Simon says: targeted learning will make riskier jobs safer

Caltex has made great progress in developing a culture of safety in recent years. The results are plain to see – the lost-time injury rate fell by over 20 percent last year.

Now employees in higher risk jobs across the company can expect to be safer still, thanks to an “operational excellence competency management framework” currently being trialled in the reseller network.

“The title makes it sound difficult,” says Simon Willshire, Group Manager Human Resources, “but it’s simple – a system that ensures our front-line people get the right training, at the right time, to do their work safely.”

You can have the best safety system in the world, Simon adds, but if employees don’t get appropriate training and it isn’t kept up to date, the system can fail.

To ensure this doesn’t happen, under the OE competency management framework HR staff and departmental managers will identify the competencies people in higher-risk jobs need to mitigate risks. For example, that may involve new education for tanker drivers to ensure they have all the skills and knowledge they need to stay safe.

 “An important focus is on category-three risks that can result in serious injury or death, or serious incidents like loss of product from an above-ground tank,” explains Helen Smirniotis, Manager Organisation Development. “We’re now building the processes and network tools we need to support a company-wide rollout.”

Pilot program underway

The pilot program recently got underway in the southeast region of the reseller business. In practical terms, employees involved will find the learning requirements to do their job safely will be crystal clear, says Simon. Timing and particulars of the training will be recorded on the Caltex intranet and constantly reassessed so managers will know precisely when someone needs a refresher course.

“If workplace procedures or jobs change, we’ll ensure requirements are updated so training is specifically targeted to needs,” Simon says.

Competence is partly about how people behave when no-one is watching, he adds. “It’s one thing to respond to a quiz in a classroom. We expect employees to respond appropriately in emergencies, to act instinctively when something goes wrong.”

The implementation of an OE competency framework addresses the need for Caltex have an appropriate IT platform for recording training or assessing results. “It’s not just about having a place to record data, but about ensuring there is quality assurance in keeping training relevant, Simon says.

Plans are in place to fully integrate the system into the reseller business by the end of the year.

More training streams

The OE competency framework is not the only learning initiative that’s being prioritised at Caltex, Helen Smirniotis points out. Another stream which is part of “Learning@Caltex” (the company’s enterprise-wide approach to training and development) is leadership and professional development.

A new senior leadership program has been introduced, and is supported by the Mt Eliza Centre for Executive Education at Melbourne University. Senior management attends a variety of sessions, for periods ranging from three to eight days.

A professional development stream, which is suitable for employees throughout the company, comprises 25 courses, ranging from half a day to three days in length and held at various locations. “The focus of these is to support development capabilities such as negotiating and sales skills,” explains Helen. “At least 250 people have benefited from these courses in recent months and feedback has been very positive.”

Technical and functional development remains the core of the curriculum, covering a broad area with department-specific applications.

“An important tool for employees, including new appointments, is SharePoint, accessible through the Learning@Caltex intranet site”, Helen says. Management level employees simply log in to register for courses in the leadership curriculum while staff throughout Caltex can sign up for continuing professional development at any time. Eventually this facility will also be expanded to cover the technical and functional curriculum

 

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