtheworkerupwithaco-workerwhospeaksEnglishandthenewcomer’sfirstlanguage.Or,ifthatisnotpossible,pairthenewcomerupwithanEnglish-speakingco-workerwhocanspeakinplainEnglishandusepatiencetoreducesafetyrisks.

• Administrativecontrols: Providethenewcomerwiththerighttraininginsafety,Englishand/orworkplaceculture,andenoughofit.Thiscouldbethroughcoaching,mentoring,in-housecoursesortrainingattherightschools.Usemoresupervisorfollowupsonworke.g.checklists,face-to-facereportingwithopen-endedquestions(seeTipSheets3and4).

• Equipmentcontrols: UseelectronictoolssuchasdictionariesandiPadAppsfortranslationasthelastlineofdefense.TrytokeepEnglishasthelanguageofworkatalltimesunlesssomeonehasbeenappointedtoactaspermanenttranslatorforanindividualorateamofnon-Englishspeakers.

AskHaveyoueverworkedwithsomeonewhohadlowEnglishskills?Didyoueverthinkthecommunicationgapmightcauseproblemswithsafety?Howdidyoulimitthepotentialsafetyconcerns?Whathappened?

TipUseTipSheet6and7toidentifywaystokeepcommunicationgapsclosed.

ExampleManynewcomerscomefromworkbackgroundswhere“savingface”ispartoftheworkplaceculture.Theymaynotlikeconfrontingordisagreeingwithsupervisorsdirectly.Theymightnotliketosaytheydon’tunderstand.Instead,theywill“saveface”bycommunicatingindirectly.Theymightusesilence,orbodylanguage.Theymightlaughorbreatheheavily.Theymightwalkawayandtrytofigureitoutalone.UseTipSheets3and4,6and7withyourteamstomakesureyouclosethegapsthatleadtosafetyissues.



Activity 11 Reviewing Goals

Learning goal

Definethespecificareasforpersonaldevelopment,aswellasforyourorganization’scultureofsafety.

Task

Throughoutthisworkshopyouhaveidentifiedstrengthsandgapsinyourownsafetytalksandinyourorganizationorteam’scultureofsafety.Nowreviewyournotesandthefeedbackyouhavereceivedintheworkshop.Completethetablebelow.

My Safety Talks: Makeanoteoftheareasyouaregoingtofocusontogivebettersafetytalksintheworkplace.

The Culture of Safety: Identifyareasforimprovementinyourorganizationand/orteamthatwillenhancethecultureofsafetyinyourworkplace.Thinkofareasforimprovementthatyoucouldaddressusingyournewlyadvancedskillsingivingsafetytalks.Writetheminthecolumnsbelow.Makechangeswherenecessary.Addnewthoughtsthatyouhavehadthroughthistraining.

My goals

Keepdoing Stopdoing Startdoing

MySafetyTalks

TheCultureofSafety

Questions

Willthecultureofsafetyinyourworkplaceaffectyoursafetytalks?Willyoursafetytalksaffectthecultureofsafetyatwork?



OpeningKeep doing

Start doing

Additional comments

Introductions–doesnecessaryintroductions

Topic–givestitleortopicofthesafetytalk

Mainpoint–frontloadsmainpointclearly

Accountability–connectsthemainpointwiththegroup

Outline–setsoutthesupportingpoints

Rapport–connectswiththeaudience

DeliveryKeep doing

Start doing

Additional comments

Personalizes–useslifeexperiencetoexplainpoints

Demonstrates–usesactionsoractivitiestoexplainpoints

Repeats–repeatskeypoints,termsandconcepts

Participates–involvesgroupduringthetalk

Transitions–usesmarkerstotransitionbetweenideas

Impartsconfidence–avoidsself-deprecation

Speaksclearly

Speaksconcisely

Speakscoherently

Respects–respectsaudience’stime

ClosingKeep doing

Start doing

Additional comments

Summary–restatesthemainpoint

Accountability–restatestheapplicationintotheworkplace

Safety Talk Skills Checklist Tool 1



Body language Keep doing

Start doing Additional comments

Eyes–makeseyecontactacrosstheaudience

Gesture–strengthensandsupportsspeaking

Expression–confident,friendly,focusedandopen

Spatialcommand–relaxed,calm,collected

Other…

Speech qualityKeep doing

Start doing Additional comments

Speed–speaksatamoderatespeed

Pause–useswell-placedpauses

Volume–speaksloudenoughforeveryonetohear

Rhythm–variesspeechpitchwithinflectionandintonation

Tone–createsapositive,openandoptimisticmood

Clarity–pronounceswordsclearly

Interjections–limitsinterjections(like,sighs,um,ah)

Repetitions–avoidsunnecessaryrepetitions

Compensationstrategies–useseffectivestrategies

Other…

Body Language and Speech Quality Checklist Tool 2



Giving Safety Talks Tip Sheet 1

The aimBecomingaslickpublicspeakerisnotthegoal;insteadaimtoadvanceacultureofsafetyatwork.Aimforengagingtalksthatgethightransferenceofsafetyfromthesafetymeetingintotheworkplace.

