Academic literature on the topic 'Senior health executive workforce'

The Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services management and leadership development program consists of a foundation program for frontline and aspiring managers, with additional program streams for graduate trainees, senior nurses and allied health professionals, clinical leaders and senior executive management teams. An academic pathway has also been developed in partnership with the University of Tasmania. Some elements of the management and leadership program were developed with a great deal of specificity and structure, while others have been left free to respond to expressed need as it arises. This case study describes the development and delivery, challenges and achievements of the program, focusing on the more structured elements: the foundation, graduate trainee and academic streams. In particular, it illustrates the strengths and weakness of a program that depends upon the goodwill and commitment of organisational partners and middle and senior managers, during a time of fiscal constraint. This article will be of interest to other jurisdictions and sectors seeking to strengthen staff management and leadership skills.

IN 2006, QUEENSLAND HEALTH embarked upon a major reform program that included a comprehensive leadership development program for senior leaders, managers and supervisors. The objective was to achieve improvements in the leadership capabilities of key staff that will result in real improvements in workplace culture. The components of the program include: actionlearning leadership development workshops, 360-degree feedback, executive coaching, leadership learning modules and an interactive leadership website. The program is constantly evolving, and implementation commenced in 2007 of a second phase which includes a number of additional initiatives ? an Emerging Clinical Leaders Program, a Top 500 leaders Program, Conflict Resolution Program for Clinicians and a Clinical Network Chairs Leadership Program. Workforce statistics have shown a distinct improvement since the implementation of the program.

Objective Allied health structures and leadership positions vary throughout Australia and New Zealand in their design and implementation. It is not clear which organisational factors support allied health leaders and professionals to enhance clinical outcomes. The aim of this project was to identify key organisational contexts and corresponding mechanisms that influenced effective outcomes for allied health professionals. Methods A qualitative realist evaluation was chosen to describe key aspects of allied health organisational structures, identify positive outcomes and describe how context and processes are operationalised to influence outcomes for the allied health workforce and the populations they serve. Results A purposive sample of nine allied health leaders, five executives and 49 allied health professionals were interviewed individually and in focus groups, representing nine Queensland Health services. Marked differences exist in the title and focus of senior allied health leaders’ roles. The use of a qualitative realist evaluation methodology enabled identification of the mechanisms that work to achieve effective and efficient outcomes, within specific contexts. Conclusions The initial middle range theory of allied health organisational structures in Queensland was supported and extended to better understand which contexts were important and which key mechanisms were activated to achieve effective outcomes. Executive allied health leadership roles enable allied health leaders to use their influence in organisational planning and decision-making to ensure allied health professionals deliver successful patient care services. Professional governance systems embed the management and support of the clinical workforce most efficiently within professional disciplines. With consistent data management systems, allied health professional staff can be integrated within clinical teams that provide high-quality care. Interprofessional learning opportunities can enhance collaborative teamwork and, when allied health professionals are supported to understand and use research, they can deliver positive patient and business outcomes for the health service. What is known about the topic? A collective allied health organisational structure encourages engagement of allied health professionals within healthcare organisations. Organisational structures commonly include management and leadership strategies and service delivery models. Allied health leaders in Queensland work across a range of senior management levels to ensure adequate resources for sufficient suitably skilled professional staff to meet patient needs. What does this paper add? Literature to date has described how allied health professionals operate within organisational structures. This paper examines key aspects of allied health management, governance and leadership, together with mechanisms that support allied health professionals to deliver effective clinical and business outcomes for their local community. What are the implications for practitioners? Health service executives and allied health leaders should consider supporting executive allied health leadership roles to influence strategic planning and decision-making, as well as to deliver outcomes that are important to the health service. When allied health leaders implement integrated professional and operational governance systems, executives described allied health professionals as influential in supporting team-based models of care that add value to the business and improve outcomes for patients. When allied health leaders use consistent data management, executives reinforced the benefit of aligning activity data with financial costs to monitor, recognise and reimburse appropriate clinical interventions for patients. When allied health leaders support allied health workforce capability through educational and research opportunities, clinicians can use research to inform their clinical practice.

ObjectivesTo estimate prevalence of and factors contributing to bullying among senior doctors and dentists in New Zealand’s public health system, to ascertain rates of reporting bullying behaviour, perceived barriers to reporting and the effects of bullying professionally and personally.DesignCross-sectional, mixed methods study.SettingNew Zealand.ParticipantsMembers of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (40.8% response rate).Main outcome measuresPrevalence of bullying was measured using the Negative Acts Questionnaire (revised) (NAQ-r). Workplace demands and level of peer and managerial support were measured with the Health and Safety Executive Management Standards Analysis tool. Categories of perpetrators for self-reported and witnessed bullying and barriers to reporting bullying were obtained and qualitative data detailing the consequence of bullying were analysed thematically.ResultsThe overall prevalence of bullying, measured by the NAQ-r, was 38% (at least one negative act on a weekly or daily basis), 37.2% self-reported and 67.5% witnessed. There were significant differences in rates of bullying by specialty (P=0.001) with emergency medicine reporting the highest bullying prevalence (47.9%). The most commonly cited perpetrators were other senior medical or dental specialists. 69.6% declined to report their bullying. Bullying across all measures was significantly associated with increasing work demands and lower peer and managerial support (P=0.001). Consequences of bullying were wide ranging, affecting workplace environments, personal well-being and subjective quality of patient care.ConclusionsBullying is prevalent in New Zealand’s senior medical workforce and is associated with high workloads and low peer and managerial support. These findings help identify conditions and pressures that may encourage bullying and highlight the significant risk of bullying for individuals and their patients.

