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ZeroAccident Culture

Starting School for Waste and Recycling:New Employee OrientationJohn Wayhart

A a aag, gal a youAct As A teAcher

And remind boththe new hire Andyour empoyeesof the rues Andprovisions a, lg a.

Zro Acci culur (ZAc) i A blif y

that there is no such thing as an accident in the work

place, as all accidents are preventable in some way, shape or

form. ZAC is a responsibility process that begins and ends

with senior executives who instill the proper parameters

and motivators for workplace excellence. It starts with the

management team understanding each job, its exposures

and how safe performance will lead to superior results

for the company. From there, proper and effective hiring

practices, as well as an extensive new employee orientation,

will set forth the companys safety and zero incident

standards. Last month (Waste Advantage Magazine, April

2012), I wrote about instrumental hiring practices and

some insightful ways to create a Zero Accident Culture

mindset before someone reports to work. Now, its time

for the next crucial phasenew employee orientationor

what I like to call Waste and Recycling School.

First Day of SchoolWhat was one of the rst items your elementary

school teachers went over on the rst day of class? Need

a refresher? Most of the time, it was listed on a poster

hanging up in the classroom. Yes, it was the classroom

rules. As an owner or manager, it is integral that you

act as a teacher and remind both the new hire and

your employees of the rules and provisions of the

company, including those for safety. This is not the

time to be the greeter or best friend; instead, you

need to lay the groundwork at the beginning in

order to set the zero incident tone early. Designate

trusted and dependable workers who have an

understanding of the job requirements the new

hire will be responsible for to serve as mentors and

ongoing teachers for the rst 90 days.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

During the training process, the senior executive teamshould set meetings twice a month with the designated

teacher or mentor to review the progress of the new hire

and areas for continued education in the waste industry.

Oftentimes, through these meetings, you may discover

that the mentor may be spending too much time on the

overall company operations, because they expect that the

new employee knows what to do in terms of safe and

effective practices. In turn, the mentor should have weekly

meetings with the new hire to discuss processes, proper

techniquessuch as liftingand any problems or advice.

Report CardsFeedback. Feedback. Feedback. Provide guidance and

feedback on their work. Keep an ongoing chart or report

throughout the week in order to provide specic feedback

and to recall booth positive or negative instances. It is very

important to highlight work ethic and positive practices

in order to renew condence and encourage forward

momentum. After all, the rst few weeks of any new job

or school can be very overwhelming. Use any negative

experiences as a learning tool. Do not degrade the new hire

in any way; rather, spin an instance into a learning activity.They will begin to see how sincere and determined you are

in creating the very best work environment for them and

for the company.

Setting and ExecutingGoals and Objectives

Great companies set themselves apart through the

execution and support of both company and individual

goals. Find ways to assist a new employee with settingchallenging, but attainable, goals toward their job

function. At rst, have the mentor create a few immediate

objectives with the employee that can be achieved by the

end of that day. Establishing small goals and feats rst will

positively inuence their work ethic and drive to succeed

in the new role.

Have Another Lesson PlannedIts difcult to coordinate new employee orientation

as supervisors, trainers and mentors all have jobs to doas well. If the designated mentor must be called away to

perform work during the orientation process, make sure

there is another trainer readily available. The alternate

should be introduced on the rst day to appease any

32 WasteAdvantage Magazine May 2012

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tatng h Waste and reng: ew mpee oentat

awkwardness of working closely with a new employee. As an executive team member,

and one who helped hire the new employee, dont be afraid to check in with him or her.

Find a task you can do together and ask for their help; use that time to get to know them

on a more personal level. Job descriptions are important, but the mission is everything.

Graduation DayEmpowerment is a privilege not a right. Demonstrate to new employees the

eventual reward that can come after orientation is over and they are fully integrated

in their job requirements. If the employee is accountable, is the right t and has

been given the proper guidance and tools to succeed, let him or her earn greater

authority and privilege. Once orientation is over, outline a one-year timeline that

coincides with their goals. The timeline can serve as a checklist to keep them on

track towards graduation daythe time he or she becomes a fully-integrated andempowered employee within the organization.

While it may seem time intensive and costly to implement strategic hiring

practices and new employee orientations, the damaging results of a major workers

compensation claim or a few minor incidents from not doing the proper due

diligence in hiring, is far greater. | WAJohn Wayhart is a Senior Vice President at Assurance Agency (Schaumburg, IL). With

more than 29 years in the insurance and risk management industry, his expertise lies in

providing solutions or a wide range o businesses including the waste and recycling industry.

In 1989, John trademarked the Zero Accident Culture and continues to teach, coach and

mentor this process to help drive down the cost o risk to improve operational eectiveness and

fnancial results. He can be reached at (847) 463-7161 or jwayhart@assuranceagency.com.

34 WasteAdvantage Magazine May 2012

2012 Waste Advantage Magazine, All Rights Reserved. Reprinted from Waste Advantage Magazine.Contents cannot be reprinted without permission from the publisher.

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