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Setting up Mentorship Programs for Occupational Health and Safetyby Susan Reschny, B. Ed. Director of Program Development
New employees, especially the youth, are often unaware of the risks that surround them in a workplace. Although many of us learned to be safe through the school of hard knocks, the law now protects workers from learning the hard way. Orientation and training sessions are a great place to start, but sometimes experience is the best way to learn. That’s why safety mentoring has become so critical, allowing the inexperienced to benefit from the knowledge of those who have been around.
Define the Objectives, Goals and Roles The mentorship program will only work if there are defined parameters. § What is the purpose of the partnership? Safety? Task orientation? § Are there particular hazards that must be identified? § What is the role of the mentor? Is a checklist available that defines the expected competencies for the new employee? § Is there a plan in place for unsuccessful partners? § Who is ultimately responsible for the program? Select Excellent Mentors Mentors should be: § Volunteers They can be people who have offered to help a new person learn the ropes or people who have been shoulder tapped and agree to give it a try. § Good communicators They listen to what is being said and how it is being said. § Non-judgmental They are able to develop mutual trust and respect. § Confidential A new employee is likely to make mistakes. Being the object of the joke at coffee will erode any chance of future learning in the mentorship model. § Supportive They must be able to encourage new staff to seek solutions to problems by asking and promoting questions. § Role models Mentors must follow and believe in safety protocol and initiatives. Their attitudes will determine the safety culture for the new employees and best practice is the goal. Evaluate the New Employee and the Mentorship Program Evaluate everything you do. To help with the assessment of the program as a whole, try to get some baseline data regarding the new employee’s competencies prior to beginning the mentorship. Try to also keep the following in mind: § Who is ultimately responsible for evaluating the new employee, management or mentor? Is there an evaluative tool in place? A time frame? § Is there a framework for informal assessment? § How will you know that the mentorship program is successful? Provide Training for Mentorship Program Participants The training does not have to be formal or in depth, however it should include: § Objectives § Roles § Evaluation tools § Opportunity for dialogue between partners Setting up a mentorship program for safety can be easily accomplished. Programs of this type have great benefits for the workplace and for the people directly involved. It does not have to cost a lot either. You can set up informal mentoring for the cost of an orientation session and a couple of follow up pizza lunches. You might even splurge and have a few books or articles available for those who wish to learn more about the process of mentorship. No matter what form of mentorship program is used, the safety culture of the company can benefit from the positive reinforcement of safe work practices. |
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New
employees have a lot to learn in the first few weeks on the job.
Who is the boss? What is the protocol for each task? Where do I
eat my lunch? What time is coffee? Where do I put my jacket?
What’s that guy’s name again? Although orientation programs are
designed to give new employees a clear picture about the way
things work, trying to keep all the information straight is an
insurmountable task, especially for the inexperienced.