SHE Reps Training

SHE Reps Training – Building consensus and collaboration: The importance of having SHE reps and managers on the same page when it comes to Health and Safety through thorough training.

Consensus building, also known as collaborative problem solving or collaboration, is a conflict-resolution process used mainly to settle complex, multiparty disputes. Since the 1980s, it has become widely used in the environmental and public policy but it comes into play whenever multiple parties are involved in a complex situation. The process allows various parties with an interest in the problem or issue to work together to develop a mutually acceptable solution.

While everyone may not get everything they initially wanted, consensus can be reached when everyone agrees they can live with whatever is proposed after every effort has been made to meet the interests of all parties. Consensus building is important in today’s interconnected workplaces because many problems exist that affect diverse groups of people with different interests. As problems mount, the organizations that deal with society’s problems come to rely on each other for help as they are interdependent. Therefore it is extremely difficult and often ineffective for individuals to try to solve controversial problems on their own. Consensus building offers a way for all parties involved to collaborate on solving problems in ways that are acceptable to all. The consensus-building process helps them to establish a common understanding and framework for developing a solution that works for everyone.

One of the most common applications of consensus processes is natural resource conflicts and site-specific environmental disputes (over land use, water resources, energy, air quality, and toxics.) This could by far help Safety Health Environment reps and managers come to the table on increasing productivity in a manner that is not harmful to the environment.

Both SHE reps and managers should both undergo thorough training to ensure that they elevated to the same level, knowledge wise, with regards to the environment, health and safety and the stipulations of the Act. MAKROSAFE, as an institute, offers thorough training for both groups through their experienced and knowledgeable lecturers. The Makrosafe Health and Safety Certificate offer thorough knowledge for health and safety representatives on the Act, their roles and duties. On the other hand, the Occupational Health and Safety for Managers course also equips manager with knowledge of their duties, the act and consequences of their actions amongst many other things. If both parties are trained thoroughly in these two courses, they will be able to come to the table with the same views and objectives and building consensus will be effective as they will be able to come to a conclusion that will make all parties happy.

The two parties' points of interest are always different. Managers have the objective of increasing productivity at all costs while SHE reps are out there to safeguard health, safety and environment. All parties will always have different views and suggestions hence; it is essential to build consensus and collaboration so that they can deliberate and come to a conclusion. If both parties are well vexed with the requirements of the Act, which is knowledge which can be acquired through training, then it will be easy to work together towards a common goal.

Working together can prove very difficult especially in the modern society where everyone has an opinion, interest and views in the workplace. Training can be used to bring different parties to the negotiating table by equipping them with the correct information and skills. That way, one's activity won't have a negative impact on the interest of the other thus; achieve an effective workplace.