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go to work and how our needs are met,’ are important, mental wellbeing is really
Sir Cary explains. important if you want to get the most out of
‘When we came out of lockdown, everybody your staff and, crucially, if you want to prevent

went into hybrid working. But it’s important to accidents,’ says Sir Cary.

embrace flexible working rather than hybrid ‘If OSH professionals want to motivate FROM MACRO

working – there’s a big difference. What we’re people and give them a sense of purpose, talk
TO MICRO
seeing now is employers mandating that to them, listen to them and come up with ideas
people have to be in work, say, three days a that meet their needs as well as your needs Sir Cary is an advocate
week and work at home for two. That’s not – it’s a two-way street here. I’m not saying for strategic wellbeing

flexible working. that employees should demand anything; it’s and strongly believes
‘Flexible working for me is where an about creating the right psychological contract that the board of every
individual goes to their boss and talks about with employees.’ organisation should have
a non-executive director
the days they’d like to come in and the boss
responsible for employee
says what days they are needed in. Then The AI horizon
health and wellbeing, as well
they come to an agreement – it’s called a As we shift focus from the present to the
as a director of health and

psychological contract. Whatever we do, we future, the influence of AI is another area
wellbeing reporting
mustn’t mandate that people have to be in fi ve where the conversation between management,
to either HR, OH or OSH.
days a week: that is counterproductive to what OSH and staff will be vital. But on a more individual

human beings need.’
human b ‘OSH, OH and HR should say: let’s work level, he says, the
Altho out how we are going to work with AI in the importance of emotional
Although this might seem like a
management issue – and Sir Cary is a
managem context of our organisation,’ says Sir Cary. intelligence (EQ) among
passionate advocate for the idea that line
passiona ‘How will it help our jobs and release us to line managers cannot be
manager
managers with suitable emotional intelligence do other things? What are those other things overstated.
‘Each of us is infl uenced
are key to the wellbeing of employees (see that we should do? And how might it also
are key t
by our boss. But people
Guiding principles, below) – he is also keen
Guiding be counterproductive?
often get promoted or
to stress the role that OSH professionals can
to stress ‘Organisations just have to manage the
recruited for a managerial
have. change properly and have employees involved
have.
job based on their technical
‘Health and safety is moving dramatically in the decision-making. If they don’t do that,
‘Healt
skills, not their people
in the direction of wellbeing, and I am really they will have problems. There’s no point skills. What we need is line
in the di
pleased. In the old days, it was largely about
pleased. rejecting it – it’s coming, and it will be a managers who have more
toxins an support system to workers.’ emotional intelligence and
toxins and machinery. Although those things
good social, interpersonal
skills. People who listen
rather than broadcast, and
people who don’t have
a command-and-control
EMPLOYEE HEALTH management style.
‘If we ensure that there
is parity between line
GUIDING intelligence, good • Be kind to people. If managers’ people skills, their
you are ready to chastise
interpersonal skills and
EQ, their social intelligence
PRINCIPLES who are prepared to listen somebody for their and their technical skills, we
to people.
actions, stop, think about
will have half the problems
• Avoid consistently long why they’re doing what
that we currently have.’

• Line managers are more working hours. Staff may they’re doing, and then
important to employees’ have to work for longer try to give them positive
health than anything occasionally, but all the feedback. To read more about
emotional intelligence,
else in the workplace. evidence is that if people
see page 32.
Have the right kind of consistently work long To hear the full

managers from shop floor hours, it will damage interview with Sir
Cary, visit the IOSH

to top floor – people who their physical and mental
podcast at ioshmagazine.
have good emotional health in the long run. com/podcast
IOSH MAGAZINE 13
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