The presentation will be of interest as it is an example of real-world work-based research and with a focus on the ‘messy’ nature or research in the workplace, as opposed to theoretical research. The presentation may also be an encouragement to other OHS professionals to apply work-based research techniques in their own practice with their employers / clients. The key takeaways from the presentation will be an understanding of the results of this recently completed research project, as well as insights from the researcher on their own learnings in undertaking this Professional Studies doctoral through the University of Southern Queensland in conjunction with their employer.

1. Safety Leadership and its
Impact on Performance
Preliminary findings of a work -
based research project
SIA National Health and Safety Conference
Sydney NSW
Tim Allred

2. Tim Allred
Doctoral Candidate, University of Southern Queensland
LinkedIn or Twitter: @timallred
Email: hello@timall .red
2
Affiliation

3. 3
Overview
● Professional Studies, Work -based Learning and Research
● Project Interventions
● Measuring Performance
● Preliminary Findings
● Next Steps and Reflections

4. Professional Studies,
Work - based Learning
and Research

5. Work - b a se d le a rning
● Integrates ‘work experience’ with
practice, scholarship and research
● Situated in workplaces / arises
directly out of concerns about ‘work’
● Learning through action
● A contextual, informal and social
phenomenon

6. “Unlike conventional social science,
[the purpose of action research] is
not primarily or solely to
understand social arrangements,
but also to effect desired change
as a path to generating
knowledge and empowering
stakeholders .
6Huang (2010). What is good action research? Action Research, 8(1), 93-109.

7. Professional studies program
● Academic programs which emphasise
applied and non -traditional modes of
knowledge and skills acquisition in
higher education
● Embraces formal, non -formal and
informal pathways of learning

8. Learning and reflection
Micro-Reflective Cycle Macro-Reflective Cycle
(A) Kolb (1984). Experiential Learning experience as a source of learning and development .
(B) Fergusson, Allred, & Dux (2018). Work -based learning and research for mid -career professionals. Interdisciplinary Journal of E -Skills and Lifelong Learning, 14, 1-17.

9. Research journe y
Fergusson, Allred, & Dux (2018). Work -based learning and research for mid -career professionals. Interdisciplinary Journal of E -Skills and Lifelong Learning . 14, 1-17.

10. Triple dividend
Individual
ProfessionOrganisation

11. Project
Interventions
Activities undertaken
during project period

12. Authentic Safety Leadership
Workshop s
● Culture: derived from the Latin cultus,
which means care
○ The GAS Principle
● Building psychologica l sa fety, sha ring
vulnera bility a nd esta blishing purpose
○ Builds connection, trusting relationships,
improved engagement and performance
12Coyle (2018). The Culture Code.

13. After Action Reviews
● A structured approach for reflecting
on work and identifying strengths,
weakness and areas for improvement
● Focuses on four simple questions:
○ What was expected to happen?
○ W hat actually occurred?
○ What went well? Why ?
○ What can be improved? How?
13Darling, Parry & Moore (2005). Learning in the Thick of It. Harvard Business Review . (Jul-Aug)

14. Facilitated Learning Teams
● Not an investigation
● Brings people together who
○ Do the work
○ Know the work
○ Understand how work gets done
● Focuses on lea rning before jumping
into solution mode
14Department of Energy (2009). Human Performance Improvement Handbook .

15. Measuring Performance
Pre- and post -project
performance

16. Authentic Leadership Inventory
Surve y
● Measured workers perceptions on
their managers
○ Self awareness
○ Balanced processing
○ Internalised moral perspective
○ Relational transparency
16
Neider and Schriesheim (2011). The Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI): Development and
empirical tests . The Leadership Quarterly 22(6): 1146 -1164.

17. NOSACQ- 50 Sa fe ty Clim a te Surve y
17
Kines et al. (2011). Nordic Sa fety Clima te Questionna ire (NOSACQ-50): A new tool for dia gnosing
occupa tiona l sa fety clima te. International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 41(6): 634-646.
● Tool mea sured sa fety perceptions
a bout Ma na gers a nd Co-W orkers
○ Management safety priority, commitment
and competence; empowerment; and justice
○ W orkers’ safety commitment; priority and
risk non-acceptance; communication,
learning & trust; trust in efficacy of systems

18. Safety Pe rform a nc e Ind ic a tors
● Compliance
○ Audits / Incident Reports
● Pa rticipa tion
○ Safety Conversations / Toolbox Meetings
● Injuries
○ Injury Frequency Rate / Workers
Compensation
18

19. Preliminary Findings

20. Reflections on the Authentic Safety
Le a d e rship Workshop
● The workshop created
a space where the
leadership teams were
willing to open up and
show vulnerability
with each other.
● Contract managers
were introduced to the
After Action Review
and Learning Teams
which were being
implemented through
the project, promoting
learning and process
improvements within
the business .
● Encouraged reflection
on the importance of
demonstrating care
and empathy for
people in their teams.
20

21. AAR and Learning Teams
● After Action Review
tool was easily picked
up by operational
staff.
● Have been used both
immediately following
jobs as well as a
debriefing tool.
● The process has
identified a number of
opportunities for
improvement that
have resulted in
workers ideas and
suggestions being
trialled and
implemented.
● Of the Learning Teams
facilitated, participants
found it useful thinking
in ‘learning’ and
‘solution’ mode
separately, allowing
understanding rather
than jumping to
straights to fixes.
21

22. Next Steps

23. Reflections from a
Researcher / Practitioner
23

24. References
● Coyle (2018). The Culture Code.
● Darling, Parry & Moore (2005).
Learning in the Thick of It. Harvard
Business Review . (Jul-Aug)
● Depa rtment of Energy (2009).
Huma n Performa nce Improvement
Ha ndbook.
● Fergusson, Allred, &Dux (2018).
W ork-ba sed lea rning a nd resea rch
for mid-ca reer professionals.
Interdisciplinary Journal of E -Skills
and Lifelong Learning, 14, 1-17.
● Hua ng (2010). W ha t is good a ction
resea rch? Action Resea rch, 8(1),
93-109.
● Kines et al. (2011). Nordic Sa fety
Clima te Questionna ire (NOSACQ-
50): A new tool for dia gnosing
occupa tional sa fety clima te.
International Journal of Industrial
Ergonomics 41(6): 634-646.
● Kolb (1984). Experiential Lea rning
experience a s a source of lea rning
a nd development.
● Neider a nd Schriesheim (2011).
The Authentic Lea dership
Inventory (ALI): Development a nd
empirica l tests. The Leadership
Quarterly 22(6): 1146-1164.
24

25. Thanks!
Any questions?
You can find me at:
LinkedIn or Twitter: @timallred
Email: hello@timall .red
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Illustrations by Undraw.co

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