Element 5: Appropriate Application of Consequences
Without the expectation of consequences, accountability has no credibility and will not be effective.
In other words, no consequences means no accountability. Consequences need to be appropriate as well as effective. Unfortunately, in some companies, consequences are either not appropriate, ineffective, or both.
Appropriate consequences meet the following criteria:
- they are justified;
- they correspond to the degree of positive or negative impact; and
- they are applied consistently throughout the entire organization.
Are Consequences Justified?
Positive consequences are appropriate and justified whenever anyone meets or exceeds desired expectations. Negative consequences are justified only after the person administering discipline has first fulfilled their own accountabilities.
If managers and supervisors discipline employees inappropriately, the negative impact on morale, safety, and production can be dramatic. Therefore, before administering discipline, managers and supervisors should answer 5 important questions to make sure they are justified.
STARS Safety Leadership Obligations
Managers and supervisors can use the S T A R S acronym to help remember their five basic safety leadership obligations to employees.
Supervision
Managers and supervisors should ask, "Did I catch
the employee violating safety rules before they got hurt?" Adequate supervision means, by its definition, "detecting and correcting hazards and unsafe behaviors
before they cause injuries or illnesses." If supervisors work in the office all day, it’s not possible to oversee the work employees are doing. Lack of supervision is a major reason why it may be inappropriate to discipline employees after an accident.
Training
Managers and supervisors should ask, "Do I provide
(or does the employee receive) adequate safety training?" Managers and supervisors must provide employees with the required knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) to
comply with safety requirements.
Accountability
Managers and supervisors should ask, "Do I apply
safety accountability fairly and consistently?" Do employees believe I will discipline them if they're caught violating safety rules? Or, do they know all you will
do is shake your finger and threaten them without following through? If supervisors allow employees to violate safety rules sometimes, all justification for discipline
disappears.
Resources
"Do employees have the physical resources and psychosocial support to comply with safety requirements?" Supervisors need to provide adequate tools, equipment,
and materials that make it possible for employees to work safely.
Support
Managers and supervisors should ask, "Do I provide the employee with a safe and healthful workplace?" Supervisors should also manage workloads, schedules, and
employee relations so that the workplace is as stress free as possible. When the employee believes working fast is more important than working safely, supervisors are failing
in this area.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-11. Before administering discipline, managers and supervisors should make sure _____.
You forgot to answer the question!