To respond to patients’ increasing demands and strengthen nursing professionals’ capabilities, nursing students are expected to develop problem-solving skills before they enter the workforce. Problem-based learning (PBL) is expected to provide effective simulation scenarios and realistic clinical conditions to help students achieve those learning goals. This article aims to explore the effects of PBL strategies on nursing students’ self-evaluation of core competencies. This longitudinal cohort survey study evaluated 322 nursing students attending Chung Shan Medical University, Taiwan, in 2013 and 2014, where PBL teaching strategies are used in all four undergraduate years from freshman to senior. Based on their undergraduate academic levels, students were categorized into three groups- one-year PBL exposure, two-year PBL exposure, and three-year exposure. A core competency questionnaire was administered twice to ask participants to self-assess five professional competencies: learning attitude, problem identification, information analysis, execution, and life-long learning. The results showed that students with the longest exposure to PBL (Group 3) had higher self-evaluated scores for all core competencies than the other groups, except for the execution competency. The mean total competency score increased by 0.12 points between the pre-and-test. In addition, the mean score increased significantly more in Group 3 than in Groups 1 and 2. These trends were consistent for the information analysis, execution, and life-long learning competencies. In conclusion, the changes in the self-evaluated scores between groups indicate PBL strategies effectively improve nursing students’ core competencies. The longest exposure group reported higher self-evaluated core competency scores than the other groups, especially for the information analysis, execution, and life-long learning competencies.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a case study of the World Health Organization’s Global Healthcare Workforce Alliance (GHWA). Based on a commissioned evaluation of GHWA, it applies network theory and key concepts from systems thinking to explore network emergence, effectiveness, and evolution to over a ten-year period. The research was designed to provide high-level strategic guidance for further evolution of global governance in human resources for health (HRH). Design/methodology/approach Methods included a review of published literature on HRH governance and current practice in the field and an in-depth case study whose main data sources were relevant GHWA background documents and key informant interviews with GHWA leaders, staff, and stakeholders. Sampling was purposive and at a senior level, focusing on board members, executive directors, funders, and academics. Data were analyzed thematically with reference to systems theory and Shiffman’s theory of network development. Findings Five key lessons emerged: effective management and leadership are critical; networks need to balance “tight” and “loose” approaches to their structure and processes; an active communication strategy is key to create and maintain support; the goals, priorities, and membership must be carefully focused; and the network needs to support shared measurement of progress on agreed-upon goals. Shiffman’s middle-range network theory is a useful tool when guided by the principles of complex systems that illuminate dynamic situations and shifting interests as global alliances evolve. Research limitations/implications This study was implemented at the end of the ten-year funding cycle. A more continuous evaluation throughout the term would have provided richer understanding of issues. Experience and perspectives at the country level were not assessed. Practical implications Design and management of large, complex networks requires ongoing attention to key issues like leadership, and flexible structures and processes to accommodate the dynamic reality of these networks. Originality/value This case study builds on growing interest in the role of networks to foster large-scale change. The particular value rests on the longitudinal perspective on the evolution of a large, complex global network, and the use of theory to guide understanding.

This article is an update to the 2006 AAPI Nexus Journal article about Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) senior executives in the federal government. Despite notable progress in recent years, AAPIs remain underrepresented in the Senior Executive Service (SES). Although recent administration initiatives have been beneficial for increasing diversity in the civil service, budget pressures and workforce constraints still hinder further advancements in executive diversity.

Healthcare reforms and restructuring have been a global phenomenon since the early 1980s. The major structural reforms in the healthcare system in New South Wales (NSW) including the introduction and implementation of the area health management model (1986), the senior executive service (1989) and performance agreements (1990), heralded a new era in management responsibility and accountability. It is believed that the reforms, the process of the reforms, and the instability brought about by the reforms may have not only resulted in the change of senior healthcare management practices, but also in the change of competencies required for senior healthcare managers in meeting the challenges in the new era. However, limited studies have been conducted which examined how health reforms affected its senior health executive workforce and the above changes. Moreover, no study on senior healthcare managers has focused specifically on NSW after the major reforms were implemented. The purpose of this research was to examine how reforms in the NSW Health public sector affected its senior health executive workforce between 1990 and 1999 in terms of their roles and responsibilities, the competencies required, and the challenges they faced. This study, from a broad perspective, aimed to provide an overview of the NSW reforms, the forces behind the reforms and the effects the reforms may have had on senior health managers as predicted by the national and international literature. This study also explored the changes to the senior health executive workforce in the public sector during the period of rapid change in the 1990s and has provided indications of the managerial educational needs for future senior healthcare managers. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been collected by this study using triangulated methods including scientific document review and analyses, a postal questionnaire survey, and in-depth telephone interviews. The findings from the two quantitative methods informed and guided the development of the open-ended questions and overall focus of the telephone interviews. This study found differences in the characteristics and employment-related aspects between this study and previous studies in the 1980s and 1990s, and identified four major tasks, twelve key roles and seven core competencies required by senior health executives in the NSW Health public sector between 1990 and 1999. The study concludes that the demographic characteristics and the roles and responsibilities of the NSW Health senior executive workforce since the reforms of the 1980s have changed. This study also identified seven major obstacles and difficulties experienced by senior health executives and suggested that during the introduction and implementation of major healthcare reforms in NSW since 1986, barriers created by the ‘system’ prevented the achievement of its full potential benefits. Although this study did not focus on detailed strategies on how to minimise the negative impact of the health reforms on the senior health executives or maximise the chance of success in introducing new changes to the system, some suggestions are proposed. Most significantly, the study has developed a clear analytical framework for understanding the pyramidal relationships between tasks, roles and competencies and has developed and piloted a new competency assessment approach for assessing the core competencies required by senior health managers. These significant findings indicate the need for a replication of the study on an Australia-wide scale in order to extend the generalisability of the results and test the reliability and validity of the new competency assessment approach at various management levels in a range of healthcare sectors. This is the first study acknowledging the impact of the introduction of the area health management model, the senior executive service and performance agreements in the NSW public health system through an original insight into the personal experiences of the senior health executives of the reforms and examination of the major tasks that senior health executives performed and relevant essential competencies required to perform these tasks. The possible solutions identified in this study can guide the development of strategies in providing better support to senior healthcare managers when large-scale organisational changes are proposed in the future.

