I am part of a multi-national organisation, but can only comment on the
UK. Of all our sites only one reports to Safety and the rest report to
HR. Our OH national leadership team at head office also report to the
Senior HR director. It seems to be the thinking of the Safety managers in
our UK operating companies that OH should report through them. I
presently report to the HR manager who is a senior manager on-site and is
brilliant to work for and supports me no end (and no he cannot read this
either). I have just managed to get through a re-organisation of OH with
his support so that we will now be staffed according to the needs of the
site (which by the way will be saving £30,000 on a yearly basis in OH
operating costs). If the Safety manager on this site get her way I will
no longer have direct access to a senior manager but will have to go
through a junior manager. Safety and OH often do not see eye to eye on
issues here - if we changed reporting structure OH's voice would be lost!
Why do Safety managers have a better idea of what OH does or should do
than HR? Should OH be on the same level as Safety or subordinate to it?
I was speaking to one of my colleagues yesterday and her fear is that OH
would lose its profile if on their site they reported to Safety and I
would agree with her.
From my experience many Safety officers have an idea, often wrong, of what
we should be doing in OH and re-educating them is not always easy. I have
found on the whole HR managers to be more in tune and supportive of the OH
function (but I have had one major exception to this).
I agree with the comment below that often it is down to personalities and
mutuality. It will vary from site to site - company to company to what is
best for the OH provision. But I would tend to put my lot in with HR.
Cheers
John Caffrey
-----Original Message-----
From: Amanda Dowson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 04 February 2004 08:41
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Occupational Health structure
We report to HR. This was due to the organisation priorities at the time of
setting up the department being sickness absence related.
I confess to having a bee in my bonnet as well about reporting to a Safety
Officer. To me this suggests that OH is secondary to Safety where I feel
that it is on par.
I have been line managed by Safety Officers in 3 jobs and thrice bitten -
now extremely shy!!
I do feel however that it is down to personalities, and what is called
'mutuality' - mutual goals, mutual respect, mutual responsibilities, and
mutual rewards (Beardwell and Holden ? year parrotted this for HR exam 5
years ago and now can't remember!!)
I do feel that we need someone with responsibilities for Occupational
Health
issues on the Board of Governors, SMT etc. I also believe in providing
these
people with quick synopsis of problem, solution options, costings and a
choice. Know your customer (the organisation as well as the employees) and
It is important to celebrate successes so that OH achieves as high a
profile
as Safety. Demonstrate your cost-benefits and how you contribute to the
organisation's key objectives otherwise you end up like the cartoon with
Snoopy dressed in a suit with the caption
"doing a good job round here is like peeing yourself in a dark suit - you
get a warm feeling all over but nobody notices!".
Amanda Dowson
-----Original Message-----
From: Butler-Trump, Patricia [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 04 February 2004 08:11
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Occupational Health structure
Margaret,
OH here sits in HR, this is purely historical and is currently being looked
at with a view to us reporting into SHE.
Regards,
Tricia Butler-Trump
Occupational Health Adviser
? Phone: 01983 294141
? Direct Line: 01983 202211
? Fax: 01983 202230
? e-mail: mailto:[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Reddoch, Margaret [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 February 2004 17:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Occupational Health structure
*** WARNING ***
This mail has originated outside your organization,
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Keep this in mind if you answer this message.
Dear all
I would be very grateful if anyone is willing to give information on where
Occupational Health ' sits' within their organisation eg within HR, Safety
or stand alone, and the rationale for this (if there is any!). Also,
information on the reporting structure, and where organisations are
widespread, on UK and global reporting structure.
Many thanks
Regards
Margaret
Margaret Reddoch
Occupational Health Manager
Amersham PLC
The Grove Centre
Amersham
Bucks. HP7 9LL
Tel. 01494 543440
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