The approachGiveclear,conciseandcoherentsafetymessages.Eliminatetheunnecessary.Thatmeanssimplelanguage.Tothepoint.Andlogicallyorganized.

The focusEliminatetheunnecessary–buildyourtalkaroundwhattheaudienceneedstoknowand/ordo.

Get feedbackUsethe“keep-stop-start”methodtoregularlyseekdirectfeedbackfromcolleagues.Usetheirfeedbacktofurtherimproveyourskills.

Transition clearlyUsecleartransitionwordssuchasfirst,next,lastly,tomovefromonepointtothenext.Also,repeatkeywords,termsandconcepts.

Less is moreLessismore.Don’ttrytopacktoomuchintoasafetytalk.Insteadfocusonafewspecificpointsandaimforhightransferenceofknowledgeintotheworkplace.

Eliminate stage frightYoucancontrolstagefrightbecauseitisrootedinthefollowingnon-reality:“Someoneelsecandeliverexactlythesamesafetytalkbetterthanyou,andscorea10outof10.Nomistakes.Noslipsups.”Weknowthereisnosuchperson.Nooneisa10.Everyspeakerwalksawaydoingitbetterthenexttime.Yourcureforstagefrightmaybeunique,butyoucanstartwiththefollowing:

• Prepwell.Practicethetalkoutloudbeforehand.Itwillboostyourconfidencewhenyoustandbeforetheaudience.

• Recognizeitbutdon’tfeedit.Stagefrightfeelsrealbutcanbecontrolled.Putyourselfmentallyahead5minutesinyourtalk.Thefirstfewminutesofatalkcanbetoughasyouaretryingtofindyour“groove,”ornaturalflowofthought.Onceyouarepastthosefirstfewminutes,youfindyourflow.

• Berealistic.Therearenoperfect10s.Stopthinking“me”andfocusyourthoughtson“them,”theaudience.Youaregivingthesafetytalktoguideandenablethemtonotgethurtorhurtothers.Itisnotaboutyou.

• Manyways,manytalks.Thereisnoonewaytogiveatalk.Yoursisoneway.Focusonfiguringoutthebestwayinthatmomentwiththataudience.Itwilllikelybedonedifferentlynexttime.

• Buildyourcredibilityinyourownmindsothatyoufeel“qualified”tospeak.

• Usenotes.Haveanoutlineonpaperthatyoucanturntoifyoulosefocus.

• Seekfeedback.Beopentoimprovingbygettingfeedbackfromtrustedco-workers.

Build rapportPeopledon’treallycarehowmuchyouknowuntiltheyknowhowmuchyoucare.Carehastodowithhowmuchyouactuallycareaboutyourtopic,yourworkandthepeople.

Asafetytalkbeginsdaysandmonthsbeforeyoustandinfrontofpeople.Thecredibilityyouhavewithyouraudiencecomesfromhowyoumodelwhatyouwantthemtopractice.Itisnotjustwhatyoupractice,buthowyoupracticeitwiththemdaily.Andatadeepermoreeffectivelevel,doyouknowthepeople?

ItwassaidthatthereasonpeoplefollowedamadmanlikeNapoleonisbecauseheknewthefirstnamesofmorethanathousandofhissoldiersatanytime.Buildingrapportisjustasvitalasbuildingcredibility.



Recognizing Learning Style Tip Sheet 2

Thesearethethreemostrecognizedlearningstyles.Althougheveryonehasapreferenceforone,thebestlearningoccurswhenweengagepeopleusingmorethanonestyle.Useallthreestylesinyoursafetytalks.

Learning style Definition Ways to engage

Auditory

Learnbestbyhearing.Auditorylearnersoftentalkaloudtoprocessinformation.Theycanbeeasilydistracted.Theyhavedifficultywithwritteninstructions,preferringtotalkthroughthesteps.

•Readaloud.