Healthcare reforms and restructuring have been a global phenomenon since the early 1980s. The major structural reforms in the healthcare system in New South Wales (NSW) including the introduction and implementation of the area health management model (1986), the senior executive service (1989) and performance agreements (1990), heralded a new era in management responsibility and accountability. It is believed that the reforms, the process of the reforms, and the instability brought about by the reforms may have not only resulted in the change of senior healthcare management practices, but also in the change of competencies required for senior healthcare managers in meeting the challenges in the new era. However, limited studies have been conducted which examined how health reforms affected its senior health executive workforce and the above changes. Moreover, no study on senior healthcare managers has focused specifically on NSW after the major reforms were implemented. The purpose of this research was to examine how reforms in the NSW Health public sector affected its senior health executive workforce between 1990 and 1999 in terms of their roles and responsibilities, the competencies required, and the challenges they faced. This study, from a broad perspective, aimed to provide an overview of the NSW reforms, the forces behind the reforms and the effects the reforms may have had on senior health managers as predicted by the national and international literature. This study also explored the changes to the senior health executive workforce in the public sector during the period of rapid change in the 1990s and has provided indications of the managerial educational needs for future senior healthcare managers. Both quantitative and qualitative data have been collected by this study using triangulated methods including scientific document review and analyses, a postal questionnaire survey, and in-depth telephone interviews. The findings from the two quantitative methods informed and guided the development of the open-ended questions and overall focus of the telephone interviews. This study found differences in the characteristics and employment-related aspects between this study and previous studies in the 1980s and 1990s, and identified four major tasks, twelve key roles and seven core competencies required by senior health executives in the NSW Health public sector between 1990 and 1999. The study concludes that the demographic characteristics and the roles and responsibilities of the NSW Health senior executive workforce since the reforms of the 1980s have changed. This study also identified seven major obstacles and difficulties experienced by senior health executives and suggested that during the introduction and implementation of major healthcare reforms in NSW since 1986, barriers created by the ‘system’ prevented the achievement of its full potential benefits. Although this study did not focus on detailed strategies on how to minimise the negative impact of the health reforms on the senior health executives or maximise the chance of success in introducing new changes to the system, some suggestions are proposed. Most significantly, the study has developed a clear analytical framework for understanding the pyramidal relationships between tasks, roles and competencies and has developed and piloted a new competency assessment approach for assessing the core competencies required by senior health managers. These significant findings indicate the need for a replication of the study on an Australia-wide scale in order to extend the generalisability of the results and test the reliability and validity of the new competency assessment approach at various management levels in a range of healthcare sectors. This is the first study acknowledging the impact of the introduction of the area health management model, the senior executive service and performance agreements in the NSW public health system through an original insight into the personal experiences of the senior health executives of the reforms and examination of the major tasks that senior health executives performed and relevant essential competencies required to perform these tasks. The possible solutions identified in this study can guide the development of strategies in providing better support to senior healthcare managers when large-scale organisational changes are proposed in the future.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Public Health
Faculty of Health
Full Text

Health psychologists with training in integrated care are ideal candidates to work in Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). However, despite the large documented need for more behavioral health providers in FQHCs, psychologists are underrepresented in this setting compared to other behavioral health professions. The purpose of this study was to: 1) examine the specific beliefs that are most relevant to executives’ intentions to hire psychologists, 2) determine how executives’ perceived control over hiring psychologists varies by several demographic variables, and 3) examine how well the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) predicts executives’ intentions to hire psychologists. Method: Executives (N = 222) from every US Census defined division of the country completed an online TBP survey assessing demographics and beliefs about hiring psychologists. Path analysis was used to examine the relationships between TPB variables. Results: Executives ranked psychologists as highly proficient in integrated care and general clinical skills but less proficient in research and leadership skills. Compared to other skills, executives ranked research skills as lower in importance for clinical staff to possess. Longer executive job tenures (but not FQHC budget or rural status) predicted more perceived control over hiring practices. The standard TPB was a poor fit with the data, but a modified version explained 78% of the variance in executives’ intent to hire psychologists. In this model, executives’ normative beliefs were most predictive of their intent to hire. Implications: Results point to the importance of internal champions within FQHCs who advocate for psychologists as well as the need for early interprofessional education. Opportunities exist for health service psychologists to promote the value of research to executives and to differentiate themselves by emphasizing their skills in research and implementation science.

