Essential interpersonal skills to drive H&S performance

New workshop to equip managers and H&S teams with the skills to encourage safe and healthy behaviours

WHILE most people at work possess the technical skills required for their role, many lack the softer ‘people’ skills to effectively engage with, influence and motivate others. By developing these interpersonal skills, they will be better placed to encourage safe and healthy behaviours among the workforce and help to drive up health and safety standards.

Recognizing this skills gap, the British Safety Council has developed a one-day workshop, ‘Interpersonal skills to drive health and safety performance’, to provide learners with practical skills that can be used in the workplace to enhance their performance when interacting with others.

The workshop covers six essential skills: Communicating effectively; Developing and maintaining relationships; Influencing people; Giving and receiving feedback effectively; Managing conflict; and Making ethical decisions.

There are two versions of the workshop; one aimed at health and safety teams and the second targeted at managers and supervisors. Each topic is introduced using real-life examples of problems and challenges commonly experienced by health and safety professionals. Learners are also encouraged to share their own experiences (good and bad).

Through a series of individual and team activities and exercises, learners practise and gain confidence in the use of interpersonal skills to drive health and safety performance.

Adrian Vale, educational designer at the British Safety Council, said: ‘The consultation, which the British Safety Council conducted with employers and health and safety professionals, has revealed that many managers who have first-class technical skills lack softer, interpersonal skills required to perform well, as well as lead their teams, encourage, influence and engage with their work colleagues.

‘Developing the ‘interpersonal skills’ workshop, the British Safety Council has used its extensive training expertise, which the charity shares internationally with its members. Our tutors are health and safety professionals as well as communication experts, recognized for their facilitation skills.’