Humane Work Environments Part 4

The first three parts in this series introduced the concept of a culture of honor. The last recommendation in this series is Resource Management. Resources refer to people, equipment or facilities. In a humane environment people are highly nurtured. They have adequate resources to perform the requirements of their job. Many school district budgets do not provide enough funding for classroom teachers to have access to resources to teach the children. In fact, many teachers pay hundreds of dollars each school year to have the needed resources. And in some school districts overcrowding is a problem. Some fire departments are operating with older, less efficient equipment. In addition, many fire stations would come down in a major earthquake rendering the contents useless and perhaps causing injuries. Lastly, some people work in factories or industrial settings with inadequate heating and cooling, or poor air circulation. Even churches may have asbestos, lead paint or use toxic automatic air fresheners. Humane employers do what is right even when not is required by legal or industry standards. In a culture of honor employees are treated with respect. It is not honorable to expect employees to subsidize the employer's needs, but it is honorable to provide resources and working conditions that bring out the best in employees.

Humane Work Environments Part 3

Part one and two of this series introduced the concept of a culture of honor. The first recommendation was to use environmental design for optimal wellness. Second, nurture abilities of those with special needs. The next recommendation in this series is to focuses on how succession planning may contribute to a humane environment.

Since 2008 layoffs have become common place. In addition, many companies did not replace employees that changed positions or retired. Therefore workloads often became more oppressive  which leads one to conclude this is not a humane work environment.

Succession planning asks who can fill key positions with little or no notice or ramp up time. It assumes the employee is adequately trained, but is not authorized to step into a roll unless or until the current resource in unavailable to serve. It may be due to a temporary change such as military duty, vacation leave, planned leave or an acute crisis rendering a resource temporarily unable to serve. .

When acute events occur forcing an employee to step down, it can send the management team scrambling for solutions. It is more humane to allow a trained person to step in and continue without disruption than to dump work on employees who are not trained to perform new functions. Succession planning makes it much easier to fill future vacancies, or handle a surge in business. It is not honorable to oppress employees, give them no power over their lives, or perpetuate anxiety caused by poor planning. It is honorable to expect well trained employees to flexibly step in and help out during periods of change. The last topic in this series is on resource management.

Humane Work Environments Part 2

Part one of this series introduced the concept of creating a culture of honor. The second recommendation is often overlooked. Nurture abilities of those with special needs. This is not limited to the American Disabilities Act. There are many needs employers may consider regarding roles, managing work flow, and assigning work stations or offices. In a culture of honor, an employer builds on an employee’s strengths. How this is accomplished may vary widely. A person who is easily distracted may function better with lower stimulation. Many people with learning disabilities have areas of giftedness. They can make major contributions if their job description comes from a strengths perspective. Consider an employee with tinnitus. This employee may need to play a radio to block out the noise which may in turn create distress for others. With regard to accommodations under the American Disability Act, offer those with disabilities the opportunity to conduct a monthly assessment and recommend improvements. Those who are affected are in the best position to advise management. People matter. It is not honorable to ignore the talents and abilities of persons who may work differently than othes. It may lead to isolation, low productivity, missed promotions, and low morale. It is honorable to elevate all employees to achieve their best, have the opportunity to become role models and to be recognized for their contributions.

Case Study: Humane work environments is not limited to employees. Customers also must overcome barriers in the work place. Recently someone we know conducted a brief review of  accessiblity in West Linn, Oregon and found proprieters were in tune with his needs. They moved any obstacles in his path as he traveled from place to place. He found parts of Portland dangerous for those using scooters and reports being forced to drive his scooter onto a major street with high traffic three times due to obstructions in his path.

Yesterday a member of our team observed a lady in a local chain store. She requested an item from the bakery. The glass case was about neck height, but she was using a motorized shopping cart. She was unable to reach her grocery item from the employee behind the glass case without assistance from another customer. A brief interview with the employee revealed that he has observed this problem on several occasions. After obtaining permission to use his name, a request was made of the management team to conduct a disability assessment and make changes.

Part three of this series will be on succession planning. If you or someone you know has ever had to do the work of three people due to layoffs or attrition (not replacing employees that leave), you won't want to miss it.

Humane Work Environments Part 1

Employers can learn simple ways to create a culture of honor.
Here is the first of four recommendations. Environmental design is used for optimal wellness. Avoid cramming employees into small confined areas. Spaces should be open to allow for human contact unless it is detrimental to a worker's needs and preferences. Good air circulaton, lots of natural light, an aesthetic environment and live plants all contribute to good environmental design. Restrooms should be ample and tastefully decorated. Continue the theme by providing well groomed outdoor spaces. Solar lights increase safety and create ambience. A well though out water feature adds to a quality design, and the sound and sight of a water fall refreshes employees. Beautiful plantings, shaded areas and a few picnic tables create a welcoming environment. It is not honorable to expect employees to work in dingy, cramped spaces without natural light. It is honorable to create welcoming spaces where employees feel valued, feel refreshed and collaborate freely without disturbing others.