Mon poste de psychologue clinicienne au sein d’une maison de retraite m’a sensibilisée à la souffrance psychique des aides-soignantes. A partir de l’écoute des aides-soignantes dans le cadre de ma mission de support technique à l’équipe, émerge la plainte récurrente d’un déficit égotiste de désinvestissement émotionnel et affectif et la non reconnaissance de la pénibilité de leur tâche, qui me conduit à poser l’hypothèse d’un burn out. La recherche porte donc sur le Syndrome d’Épuisement Professionnel. Elle étudie les relations complexes entre le personnel médico-social aides-soignantes et la cadre de santé, et entre la personne âgée et sa fille. Un questionnaire clinique a fait ressortir l’ampleur du ressenti subjectif d’être épuisé. L’échelle standardisée MSP de Louise Lemyre, celle du ressenti subjectif d’être stressé. Le stress étant convoqué dans la position conceptuelle théorique retenue du Syndrome d’Épuisement Professionnel.L’analyse de ces deux ressentis a révélé les rapports complexes entre soignante–soignée et la cadre et entre fille–mère et grand-mère. C’est ainsi que l’enjeu narcissique du personnel fait ressurgir les origines archaïques de la sexualité infantile dans le lien intime au corps. En même temps, à cause d’une féminisation généralisée de la profession, la spécificité de la fonction du Féminin Psychique s’impose.Cette recherche souhaite apporter, grâce à ce Féminin Psychique, un éclairage autre sur la position intermédiaire de la Cadre. Le statut de bonne ou mauvaise mère que les aides-soignantes lui reconnaissent, aggrave ou diminue le Syndrome d’Épuisement Professionnel et le stress. Enfin, cette recherche insiste une nouvelle fois sur la nécessité impérieuse de la formation permanente institutionnelle et du travail d’élaboration psychique de ces personnels et ce, à périodicités constantes
As a psychologist in an EHPAD (a regulated home for dependent seniors), I became very much aware of the auxiliary nurses’ psychological sufferings. Listening to them during my team-supporting mission, I heard a recurring complaint emerge, that of an egotistical deficit of emotional and affective disinvestment and of a lack of recognition of the painfulness of their task. This has led me to hypothesize professional exhaustion. The research in this thesis therefore focuses on the burn out syndrome. It studies the complex relations between the auxiliary nurses as medico-social staff and the health manager in charge as well as between the elderly person and his/her daughter.A clinical questionnaire highlighted the depth of the subjective feeling of exhaustion while Louise Lemyre’s standardized scale highlighted the depth of the subjective feeling of stress, an operational notion in the theoretical concept of burn out.The analysis of both feelings revealed the complex relations between patient-auxiliary nurse and manager as well as between daughter-mother and grandmother. The narcissism at stake with the staff reactivates the archaic origins if child sexuality in the nursing place. A t the same time, because of the general feminization of the profession, the specificity of the feminine psyche is of foremost importance.Thanks to this notion, the research paper aims to shed a different light on the intermediary position of the manager. The status of good or bad mother figure that auxiliary nurses grant her worsens or lessens the burn out and stress.Last, this research paper further insists on the absolute necessity of permanent institutional training and of psychic elaborative work for the staff at regular intervals

Female representation in medicine is increasing, however women make up only a small percentage of senior roles in the NHS. Only 36% of consultants are female with wide variation between specialties ranging from 12% of surgeons to over half of paediatricians, gynaecologists, and directors of public health. Women comprise 77% of the NHS workforce and account for 44% of chief executives of all NHS Trusts and 47% of executive directors. This chapter analyses the role of women as leaders within the medical world and compares the representation of women in senior leadership roles within medicine and other parallel, male-dominated working environments. Alternative forms of leadership such as mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship are also considered.

Female representation in medicine is increasing, however women make up only a small percentage of senior roles in the NHS. Only 36% of consultants are female with wide variation between specialties ranging from 12% of surgeons to over half of paediatricians, gynaecologists, and directors of public health. Women comprise 77% of the NHS workforce and account for 44% of chief executives of all NHS Trusts and 47% of executive directors. This chapter analyses the role of women as leaders within the medical world and compares the representation of women in senior leadership roles within medicine and other parallel, male-dominated working environments. Alternative forms of leadership such as mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship are also considered.

Nursing and midwifery informatics position statements are important to guide and inform our workforce. Australasian position statements have been developed to establish the place of nursing and midwifery informatics in the health system and progress the development of senior roles.

Companion animals are integral and important members of our families. Purina believes pets and people are better together and are committed to improving the health and quality of life of dogs and cats through nutrition. Purina has completed several studies showing health benefits of feeding MCT oil, sometimes in conjunction with other nutrients, on improving the quality of life of dogs. In one study, senior dogs were randomized into two groups based on initial age, gender and baseline cognitive scores and fed either a control diet or MCT diet. MCT fed dogs performed significantly better (p less than 0.05) than control fed dogs on spatial memory and discrimination tests as well as memory, concept learning and attention tests, had better executive function test scores (p= 0.0007), and performed better as cognitive task difficulty increased when compared to control fed dogs. In another study, dogs diagnosed with cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS) received a control, medium MCT (+other nutrients), or a high MCT (+other nutrients) diet for 90 days. All categories of the CDS screening were significantly improved (p less than 0.05 , Fisher least significant difference test) in the dogs fed the medium MCT diet (+other nutrients) diet at the end of the study. An additional study monitored length of activity in senior dogs while consuming a control diet and an MCT diet. Both average daily activity and average daytime activity was increased when dogs consumed the MCT diet (p less than 0.0001 and p=0.0005, respectively). The beneficial effects of MCT were also assessed in a clinical trial where client owned dogs diagnosed with intractable idiopathic epilepsy managed with antiepileptic drugs were fed a control diet and a MCT diet in a crossover design. After 3 months consuming the MCT diet, seizure frequency was reduced in comparison with the control diet.

