Improving Safety in a High Reliability/Low Commitment Work Environment

Abstract

Over the years several strategies were used to create safe and productive work environments. While all of these methods made an impact on the employees and the work environments, most results were short lived and in some instances created a reverse effect that actually made the employees less productive and less safe. To be successful, it was important for the employees to “buy-in†to these policies and procedures, and to “understand, accept and appreciate†them (Geller, 2001). When this occurred, behaviors would begin to change and in turn, the culture of the work group or organization began to change as well. The measurement of employees’ perceptions regarding the acceptance level of a possible training classification program in previous studies at Purdue University was positive. Based on this historical data a new study was done at a major U.S. air carrier in an effort to gather information regarding employees’ views and opinions on the possible implementation of a system of color coding to identify the job classification of the employees working in an environment requiring high reliability, and with a low commitment to the job, such as part time employees. Based on the findings of this study, it was concluded that a training classification system based on color coding could be accepted and supported by low commitment, high reliability organizations. The name of the company studied was withheld in this paper due to proprietary considerations, and was identified in this study as Company X.