Assignment 3 Reading Judith Erickson Corporate Culture Safet

Assignment 3 Reading Judith Ericksoncorporate Culture Safety Perf

Assignment 3 Reading ( Judith Erickson “Corporate Culture & Safety Performanceâ€) & DB Posts, The Article u will read for this assignment , u will find it down in the file , i uploaded it down. R3 Article topic: Corporate Culture & Safety Performance 1. Read Judith Erickson “Corporate Culture & Safety Performance†2. Post your response to the article – what is significant to you about the article? 3. Respond to another students post with a meaningful response/post of your own. So here is the students post you need to respond to them nicely please: #1- The a rticle by Erickson talks about the corporate culture in a company and how it affects safety in the work place. One thing that Erickson talks about in the article, and something that is very important to the work place culture, is how safety professionals only have so much influence on employees behavior because they do not control the culture of corporate. Therefore, they do not have control over employee behavior that is related to the corporate culture that influences that behavior. When performance numbers and deadlines are more important than safety, then you know that the safety culture in the workplace is not where it should be. This is an issue in a lot of companies and the culture and needs to change since the key ingredient to high safety performance is the culture of the company or management philosophy. #2- One of the most significant aspects of this article is that it highlights on the factor that influence the safety functioning of any given organization. According to what I read , both hard and soft skills have an impact on organizational functioning and safety performance. This is the reason why urges human SH&E professionals to begin by first thinking critically and rationally on how they can assess their organizational cultures before making any informed and intelligent decisions that will impact on the organizational benefits. The mere fact that corporate culture assessments occur in all industries raises the need to examine both cause-and-effect relationships alongside vital organizational concepts. This is mainly because the customary methods of raising safety performance in an organization are not optimal in ensuring that optimal results are attained. According to Erickson, safety performance is comprised of conforming to both regulatory and legislative requirements, and communicating and influencing the adoption of effective and innocuous work behavior among all workers. However, the author notes that SH&E professionals have attained minimal success in influencing long-lasting employee behavior since they lack control over organizational culture. Therefore, suggests that it is important for these professionals to first understand and familiarize themselves with both the scientific and empirical basis upon which the safety performance of an organizations is based. By doing this, they will be able to ensure that the employees feel valued, and hence, more inclined towards embracing workplace behavior that would improve the safety of their workplace.

Paper For Above instruction

Judith Erickson’s article “Corporate Culture & Safety Performance” offers a profound insight into the intricate relationship between organizational culture and safety outcomes within workplaces. The article emphasizes that safety professionals, despite their expertise, often have limited control over the overarching corporate culture, which heavily influences employee behaviors related to safety. One of the central themes is that a safety culture dominated by performance metrics and deadlines rather than safety priorities can be detrimental. When organizational goals prioritize productivity over safety, the safety culture weakens, increasing the likelihood of accidents and unsafe behaviors. Recognizing this, it becomes clear that cultivating a strong safety culture requires more than just compliance; it demands a holistic approach that embeds safety into the core values and operational philosophies of the organization.

Erickson further discusses the importance of understanding both “hard” and “soft” skills in shaping organizational safety performance. Hard skills refer to technical knowledge and procedures, while soft skills include communication, leadership, and the ability to foster a safety-conscious environment. She argues that SH&E (Safety, Health, and Environmental) professionals need to critically assess their organizational cultures to identify underlying factors that influence safety behaviors. Only through comprehensive assessments can they develop targeted interventions that address cultural barriers and reinforce positive safety practices.

An essential point in Erickson’s work is the assertion that traditional safety management strategies have often fallen short because they focus mainly on regulatory compliance and superficial behavioral programs. True safety performance involves fostering a culture where employees feel valued and motivated to engage in safe behaviors genuinely. To achieve this, professionals must understand the scientific and empirical foundations of safety performance, including organizational psychology and behavioral science, to design interventions that resonate with employees’ perceptions and motivations.

The article underscores the challenge faced by safety professionals in influencing long-term behavioral change. Because they lack direct control over an organization’s culture, their effectiveness depends heavily on their ability to understand and shape the cultural environment. By fostering mutual trust, communication, and leadership commitment, safety professionals can gradually influence organizational norms and values surrounding safety.

In conclusion, Erickson’s article underscores the complex dynamics of corporate culture and its critical role in safety performance. Building a robust safety culture requires strategic efforts that integrate organizational values, leadership commitment, and employee engagement. Safety professionals must adopt a multifaceted approach, combining technical expertise with psychological and cultural insights, to effectively promote safer workplaces. The insights from this article are valuable for advancing safety initiatives and ensuring sustainable safety improvements within organizations.

References

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