Construction is a volatile and highly uncertain industry that faces several challenges in terms of poor image, skills and labour shortage, exposure to adverse weather, macho culture, and stressful environment. The labour-intensive nature of construction industry leads to vertical and horizontal segregation within the workforce. This study focuses on the psychological health experienced by junior professionals from the time they join until they settle down in Sri Lanka. It is vital to keep the junior professionals in their best psychological position to ensure their continuity in the job. This study investigated the risk factors that contribute to psychological health of junior professionals in construction industry and proposed strategies to address such risk factors. The research adopted a qualitative survey strategy, where 24 semi-structured qualitative interviews, including 18 junior and 6 senior construction professionals, were conducted. The research identified 26 factors under five categories such as adverse nature, apprenticeship, company culture, competition and opinions. While conforming to the existing factors from literature, the research revealed new factors too. Few to name are some common factors such as lack of leisure events, deadlines, job uncertainty; some personal factors such as human behaviour, illegal activities, personal agendas, lack of belongingness, educational background, personal bias, and lack of confidence and some dependency factors such as lack of support from seniors and task-oriented training. The senior professionals, while agreeing to most of these factors, claimed these are mainly due to the limited subject specific knowledge and lack of awareness on the nature of the job including regulations and policies by junior professionals. Appointing a mental health monitoring officer, implementing stronger human resource management policies, investing on training and development, counselling and support systems and encouraging more social activities were some of the key strategies proposed to improve the psychological wellbeing of the junior professional. KEYWORDS: Psychological Health, Junior Professionals, Human Resources Management, Construction Organisations.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every facet of global society. It has become evident that the impacts of this pandemic will be far-reaching and long lasting. The abstract showcases how producing entities can stand up to pandemic by initiating manpower demographical study, working schedule adjustment, communication protocol and reinforcing online job training to proactively manage the workforce in a COVID-19 impacted working environment. Entities should take systematic approaches to handle the crisis. To help employees achieve well-being in work and personal life, management can motivate employees to join Emotional Wellbeing Roadshow, and launch multiple COVID-19 campaigns to improve awareness. To support workforce continuity, an analyst can perform a workforce demographical study. Administrative staff have the option to work remotely at home, especially for senior or those with chronic illness. Working schedules can be adjusted to minimize the travelling for employees from areas with high COVID-19 rates. It is highly recommended to vaccinate employees and eligible family members. For international entities with thousands of employees and contractors, the workforce is from multiple countries. The diversification of nationality, age, educational background and working experience can create challenges for workforce management. The optimal result for entities is to minimize the extent to which employee is negatively impacted by pandemic, while meeting the business target. Zero employee fatalities caused by COVID-19 and retaining key personnel are the ultimate goals of workforce management during pandemic. During lockdown, staff might continue their career development through e-learning. The workforce could also take online assessments to renew work licenses or maintain job accreditation. Gathering and face-to-face meetings are to be replaced by video conferences. If approval is obtained, employees and eligible family members should have the option to take the COVID-19 vaccination. Due to successful planning, labor cost can be within the budget, and might generate cost savings due to reduced travelling. Due to controlling spread of the virus largely benefited from workforce management, the entity can successfully pass the COVID-19 Compliance Audit conducted by business line, corporate or local government agency. Entity should proactively respond to COVID-19 pandemic by providing support to workforce using developed tools and resources. In addition, mental health is treated equally as important as physical well-being. Furthermore, work style is retuned to recognize that virtual meeting and working from home could be successful and productive. Therefore, the workforce is always fully revitalized and the duty of producing never ceases in pandemic.

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every facet of global society. It has become evident that the impacts of this pandemic will be far-reaching and long lasting. The abstract showcases how producing entities can stand up to pandemic by initiating manpower demographical study, working schedule adjustment, communication protocol and reinforcing online job training to proactively manage the workforce in a COVID-19 impacted working environment. Entities should take systematic approaches to handle the crisis. To help employees achieve well-being in work and personal life, management can motivate employees to join Emotional Wellbeing Roadshow, and launch multiple COVID-19 campaigns to improve awareness. To support workforce continuity, an analyst can perform a workforce demographical study. Administrative staff have the option to work remotely at home, especially for senior or those with chronic illness. Working schedules can be adjusted to minimize the travelling for employees from areas with high COVID-19 rates. It is highly recommended to vaccinate employees and eligible family members. For international entities with thousands of employees and contractors, the workforce is from multiple countries. The diversification of nationality, age, educational background and working experience can create challenges for workforce management. The optimal result for entities is to minimize the extent to which employee is negatively impacted by pandemic, while meeting the business target. Zero employee fatalities caused by COVID-19 and retaining key personnel are the ultimate goals of workforce management during pandemic. During lockdown, staff might continue their career development through e-learning. The workforce could also take online assessments to renew work licenses or maintain job accreditation. Gathering and face-to-face meetings are to be replaced by video conferences. If approval is obtained, employees and eligible family members should have the option to take the COVID-19 vaccination. Due to successful planning, labor cost can be within the budget, and might generate cost savings due to reduced travelling. Due to controlling spread of the virus largely benefited from workforce management, the entity can successfully pass the COVID-19 Compliance Audit conducted by business line, corporate or local government agency. Entity should proactively respond to COVID-19 pandemic by providing support to workforce using developed tools and resources. In addition, mental health is treated equally as important as physical well-being. Furthermore, work style is retuned to recognize that virtual meeting and working from home could be successful and productive. Therefore, the workforce is always fully revitalized and the duty of producing never ceases in pandemic.

