Carillion Rail
Acorn helps Carillion Rail raise the bar in behavioural safety
In just nine months, Acorn helped Carillion make significant advances in its behavioural safety record. By encouraging key management to understand the impact of personal behaviours on work teams, Carillion has set a new standard in best practice that is being embraced through the entire rail industry, including Network Rail.
Rail safety has never been so much in the public eye which means that every tiny detail is analysed, scrutinised and documented. Acorn’s work with Carillion highlighted areas of the business where behavioural safety could be improved and has worked with senior management to help them get the best from work teams and contractors though changing their own attitudes and behaviours.
“There’s no doubt that safety records are dramatically improved by the right attitudes and behaviours of the leaders who create a culture of good safety practice,” says Colin Dulson of Acorn.
‘A shining example to the rest of the rail industry’
“Our experience shows that the conduct of key management is reflected in their staff throughout their organisation. So a senior manager, who forgets to put on the required goggles and gloves, is sending a clear signal to everyone else, that not wearing essential safety equipment is ok. Carillion was keen to find new ways to improve their already excellent safety record and have embraced new attitudes and behaviours that are now considered to be a shining example to the rest of the rail industry.” He added.
Creating a new culture across the organisation
Acorn’s programme focused on creating a new culture across the organisation which included:
- Consultation on change management planning and internal communication
- Development of leadership best practice and feedback tools
- Provision of leadership training and reviews
- Development of senior and operational management teams
- Supporting supervisor communication forums
- Executive coaching program
- Development of Change monitoring teams
Results acknowledged throughout the rail industry
The results have been widely acknowledged and recognised throughout the organisation with managers now more acutely aware of the obvious and more subtle links between leadership issues including safety. In addition, managers now have a common language and a wider set of approaches to tackle performance issues within the business.
Other noted improvements include greater efficiency in bringing projects in on time and on budget. Managers and supervisors have learned new ways to communicate effectively with contractors and work gangs in order to get the best out of everyone involved in the project.
Network Rail has set an aggressive target to have the world’s best rail network in across the UK by the end of 2008. Working in partnership with forward thinking organisations such as Carillion, Network Rail’s goals are surely right on track.
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