This case study illustrates how FidesOak® addressed the challenge of bridging the Safety Culture Gap at the Organisation. A rapidly expanding wind turbine manufacturing company faced significant challenges in maintaining safety standards as it grew. Having evolved from a small privately owned operation to a large organisation with global operations, the company had impressive technical capabilities but struggled with the human factors side of safety. Despite loyalty and commitment from employees, there was a growing disconnect between how safety was imagined at the leadership level and how it was practiced on the ground.”
There was also a disconnect between managing quality and safety. Quality is about managing the process whereas safety is about engaging and motivating people. This gap needed to be addressed. Seeing the people as a solution and not the problem was paramount.
FidesOak® facilitated a comprehensive plan using the High Performing Team (HPT®) Culture Model to assess and improve team cohesion, leadership support, information sharing, and psychological safety, resulting in significant performance improvements.
The Client faced significant challenges in maintaining safety standards and amid rapid organisational growth. As is common in many organisations experiencing fast growth, the focus was primarily on operational success - ”what” was done rather than “how” it was done. This led to misalignments between safety goals and day-to-day practices, especially during critical phases of project construction. The leadership recognised this gap and sought a solution that would not only address immediate safety concerns but also transform how the company viewed and practiced safety across all levels. Despite the company’s engineering and technical prowess, the focus remained on “what” was done over “how” it was done, indicating a need for a mindset shift. The leadership team identified a misalignment between stated safety values and actual practices, necessitating a thorough evaluation and improvement plan to bridge this gap and foster a safety-centric culture.
The client wanted to close the gap between “work as imagined” and “work as done”. This concept highlights that often work how it is done is different to what people may think or imagine it is being done, which can cause serious safety issues.
The client’s leadership sought FidesOak®’s expertise to address the misalignment between perceived and actual safety practices. They aimed to leverage FidesOak®’s HPT® Model to conduct a diagnostic assessment and enhance the company’s safety culture. The goal was to transform the mindset of their teams, ensuring safety became a core value embedded in the organisational DNA.
1. Diagnostic Assessment: Conducted a comprehensive assessment of two business units, one in Europe and one in Asia using the Fides Oak HPT® Model to evaluate the effectiveness of the Company’s culture in delivering safety performance.
2. Data Collection: Administered workforce culture surveys, one-on-one interviews, and focus groups to gather insights and perceptions across all organisational levels and generate business unit specific interactive HPT® dashboards.
3. Feedback and Recommendations: Delivered feedback workshops to the Company’s Leadership Team and Business Units, highlighting key findings and offering recommendations for safety performance improvement.
4. Cultural Sensitivity and Global Engagement: Recognising the global nature of the company’s operations, FidesOak® ensured that all interventions were culturally sensitive and relevant. Engagement strategies and assessment materials were adapted to reflect national differences, helping ensure buyin from all team members regardless of their location.
Without FidesOak® support, the client risked continuing the misalignment between safety practices and organisational growth. This could lead to increased safety incidents, regulatory non-compliance, and diminished overall performance. The lack of a cohesive safety culture would undermine the company’s longterm success and reputation.