Abstract People Development Breakthrough Strategies for Staff Development Objectives/Scope: Please list the objectives and/or scope of the proposed paper. (25-75 words) The purpose of this paper is to highlight Dolphin Energy's workforce development programs. Striving to develop and support employees is one of the company's top priorities. Hence, multiple strategies have been developed and put in place to focus on employees’ development to meet the company's growth requirements and achieve long-term success. Methods, Procedures, Process: Briefly explain your overall approach, including your methods, procedures, and process. (75 -100 words) Dolphin Energy's Talent Acquisition and Learning Department has designed and customized comprehensive development plans to ensure employees have the necessary competencies to perform their work safely, efficiently, and effectively. The process begins with a thorough analysis of the employee's performance, experience, and education background, in addition to their roles and responsibilities. Following this analysis, a customized career development plan is created to ensure the competency of the employee within their respective role. The company's current development plans are: Individual Development Plans (IDPs)Career Enhancement Plans (CEPs)Open Development Plans (ODPs)Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) Results, Observations, Conclusions: Please describe the results, observations, and conclusions of the proposed paper (100-200 words) Development plans are tools to develop and prepare employees to excel in their career and hold higher positions in the future. With this in mind, the company is proud that its executive and senior level employees have completed customized development plans, which proved to be successful tools in their career progression. The company implements high standard development plans to support its employees’ development and growth. These plans also help develop fresh graduate associates and prepare them to be fully qualified job holders by providing them with knowledge, experience and required competencies within a two year time-frame. Dolphin Energy has succeeded in promoting UAE nationals to senior level positions through multiple career development programs, where currently the majority of UAE nationals hold senior level positions within the organization. Novel/Additive Information: Please explain how this paper will present novel (new) or additive information to the existing body of literature that can be of benefit t and/or add to the state of knowledge in the petroleum industry. (25-75 words) As the Oil and Gas industry is always evolving, it's important to maximize employees’ knowledge and development within their respective fields. This paper will present details and highlight benefits of our development plans, supported with statistics on how successful they are. In addition, this paper will shed light on major milestones and advantages of our career development programs, as well as best practices which may be of interest to other business partners.

Abstract Asset management activities such as periodic overhauls are crucial for ensuring asset integrity and workplace safety. However, lessons learned from previous major industrial accidents across various high-risks industries have indicated that the perception of occupational safety and health (OSH) risks of maintenance personnel during major overhauls, outages, shutdowns and turnarounds (MoOSTs) are common denominators and precursors to several accidents. This is typically owing to several factors especially the fusion of all classes of routine maintenance tasks on enormous scales and the integration of a very diverse workforce (client, regulators, original equipment manufacturers, and various contracting firms) that possess very different safety cultures, which in turn compound overall risk profiles of job sites and the likelihood of accidents. Therefore, developing a good understanding of the risks perceptions and attitudes of MoOSTs workers towards can help improve overall OSH performance. Although several studies have investigated the subject of safety culture and climate in the context of projects especially engineering, procurement and construction (EPCs), however, studies and use cases on MoOSTs are significantly underrepresented, despite their impacts on costs, employment and wellbeing. This study therefore aims to advocate a safety culture that would boost OSH performance during MoOSTs through the development and deployment of safety climate questionnaire survey to MoOSTs workers of leading cement manufacturing operations in Nigeria. The study revealed “training and learning from incidents”, “commitment of senior management towards ensuring safety and its protocol deployment process”, and “effectiveness of incident reporting systems during MoOSTs” as the three main underlying safety climate factors.