•Repeatkeypoints.

•Maketimeforopenorgroupdiscussions.

•Getthemtorepeatbacktoyou.

•Usepersonalstories.

Visual

Learnbestbyseeing.Visuallearnersobservefirstratherthanactortalk.Theyareorganizedintheirapproachtotasks.Theirmindmaystrayduringverbaldiscussions.Theyfindverbalinstructionsdifficult,preferringtoseeitonpaperorinadrawing.

•Providehandouts,memos,pictures.

•UsePowerPointforformalmeetings,withlargefontandlotsofwhitespace.

•Becolour-codedandbestrategicwithvariousfontsandsizes.

•Allowtimefornote-taking.

•Demonstratethepointinfrontofthem.

Kinesthetic

Learnbestbytouching,doingandmoving.Kinestheticlearnersliketosolvelearningproblemsbyphysicallyworkingthroughthem.Theywilltrynewthingsareoutgoingbynature.Theyaretactile,preferringtotouchobjectsandpeopleastheyengagethem.

•Getthemtophysicallydemonstrateit,touchtheobject,engagethepointinsomephysicalway.



Using Open-Ended Questions Tip Sheet 3

Open-endedquestionsaskforexperience,opinion,reflectionandapplication.Theycannotbeansweredinoneword.Theyencouragemoreinformationanddeeperthoughtfromyouraudience.Usethefollowingexamplesasneeded.

Purpose Examples

Drawonexperience Howhaveyouusedthesetools?

Giveopinion Whathasyourexperiencebeenintryingthis?

Predictoutcomesandconsequences

Whatwouldhappenifwe?

Whatcouldhappenifwedon’t?

Whatifallnewemployeeswererequiredto?

Makecomparisons Howisthisthesameas?

Findalternatives Arethereanyalternativestocomeupwiththesameresult?

Challengethinking Doyouagreewithandwhyorwhynot?

Placevalue,priority,importance Howdoyoufeelabout?

Staterelationships Whyarethesetwothingsconnected?

Bringunderstanding Whydoyouthinkthecompanyisaskingthepeopleto?

Demonstrateunderstanding Showmehowyouproperlyattach?

Exploremotivation Whatistherationalebehindthepolicy?

Apply Wouldyouusethisprocedureathome?

Makeevaluations Howhasthismachineimproved?

Confirm Howdoyouknowthatisworking?



Using Closed-Ended Questions Tip Sheet 4

Closed-endedquestionsfocusonfactualinformation.Thereisoftenarightorwrong,yesornoanswer.Theyrequireshortresponses.Usethefollowingexamplesasneeded.

Purpose Examples

Recallinginformation

•Couldyousummarizemainpoints?

•Whoistheprocedurewrittenfor?

•Doyouwearthisinyourdailywork?

•Whathazardsarethereonthisjobsite?

Identification

•Whataresomepossibleoutcomesofthisdisease?

•Wheredoesthishappenatyourworkstation?

•Whataretherightconditionsforthistohappen?

•Whenwouldyouusethissafetydevice?

Classification •Whereorwhatgroupdoesthischemicalbelongto?

Definition•WhatistheproperwaytowearthisPPE?

•Whatistheproperprocedureforhazardidentification?

Symptoms•Whathashappenedwhenproperergonomicsarenotfollowed?

•Whatarethehazardswithnotkeepingyoureyeontheweather?



Dealing with Disruptions Tip Sheet 5

Hereisalistofcommondisruptivebehavioursyoumightexperiencewithanaudience,andtipsfordealingwiththebehaviours.Refertothemasneeded.

Distraction Definition Strategy

Disinterest Thepersonseemsbored,yawningloudly,lookingattheirwatch.Youshoulddealwithdisinterestoritmayaffectotheraudiencemembers.

• Movecloser.Standingclosetothepersonwillfocustheirattention.

• Askthepersonaquestionthatengagesandbringshimorherintothesafetytalk.

Sarcasm Theaudiencemembermakessarcasticjokes.Youneedtodealwithsarcasmoryouraudiencewillloserespectforyou.

Confronttheindividualdirectly.Thispersonhasanissuethatneedstobeaddressed.Ask,“Whatdoyoumeanbythat?”Encouragehimorhertostatetheconcernssothatyoucandealwiththembeforemovingon.

Arguing Theindividualconfrontsyouinfrontofthegroup,disputingyourpoints.Youneedtodealwithargumentativeapproachotherwisethegroupmayjoinin.

