Changing Human Behaviour in line with your Safety Culture Strategy
Otemba is a Japanese word for a spirited child, or a child that doesn’t always follow the rules. The word "Otemba" is again derived from the Dutch "ontembaar" or "untameable". And that’s precisely the challenge of human factors in safety management:
How to tame the human mind?
People cannot be changed, but you can influence their behaviour
This is our philosophy when it comes to changing human behaviour. Our approach is based on the risks identified within the SCARA analysis report.
Unique to Otemba however is the insights into the visible part of culture, e.g. symbols, role models, rituals, which are changeable. And the insights into the invisible paty of culture, e.g. values, beliefs and attitudes. These invisible parts cannot be changed, but do need to be take into consideration during the change management process.
Figure 1, Otemba links the visible part of human behavior with the invisible values
Otemba links the visible part of human behaviour with the invisible values
Within Otemba the following steps can be identified to change the human behaviour:
1. WHY - Determine the reason for the change. Depending on the reason support from the right level of management is necessary to ensure a proper mandate
2. WHAT - Identify the behavioural elements to be changed, ideally based on the SCARA report and aligned with Strategic Safety Culture
3. HOW - Define Change Strategy using our unique Gap Analysis approach
4. IMPLEMENT & ANCHOR - the Change and ensure the change is sustainable and anchored within the organisation
5. EVALUATE - The outcome of the implemented change can be periodically assessed with SCARA measurements.
Contact us if you are interested in a better understanding of Otemba and how to apply it in your specific situation.