Article by InterSearch Kenya, Human Performance Dynamics Africa

In the realm of professional dynamics, organizations are often locked in an ongoing battle to maintain an equilibrium between risk and safety. This article explores staff culture assessment, recruitment methodologies, and the meticulous art of aligning risk-taking and vigilance with an organization’s core values and mission. Below are some of the approaches to addressing these concerns.

Balancing Risk and Safety in Organizational Culture:

• Staff Culture Assessment: Senior managers must assess prevailing organizational culture to ensure alignment with the organization’s goals and values.
• Clarity of Expectations: Clearly defining expectations regarding risk-taking and safety within the organization.
• Innovative Training: Evaluate the effectiveness of training programs in encouraging innovation among employees.
• Feedback Mechanisms: Implementing robust feedback mechanisms to gather insights on concerns from employees.
• Leadership Models: Assessing leadership models and their impact on promoting a balanced approach to risk-orientation and careful observation (safety).
• Cross-functional collaboration: Encourage collaboration between different departments or teams to enhance greater balance.

Recruitment for Balance:

• Alignment with Organizational Goals: Prioritising candidates whose values align with the desired risk vs. safety balance that corresponds to the organization’s goals.
• Psychometric Assessments: Utilising psychometric assessments, such as Belbin, MBTI, HDS, eQi, etc., to evaluate a candidate’s propensity for risk-taking versus observation and their application of these factors in various scenarios.
• Diverse Interview Panels: Forming diverse interview panels comprising individuals with varying risk orientations (risk-oriented and risk-averse) to provide a comprehensive evaluation of candidates.
• Tailored Interview Questions: Prepare interview questions in advance that elicit responses revealing a candidate’s approach to workplace dynamics, particularly regarding risk and safety.
• Hiring Staff Training: Train and educate hiring staff to discern between risk-averse and risk-oriented candidates, assisting them in devising strategies to foster a more balanced approach within the organization.
• Reference Checks: Conduct thorough reference checks to gain insights into a candidate’s past behaviour and performance in previous organizations.
• Group Interviews: Incorporate group interviews to observe candidate interactions within a team setting, enabling a closer examination of whether their responses align with their workplace actions.

Maintaining a balance between risk and safety is a challenge many organizations often endure as it demands a deep understanding of an organization’s core values and mission. By developing proactive strategies that align with these principles, organizations can begin to work towards a more harmonious coexistence.

About Human Performance Dynamics Africa

HPDA is a boutique consulting firm that provides strategic and innovative Human Capital Management expertise across all areas of the employment life cycle. Our focus is on delivering top-tier solutions to forward looking organizations that are interested in optimizing performance. Our skills and expertise cover a wide range of HR activities and initiatives. The programs we design are developed to meet specific organizational needs.