• Appearrelaxed.Ifyouappearangryorunsureofyourself,theaudiencewilllosetrustinyou.

• Calmlyrespondtotheindividual’scomment.Iftheindividualwishestocontinuethediscussion,invitethemtodiscussitwithyouinprivateafterthetalk.

Dominating Thepersonspeaksalotduringyoursafetytalk,frequentlyofferingtheircommentsandopinions.Dominatorsspeaksomuchthatnooneelseisabletocontributetoyourpresentation.Thisannoystherestoftheaudienceandcouldcausethemtostoppayingattention.

• Askclosedquestionstothedominator.Thissatisfiestheirneedtocontributebutforcesthemtogiveashortanswer.

• Askquestionstootheraudiencemembers.Thisencouragesthemtocontributeandtakesthefocusawayfromthedominator.

• Politelyask“Canwehearwhatothersthinkaboutthis?”

• Explainthat,whileyouappreciatetheircontribution,youwouldlikethemtoallowotherstospeak.Berespectful.

Sideconversations

Audiencemembersengageinaprivateconversationwhileyouaremakingyourpresentation.Thiscreatesadistractionfortheothersintheaudienceandencouragesmoresideconversations.

For related side conversations:

• Theymaybetranslatingorgettingclarification;usetheopportunitytoraisethequestiontothegroupincaseothersalsoneedtranslationorclarification.

For unrelated side conversations, do one of the following:

• Standcloser.Theywilllikelystop.

• Pause.Continueoncetheyhavestoppedtalking.

• Askiftheyhaveaquestionorcommentforthegroup.

• Respectfullyaskthemtostop,andexplainthattheirbehaviourisadistractiontotheothers.

Cellphones Peopletakecellphonecallsduringthesafetytalk.

Don’tcompromiseonthis.Askpeopletoturnofftheircellphones.Gettingsafetyrightmusttakepriority.Businessorpersonalmatterscanwaituntilafterthemeeting.

Latecomers Thepersonshaveahabitofarrivinglateforsafetymeetings.

Bringthelatecomeruptothefront,andbuildthemintothesafetytalkbyhavinghimorherdemonstratethesafetypoint,ortellarelatedsafetystory.



Bridging Communication Gaps Tip Sheet 6

Use plain English

Usesimplewordchoicesandwheneverpossibleavoididioms,slang,occupationaljargon,expletives,colloquialisms,andcomplexhumourlikesarcasm.

Speak slowly, not loudly

Pausebrieflybetweenyourthoughtgroupsineachsentence,likenewsanchorsdoonTV.Itiseasierforlistenerstoprocesswhatyousay.

Use marker words

Separateyourideaswithwordslike‘first”,“then”,“next”,“afterthat”,“attheend”etc.Itbecomeseasiertoconnectyourideas.

Repeat key words

Beawareofyourkeywordsandideassothatyoucanrepeatthem.Thisreinforcesthelistener’sunderstanding.

Be linear

Beginwiththeend.WhatdoIwantthepersontoknowordoattheendoftheconversation?Organizeyourthoughtsbeforeyouspeaksothatyouareclear,specific,andtothepoint.

Use gestures and visuals

Gesturescansupportbasicideas.Drawingsandothervisualscanexplainmorecomplexdetails.Writeitdownifnecessary.

Listen actively

Payattention.Showthatyouarelistening.Allowthepersontofinish.Providefeedback.Ifpronunciationchallengesmakeitdifficulttounderstand,trymentallyrepeatingtheperson’swordsastheyspeak.Confirmwhatyoudidunderstand.Thenaskthepersontorepeatslowlywhatyoudidn’tunderstand.

Use a translator as a last option

TakethetimetouseEnglishatwork.Onlyuseatranslatorwhenabsolutelynecessary.ItisworthwhiletomakeitahabitofputtingEnglishfirst.Unlesscustomersorsafetyissuesareinvolved,thedailypatienceofusingEnglish,andnotgivingup,willbeworthwhileinthefuture.

Encourage others

Createacultureofencouragementonteamssothatpeoplearenotworriedabout“losingface”iftheirEnglishisincorrect.Encourageco-workerswhentheircommunicationimprovesorwhenyouseethemtryingtouseEnglish.Giveconstructivefeedbacktohelpthemgrow.Encouragementbuildsconfidenceinnewcomers.



