Chapter 3: Creating a Culture of Well- being

Question 1

What is organizational culture?

Answer 1

• Collective understanding of beliefs and values that guide how employees act and behave
• The “personality” of the organization

Question 2

What is the impact of organizational culture in a workplace?

Answer 2

• Provides the compass of what employees do and say
• Several dimensions to culture, including how management does or does not involve employees in decision-making and whether the focus is on team or individual
• Culture has profound impact on success of organization

Question 3

What does employee engagement mean?

Answer 3

• Amount of commitment and dedication an employee has toward organization
• Way in which organization has truly captured the total person in achieving organizational outcomes

Question 4

What makes employee engaged?

Answer 4

• positive work relationships with co-workers and management
• good fit between skills, job requirements, and organization’s culture
• regular feedback on employee
• opportunities to learn new skills
• employees having control over their work

Question 5

What can leaders do to improve employee engagement?

Answer 5

• design jobs to include employees’ skills and strengths
• listen to and incorporate employee opinions
• communicate clear expectations
• give recognition and praise
• provide learning and career development opportunities
• provide resources and support in finding solutions to problems
• clarify roles and decision making authority
• provide flexible work schedules and workloads

Question 6

What are the 3 health and safety concerns for employers?

Answer 6

• Occupational Injury
• Occupational Illness
• Industrial Diseases

Question 7

What is an occupational injury? Give example.

Answer 7

An occupational injury is bodily damage resulting from working. The most common organs involved are the spine, hands, the head, lungs, eyes, skeleton, and skin. Occupational injuries can result from exposure to occupational hazards (physical, chemical, biological, or psychosocial), such as temperature, noise, insect or animal bites, blood-borne pathogens, aerosols, hazardous chemicals, radiation, and occupational burnout.

Question 8

What is an occupational illness?

Answer 8

A condition that results from exposure in a workplace to a physical, chemical or biological agent to the extent that the normal physiological mechanisms are affected and the health of the worker is impaired.

Question 9

What is an industrial disease? Give example.

Answer 9

An occupational disease is any chronic ailment that occurs as a result of work or occupational activity. It is an aspect of occupational safety and health.

• lung disease
• skin diseases

Question 10

What type of stress disabilities are also of great concern

Answer 10

• Physical injury leads to mental disabilities
• Mental stress causes a physical disability
• Mental stress creates a mental condition

Question 11

How to create a healthy and safe work environment?

Answer 11

• Legal framework
• Duties and responsibilities of employers,
employees, and supervisors
• Recognize that younger employees may need more training and understanding of their role in creating the environment

Question 12

What are the health and safety duties and responsibilities of employers?

Answer 12

• provide a hazard-free workplace
• comply with laws and regulations
• inform employees about safety and health requirements
• keep records
• compile annual summary of work-related injuries and illnesses.
• ensure supervisors are familiar with work and associated hazards
• report accidents to WCB.
• provide safety training.

Question 13

What are the health and safety duties and responsibilities of workers?

Answer 13

• comply with all laws and regulations.
• report hazardous conditions or defective equipment
• follow employer safety and health rules
• refuse unsafe work

Question 14

What are the health and safety duties and responsibilities of supervisors?

Answer 14

• advise employees of potential workplace hazards
• ensure workers use or wear safety equipment
• provide written instructions
• take every reasonable precaution to guarantee safety of workers
• take every reasonable precaution to guarantee safety of workers.

Question 15

What are the health and safety duties and responsibilities of joint health and safety committees?

Answer 15

• advise employer on health and safety matters.
• create a nonadversarial climate to foster a safe and healthy work environment.
• investigate accidents
• train other in safety obligations.

Question 16

What does C.S.S.T. stand for?

Answer 16

La Commission de la Sante et de la Securite du travail du Quebec

Question 17

What are the employers’ rights on C.S.S.T.?

Answer 17

• To receive training and obtain information on occupational health and safety;
• To seek out support and advice regarding your prevention process.

Question 18

What are the employers’ obligations on C.S.S.T.?

Answer 18

• To identify, control and eliminate hazards to workers;
• To ensure the safety of the equipment, tools and work methods in your facilities,
and to make sure these are properly used or adopted by workers;
• To inform workers of any job-related risks;
• To provide workers the necessary training to ensure they can safely perform their tasks;
• To supervise the work of employees and ensure adherence to safety standards;
• To offer medical attention (first aid) on site;
• To develop a prevention program (may be mandatory under applicable legislation).

Question 19

What is the law for workers compensation?

Answer 19

Workers may receive
• Cash payouts for permanent disability
• Wage loss payments if absent (or seriously ill) worker can no longer earn as much
• Medical (First) aid on site
• Vocational rehabilitation

Question 20

What is the goal of workers compensation?

Answer 20

return the employee to his/her original job

Question 21

What are the ways to reduce workers’ compensation costs?