Attention to safety and health are of ever-increasing priority to industrial organizations. Good Safety is demanded by stockholders, employees, and the community while increasing injury costs provide additional motivation for safety and health excellence. Safety has always been a strong corporate value of DuPont and a vital part of its culture. As a result, DuPont has become a benchmark in safety and health performance. Since 1990, DuPont has re-engineered itself to meet global competition and address future vision. In the new re-engineered organizational structures, DuPont has also had to re-engineer its safety management systems. A special Discovery Team was chartered by DuPont senior management to determine the “best practices’ for safety and health being used in DuPont best-performing sites. A summary of the findings is presented, and five of the practices are discussed. Excellence in safety and health management is more important today than ever. Public awareness, federal and state regulations, and enlightened management have resulted in a widespread conviction that all employees have the right to work in an environment that will not adversely affect their safety and health. In DuPont, we believe that excellence in safety and health is necessary to achieve global competitiveness, maintain employee loyalty, and be an accepted member of the communities in which we make, handle, use, and transport products. Safety can also be the “catalyst” to achieving excellence in other important business parameters. The organizational and communication skills developed by management, individuals, and teams in safety can be directly applied to other company initiatives. As we look into the 21st Century, we must also recognize that new organizational structures (flatter with empowered teams) will require new safety management techniques and systems in order to maintain continuous improvement in safety performance. Injury costs, which have risen dramatically in the past twenty years, provide another incentive for safety and health excellence. Shown in the Figure 1, injury costs have increased even after correcting for inflation. Many companies have found these costs to be an “invisible drain” on earnings and profitability. In some organizations, significant initiatives have been launched to better manage the workers’ compensation systems. We have found that the ultimate solution is to prevent injuries and incidents before they occur. A globally-respected company, DuPont is regarded as a well-managed, extremely ethical firm that is the benchmark in industrial safety performance. Like many other companies, DuPont has re-engineered itself and downsized its operations since 1985. Through these changes, we have maintained dedication to our principles and developed new techniques to manage in these organizational environments. As a diversified company, our operations involve chemical process facilities, production line operations, field activities, and sales and distribution of materials. Our customer base is almost entirely industrial and yet we still maintain a high level of consumer awareness and positive perception. The DuPont concern for safety dates back to the early 1800s and the first days of the company. In 1802 E.I. DuPont, a Frenchman, began manufacturing quality grade explosives to fill America’s growing need to build roads, clear fields, increase mining output, and protect its recently won independence. Because explosives production is such a hazardous industry, DuPont recognized and accepted the need for an effective safety effort. The building walls of the first powder mill near Wilmington, Delaware, were built three stones thick on three sides. The back remained open to the Brandywine River to direct any explosive forces away from other buildings and employees. To set the safety example, DuPont also built his home and the homes of his managers next to the powder yard. An effective safety program was a necessity. It represented the first defense against instant corporate liquidation. Safety needs more than a well-designed plant, however. In 1811, work rules were posted in the mill to guide employee work habits. Though not nearly as sophisticated as the safety standards of today, they did introduce an important basic concept — that safety must be a line management responsibility. Later, DuPont introduced an employee health program and hired a company doctor. An early step taken in 1912 was the keeping of safety statistics, approximately 60 years before the federal requirement to do so. We had a visible measure of our safety performance and were determined that we were going to improve it. When the nation entered World War I, the DuPont Company supplied 40 percent of the explosives used by the Allied Forces, more than 1.5 billion pounds. To accomplish this task, over 30,000 new employees were hired and trained to build and operate many plants. Among these facilities was the largest smokeless powder plant the world had ever seen. The new plant was producing granulated powder in a record 116 days after ground breaking. The trends on the safety performance chart reflect the problems that a large new work force can pose until the employees fully accept the company’s safety philosophy. The first arrow reflects the World War I scale-up, and the second arrow represents rapid diversification into new businesses during the 1920s. These instances of significant deterioration in safety performance reinforced DuPont’s commitment to reduce the unsafe acts that were causing 96 percent of our injuries. Only 4 percent of injuries result from unsafe conditions or equipment — the remainder result from the unsafe acts of people. This is an important concept if we are to focus our attention on reducing injuries and incidents within the work environment. World War II brought on a similar set of demands. The story was similar to World War I but the numbers were even more astonishing: one billion dollars in capital expenditures, 54 new plants, 75,000 additional employees, and 4.5 billion pounds of explosives produced — 20 percent of the volume used by the Allied Forces. Yet, the performance during the war years showed no significant deviation from the pre-war years. In 1941, the DuPont Company was 10 times safer than all industry and 9 times safer than the Chemical Industry. Management and the line organization were finally working as they should to control the real causes of injuries. Today, DuPont is about 50 times safer than US industrial safety performance averages. Comparing performance to other industries, it is interesting to note that seemingly “hazard-free” industries seem to have extraordinarily high injury rates. This is because, as DuPont has found out, performance is a function of injury prevention and safety management systems, not hazard exposure. Our success in safety results from a sound safety management philosophy. Each of the 125 DuPont facilities is responsible for its own safety program, progress, and performance. However, management at each of these facilities approaches safety from the same fundamental and sound philosophy. This philosophy can be expressed in eleven straightforward principles. The first principle is that all injuries can be prevented. That statement may seem a bit optimistic. In fact, we believe that this is a realistic goal and not just a theoretical objective. Our safety performance proves that the objective is achievable. We have plants with over 2,000 employees that have operated for over 10 years without a lost time injury. As injuries and incidents are investigated, we can always identify actions that could have prevented that incident. If we manage safety in a proactive — rather than reactive — manner, we will eliminate injuries by reducing the acts and conditions that cause them. The second principle is that management, which includes all levels through first-line supervisors, is responsible and accountable for preventing injuries. Only when senior management exerts sustained and consistent leadership in establishing safety goals, demanding accountability for safety performance and providing the necessary