Bridging Cultural Gaps Tip Sheet 7

Ask open-ended questions“Losingface”,duetonotunderstanding,mayworrysomenewcomers.Therefore,avoidusingyesandnoanswer-questions.Forexample,insteadofsaying“Doyouunderstand?”ask“Whatareyougoingtodofirst?”or“Whatarethethreethingsweneedtogetdone?”

Adapt to different communication styles Culturecaninfluencecommunication,suchasthedegreeofdirectness,ortheamountofemotionandpersonaldisclosureetc.Sometimesthisgoodforateam,andatothertimesitcanstoppeoplefromworkingwelltogether.Trainingmaybenecessarytodevelopbettercommunicationskillsonteams.

Look for indirect communicationBecausepeoplemaynotwanttooffendor“loseface”,theymaycommunicateindirectly.Youmightneedto“readbetweenthelines”,orunderstandthehiddenmeaningsinbodylanguagesuchassmiles,sighs,orevenlaughs.Ask.Becurious.

Be aware of personal spaceCulture,religionandgendercansignificantlyinfluencenormsofpersonalspaceandtouch.Asknewcomersabouttheirunderstandingsofspace,touch.Askthemabouttheirpreviousworkplacecultures.Forthemostpart,newcomersareeagertotalkabouttheirculturesandpreviousworkplaces.

Recognize different internal clocks Culturewiresthe“internalclocks”ofpeopledifferently.Thismightaffectcommunication,deadlinesandpunctuality,multi-taskingetc.Evenreligiouspracticesandcommunitycommitmentscansettherhythmsofwork.Asknewcomersabouttheirideasoftimeintheworkplace.CompareyourCanadiancompanynormswiththeirculturalbackgroundstoraiseeveryone’sawarenessofdifferences.Gettoknownewcomerssothatyoucantalkaboutissues.Staycurious.

Understand how hierarchy affects behaviour Peoplefrommorehierarchicalworkculturesmightactdifferentlywithsupervisors.Forexample,theymaynotshowlotsofinitiative–alwayswaitingtobetoldwhattodo.Inaleadershiprole,theymightseem“bossy”.Compareandcontrasttheleader-subordinaterelationshipintheirculturewithyourownworkplace.Discusshowtrust,credibility,rapportandrespectarebuiltinyourworkplace.

Notice how credibility is builtCredibilityaffectstrustandrespect.Itmightbebuiltthroughworkaccomplishmentsorpersonalcharacter,byeducation,leadershippositionsandimportantresponsibilities,familyandinfluentialpeople,moneyandpossessions,ageetc.Howiscredibilitybuiltonyourteam?Brainstormwithyourteam.Startadiscussionatlunch.

Notice how rapport is developed Becomemoreawareofhowpeoplebuildrelationshipatwork,ofhowmuchpersonalinformationtheyshareandthethingstheytalkabout.Bringnewcomersintoconversations.Explainsportsandotherpopularculture.Becuriousaboutothercultures.Chat.Ask.Findout.Sharewhatyoulearnwithothersonyourteam.

Build trust, not silence Gettoknownewcomers.Helpthemfindthat“fit”atwork.Lookfortherighttimingtotalkandofferadvice.Youhavelivedherefromthebeginning–youhave“lessonslearned”toofferthem.They,inturn,canexpandyourworldviewmorethanaTVshowevercould.DoastheysayatNationalGeographic,“Livecurious.”



Building Cultural Intelligence Tip Sheet 8

Stay curious

AtNationalGeographictheysay“Livecurious.”Culturalcuriositycangobeyondnoticingdifferentphysicaltraits,formsofdress,foodorrituals.

Youcanaskpeopleaboutbooks,sports,musicandraisingkids.Youcanaskaboutgrowingupinanotherpartoftheworld.Bestmemories.Theroleofparentsandgrandparents.

Youcangetintoevenmoreinterestingdiscussionsaboutrelationsonteamsandwithsupervisors,whatcanandshouldnotbetalkedabout,howtimeisbestusedatwork.Howrespectisshowninanotherlanguage.Howcredibilityandrapportarebuiltatwork.Theconversationstartersareendless.

Whenyoumakedepositsofrespectfulcuriosityintoothers,youbuilduptrust,themostpowerfulresourceonateam.Staycurious.

Suspend judgment

Haveyoueverhadaculturalexperiencethatwasuncomfortable?Youarenotthefirstperson.Butyoumightbethefirstonyourteamtosuspendjudgment.

Suspendingjudgementmeanstakingholdofyourfeelings,oremotions.Don’tjudgethesituationasrightorwrong,orevenunimportant.Itislikegettingarudeemailandwaitinguntilthenextdaywhenyoucanthinkcalmlyabouttherightresponse.

