Quantum Vision System Review Employees must feel that they have a "stake" in the program. Employees are more
accepting of a program they helped develop than they are of one that has simply been handed down to them. For example, it is difficult to imagine anything more boring or wasteful than a group of workers sitting around a table in a safety meeting,
listening to their supervisor read out safe work procedures developed by either them or the Safety Advisor. Half of the employees present will likely have their mind elsewhere. What really gets employees' attention is having them participate in safety
procedure exercises or emergency drills, then soliciting their input. Employee participation brings about improved procedures that employees are more committed to following because they have participated in their development.
Autonomy takes employee participation to another level as employees are allowed to actually make key decisions on various aspects of the program. The levels of commitment obtained through participation and autonomy are far greater than what would be
obtained by a supervisor reading aloud at a meeting. Companies that allow for a high degree of employee autonomy generally have what is typically called an "open culture" because they engage employees in decisions and in the creative
processes.
Credibility is closely aligned with trust. Trust is gained when there are no differences between what is said and what is practised. For example, when management condones or ignores the behaviour of workers who are not complying with procedures,
credibility is lost. The next time management promotes compliance to procedures, employees will roll their eyes in disbelief. Alternatively, if management is aggressive in correcting the behaviour of some individuals but not others, their credibility
again comes into question. As with any of these human factors, there are no barriers to protect management from these negative employee perceptions leaching into other aspects of the business. If one has lost credibility in safety, credibility overall is
lost. A manager's ability to manage all other aspects of the job effectively is negatively affected.