Answer 21

1. Perform an audit to assess high-risk areas within a workplace
2. Prevent injuries by proper ergonomic design of the job (such as position of keyboard) and effective assessment of job candidates.
3. Provide quality medical care to injured employees by physicians with experience preferably with training in occupational health.
4. Reduce litigation by effective communication between the employer and the injured worker.
5. Manage the care of an injured worker from the injury until return to work. Keep a partially recovered employee at the worksite
6. Provide extensive worker training in all related health and safety areas.

Question 22

What are the purposes of a safety program?

Answer 22

1. Promoting safety awareness
2. Enforcing safety rules
3. Investigating accidents and keeping records

Question 23

Explain 1. Promoting safety awareness

Answer 23

• Most important role
• Most effective when:
o Managers/suprvs are good role models
o employees willingly obey and champion safety rules
• Supervisor is key (must communicate), but employees should be actively involved
• Training Topics: first aid, accident investigation, accident prevention techniques, hazardous materials, emergency procedures

Question 24

Explain 2. Enforcing safety rules

Answer 24

• Communicate specific expectations and standards to workers

* Specify penalties and apply them consistently

Question 25

Explain 3. Investigating accidents and keeping records

Answer 25

• Supervisor and a member of the safety committee should investigate every accident
• Keep records, including incidence rates :
# of injuries & illnesses x 200 000 0 / Total hours worked during the period

Question 26

What are some health and safety issues concerning physical health?

Answer 26

Workplace hazardous materials (WHMIS : info. system about these materials. Based on labels, data sheet, training)

Indoor air quality : inadequate ventilation, pollution
Technology: video display terminals
Cumulative trauma disorders : musculoskeletal disorders (use ergonomics to improve)
Communicable diseases: e.g., SARS, AIDS (covered in public health, not occupational health legislation)

Question 27

What is WHMIS?

Answer 27

info. system about these materials. Based on labels, data sheet, training)

Question 28

What are some health and safety issues concerning workplace security?

Answer 28

Workplace violence:
physical assaults, threats, harassment, verbal abuse…

Proactive security measures to reduce workplace violence:
Training
Risk assessment

May include forming a crisis management or violence response teams.

Question 29

What are some very specific things employers can do to minimize and prevent domestic violence in the workplace?

Answer 29

1. Establish violence, including domestic violence, prevention policy and standards
2. Conduct risk assessment
3. Control violence hazards through workplace design and work practices
4. Regularly inspect the workplace, and review the violence education program to ensure that standards are maintained.
5. Include domestic violence issues in workplace violence prevention policies and programs.
6. Educate employees on these policies and program to ensure that standards are maintained.
7. Develop a workplace safety plan to help keep the workplace and all employees safe from threats of domestic violence.
8. Develop a personal safety plan, if an employee reports domestic violence, to ensure that the victim is protected while at the workplace.
9. Ensure that all employees are aware the employee assistance provider is available.
10. Encourage the victim to contact a professional.
11. Screen for the abuser (with the victim’s permission) by providing a photo or description to reception and security.
12. Inform all workplace parties that they must report any abuse or violent behaviour.
13. Act upon any reports immediately.

Question 30

What are some health and safety issues concerning psych health?

Answer 30

Workplace stress:
Any demand caused by physical, mental, or emotional
factors that requires coping behaviour
Newer legislation is requiring that organizations provide “psychologically” safe work environments
Manifestations of mental illness are increasing in the workplace

Question 31

What are some causes of workplace stress (examples):

Answer 31

• High workloads (role overload)
• Unclear expectations (role ambiguity) -Incompatible demands (role conflict)
• Poor work-life balance
• Lack of resources, autonomy, communication, recognition
• Org. changes
• Excessive job pressures
• Precarious employment, concerns about income -Conflict with others, etc.

Question 32

How to build a culture of well-being?

Answer 32

• Provide better health benefits individuals and organization
• Acknowledge the close relationship between physical and emotional health and job performance

Question 33

How to create a healthy work environment? What is the approach called?

Answer 33

Building better health involves developing and maintaining a culture of health for employees.

A multidimensional approach works best: addressing physical, psychological, social health

Specifically, organizations must reduce sources of
• Physical health issues
• Psychological health issues
• Workplace violence

Question 34

What are the tools that can used to create a healthy work environment?

Answer 34

• Health services: Related to size of org.: from basic first-aid to complete diagnostic, treatment, etc.
• Alternative approaches: Less invasive approaches such as relaxation, chiropractic, therapeutic massage, diets, etc.
• Wellness programs: Programs that emphasize exercise, nutrition, weight control, avoiding substances harmful to health
• Disability management: Integrated approach to deal with short- and long-term absences; aims to create a work env. that employees want to come back to
• employee assistance program: Provide short-term counselling and referrals to appropriate professional

Deal with psychological /mental health problems such as

• personal crises
• emotional problems
• substance abuse
• job-related stress