Inadifficultculturalmoment,trytothinkaboutwhattheperson’smotivationsmightbe.Itisprobablynotmeanttoberudeordifficult.Whatyoufindisthathumanmotivationsaresimilar,butthewaytheycomeoutcanbeverydifferent.

Agentleresponseandacuriousapproachwillgetbetterreactions.Suspendingjudgementworks.

Become mindful

Culturalintelligencemeansseeingbothdifferencesandsimilaritiesbetweenpeople.Whatyoushouldavoidisminimizingthosedifferences,orover-emphasizingsimilarities.

Minimizingsimplyputsyourownculturalnormsontoothers,becauseyouthinkeveryoneisthesame.Culturalnormsarenotuniversal.EvenneighboursliketheUSandCanadadifferinworkplacecultures.Infact,culturehidesitselfbestfromitsownfollowers.

Bemindful.Deepenyourunderstandingofyourownculturalnorms.Gobeyondthesurfaceofthingslikedress,foodsandsportstohowyoucommunicate,buildcredibilityormakefriends.Becomemindful.

Be adaptive

Followthegoldenrule:“dotootherculturesastheywouldprefer.”Thisimpliesincreasingyourgeneralandspecificknowledgeoftheotherculturesyouworkwith.Evenifitisasimplethinglikeadaptingyoureyecontactorpersonalspace,oralittlemorecomplexlikeadjustingyourcommunicationstyle.Why?Goodrelations.Lessconflict.Betteruseofyourtime.Increasedsafety.Jobquality.Respectandtrust.

Atthesametime,ifyourecognizespecificworkplacenormsneedtobeclearlysharedwithnewcomers,don’tkeepsilent.Drawonthetrustyoubuildwiththemandbeopenaboutdifferences.

Worktohaveaclearandcommonagreementonwhatbehavioursandattitudesworkbestbetweenyouandyourco-workers.Beadaptivetoo.



What to do when a newcomer doesn’t understand you

Ifanewcomerdoesn’tunderstandyourspokenmessage,usethefollowingguidelines:

•Frontloadyourmessage–putthemostimportantpointfirstbyfocusingonlyonwhatyouwantthepersontodoorknow.

•Makesureyouareusingplainlanguage,andavoidslang,colloquialismsandidiomaticphrases.

•Speakslowernotlouder.Pausebetweenideas.Usemarkerwords.

•Askthepersonwhattheydidunderstand,andthenwhattheydidn’tunderstand.

•Re-explainthedifficultpart,keepitsimplebutdon’tlosethekeymeaningofyourmessage.

•Writethemostimportantpointsdowninsequence.

•Usegesturesandvisualsifnecessary.

•Useatranslator,ifnothingelseworks.

•Alwaysconfirmtheperson’sunderstandingwithopen-endedquestions,suchas“Whatshouldwedofirst?”

Creating Understanding Tip Sheet 9with non-native speakers of English

How to check a newcomer has understood you clearly

Ifyouknowanewcomerusuallyfindsitdifficulttounderstandyou,usethefollowingguidelines:

•Beforeyoustart,invitethepersontoaskquestionsatanytimetheydon’tunderstand.

•Tellthepersonyouaregoingtostopsometimesandaskhimorhertorepeatbackortoansweraquestion.Tellthepersonthatyouwouldlikehimorhertoaskquestionsatthosemomentsaswell.

• Ifindoubt,alwayscheckthepersonhasunderstoodbyaskingopen-endedquestions.Avoid“yes”and“no”answerquestions.Instead,askthepersontoexplainwhattheyaregoingtodo,orgethimorhertoshowyou.

•Later,askfollow-upquestionsondetails,suchassafetyrelatedconcerns,tochecktheirunderstandingandprogress.

•Watchforbodylanguageandindirectsignals,suchassmilesandlaughsorheadmovements,thatsuggestthepersonisnotunderstanding.

•Thinkofwhatyouhavenotmentionedthatyouassumethenewcomerknows.

•Writeitdown,orsupportyourselfwithgesturesandvisuals,oruseatranslatorifnothingelseworks.

•Askthepersontogiveyouanupdateataspecifictimesoonafterwardstoavoidgoingtoofarintheirworkwithamistake.

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Documents

Giving Safety Talks - AWES · AWES would also like to acknowledge the Alberta Construction Safety Association ... e.g. using PPE ... Giving Safety Talks Alberta Workforce Essential