resources, can a safety program be effective in an industrial environment. The third principle states that, while recognizing management responsibility, it takes the combined energy of the entire organization to reach sustained, continuous improvement in safety and health performance. Creating an environment in which employees feel ownership for the safety effort and make significant contributions is an essential task for management, and one that needs deliberate and ongoing attention. The fourth principle is a corollary to the first principle that all injuries are preventable. It holds that all operating exposures that may result in injuries or illnesses can be controlled. No matter what the exposure, an effective safeguard can be provided. It is preferable, of course, to eliminate sources of danger, but when this is not reasonable or practical, supervision must specify measures such as special training, safety devices, and protective clothing. Our fifth safety principle states that safety is a condition of employment. Conscientious assumption of safety responsibility is required from all employees from their first day on the job. Each employee must be convinced that he or she has a responsibility for working safely. The sixth safety principle: Employees must be trained to work safely. We have found that an awareness for safety does not come naturally and that people have to be trained to work safely. With effective training programs to teach, motivate, and sustain safety knowledge, all injuries and illnesses can be eliminated. Our seventh principle holds that management must audit performance on the workplace to assess safety program success. Comprehensive inspections of both facilities and programs not only confirm their effectiveness in achieving the desired performance, but also detect specific problems and help to identify weaknesses in the safety effort. The Company’s eighth principle states that all deficiencies must be corrected promptly. Without prompt action, risk of injuries will increase and, even more important, the credibility of management’s safety efforts will suffer. Our ninth principle is a statement that off-the-job safety is an important part of the overall safety effort. We do not expect nor want employees to “turn safety on” as they come to work and “turn it off” when they go home. The company safety culture truly becomes of the individual employee’s way of thinking. The tenth principle recognizes that it’s good business to prevent injuries. Injuries cost money. However, hidden or indirect costs usually exceed the direct cost. Our last principle is the most important. Safety must be integrated as core business and personal value. There are two reasons for this. First, we’ve learned from almost 200 years of experience that 96 percent of safety incidents are directly caused by the action of people, not by faulty equipment or inadequate safety standards. But conversely, it is our people who provide the solutions to our safety problems. They are the one essential ingredient in the recipe for a safe workplace. Intelligent, trained, and motivated employees are any company’s greatest resource. Our success in safety depends upon the men and women in our plants following procedures, participating actively in training, and identifying and alerting each other and management to potential hazards. By demonstrating a real concern for each employee, management helps establish a mutual respect, and the foundation is laid for a solid safety program. This, of course, is also the foundation for good employee relations. An important lesson learned in DuPont is that the majority of injuries are caused by unsafe acts and at-risk behaviors rather than unsafe equipment or conditions. In fact, in several DuPont studies it was estimated that 96 percent of injuries are caused by unsafe acts. This was particularly revealing when considering safety audits — if audits were only focused on conditions, at best we could only prevent four percent of our injuries. By establishing management systems for safety auditing that focus on people, including audit training, techniques, and plans, all incidents are preventable. Of course, employee contribution and involvement in auditing leads to sustainability through stakeholdership in the system. Management safety audits help to make manage the “behavioral balance.” Every job and task performed at a site can do be done at-risk or safely. The essence of a good safety system ensures that safe behavior is the accepted norm amongst employees, and that it is the expected and respected way of doing things. Shifting employees norms contributes mightily to changing culture. The management safety audit provides a way to quantify these norms. DuPont safety performance has continued to improve since we began keeping records in 1911 until about 1990. In the 1990–1994 time frame, performance deteriorated as shown in the chart that follows: This increase in injuries caused great concern to senior DuPont management as well as employees. It occurred while the corporation was undergoing changes in organization. In order to sustain our technological, competitive, and business leadership positions, DuPont began re-engineering itself beginning in about 1990. New streamlined organizational structures and collaborative work processes eliminated many positions and levels of management and supervision. The total employment of the company was reduced about 25 percent during these four years. In our traditional hierarchical organization structures, every level of supervision and management knew exactly what they were expected to do with safety, and all had important roles. As many of these levels were eliminated, new systems needed to be identified for these new organizations. In early 1995, Edgar S. Woolard, DuPont Chairman, chartered a Corporate Discovery Team to look for processes that will put DuPont on a consistent path toward a goal of zero injuries and occupational illnesses. The cross-functional team used a mode of “discovery through learning” from as many DuPont employees and sites around the world. The Discovery Team fostered the rapid sharing and leveraging of “best practices” and innovative approaches being pursued at DuPont’s plants, field sites, laboratories, and office locations. In short, the team examined the company’s current state, described the future state, identified barriers between the two, and recommended key ways to overcome these barriers. After reporting back to executive management in April, 1995, the Discovery Team was realigned to help organizations implement their recommendations. The Discovery Team reconfirmed key values in DuPont — in short, that all injuries, incidents, and occupational illnesses are preventable and that safety is a source of competitive advantage. As such, the steps taken to improve safety performance also improve overall competitiveness. Senior management made this belief clear: “We will strengthen our business by making safety excellence an integral part of all business activities.” One of the key findings of the Discovery Team was the identification of the best practices used within the company, which are listed below: ▪ Felt Leadership – Management Commitment ▪ Business Integration ▪ Responsibility and Accountability ▪ Individual/Team Involvement and Influence ▪ Contractor Safety ▪ Metrics and Measurements ▪ Communications ▪ Rewards and Recognition ▪ Caring Interdependent Culture; Team-Based Work Process and Systems ▪ Performance Standards and Operating Discipline ▪ Training/Capability ▪ Technology ▪ Safety and Health Resources ▪ Management and Team Audits ▪ Deviation Investigation ▪ Risk Management and Emergency Response ▪ Process Safety ▪ Off-the-Job Safety and Health Education Attention to each of these best practices is essential to achieve sustained improvements in safety and health. The Discovery Implementation in conjunction with DuPont Safety and Environmental Management Services has developed a Safety Self-Assessment around these systems. In this presentation, we will discuss a few of these practices and learn what they mean. Paper published with permission.