Communications courses for managers all too frequently focus on how managers should communicate with their employees. How to speak or write clearly and effectively so that management directions are understood and can be readily followed. These courses might also contain useful information on ways to ensure that managers correctly understand what employees are communicating to them – for example, by asking clarifying questions to make sure they understand what the employee is trying to say.
Communicate safety concerns
What I don’t see taught very often in management courses for maintenance professionals or other aviation employees is perhaps of even greater importance from a safety perspective. And that is how to get employees to communicate maintenance issues or problems that they see. As we all know, front line workers have a unique perspective on issues that could have a bearing on safety that other workers just won’t have – especially management workers who are usually physically at a distance from where the maintenance work is actually being done, even if their offices are nearby.
But all too often, concerns that mechanics have about an operation that could have an impact on safety or, worse if all the wrong stars line up, cause an accident are never brought up. Until an incident or an accident occurs and suddenly investigators find that mechanics on the shop floor were aware that, for example, certain maintenance procedures were incorrectly spelled out in the manual forcing employees to work around them. Or a certain airworthiness directive couldn’t be complied with as written because the steps were out of order. Or a certain employee seemed to be coming to work unfit for duty. These examples are all taken from real situations that resulted in accidents or incidents that management records did not document or address.
Know what's going on
Yes, I know, all too often managers don’t want to know what’s going on out of a misguided belief that by ignoring problems they won’t become even bigger problems. But for those managers who do want to know what’s going on so that safety risks can be documented and prioritized for elimination or mitigation, getting employees to communicate these issues is a challenge. For whatever reason or reasons, employees are often reluctant to speak up about these problems but here are some suggestions.
1. This may seem obvious but make sure that employees know that you want them to tell you about issues – no matter how big or small - that could affect the operation. You may not be able to address all of them at once but at least you can document them and prioritize them based on their potential safety impact.
2. Provide a way for employees to communicate their concerns, including the option to do so anonymously. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – even an old-fashioned suggestion box can be used. Of course, if you work at an air carrier or repair station, encourage employees to use your ASAP – Aviation Safety Action Program – if you have one and, if not, encourage management to work with the FAA and employee organization to adopt one.
3. Reward employees who raise safety concerns, particularly if they provide solutions at the same time. Nothing gets the word out faster that you’re serious about hearing from employees then publicly rewarding employees who do.
