EPICC Forum & Workshop

Transcription

1 EPICC Forum & Workshop 2010 Lessons from the Real lworld Wednesday May 26, 2010 Plenary Panel: People Management During a Pandemic Peter Borgmann Directory, Safety & Emergency Management Coast Mountain Bus Company EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 1

2 EPICC Forum & Workshop 2010 Lessons from the Real lworld Wednesday May 26, 2010 Plenary Panel: People Management During a Pandemic Peter Borgmann Directory, Safety & Emergency Management Coast Mountain Bus Company EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 2

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5 CMBC staff: 3600 Drivers direct daily contact with hundreds of passengers each 1000 Maintenance mostly in shops, some on road, main contact is with each other 1000 Office main contact is with each other and direct reports EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 5

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7 Basics Truths Regarding Public Transit: You can t run buses without drivers, or trains & ferries withoutfrontlinestaff You won t have front line staff if they believe their safety is at risk EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 7

8 EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 8

9 For CMBC, the problem was not H1N1 itself Theproblemwas fear generated by misinformation: Misinformation by the media, at least by lack of context Misinformation by rumour: I have an uncle who has a friend who read on the internet that Misinformation caused by a lack of understanding the flu is invisible i ibl so people can not intuitively iti understand what the risks are EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 9

10 In logical sequence (not necessarily chronological sequence) CMBC & TransLink s Process: Step 1. Establish CMBC Flu Management Team Step2. TransLink familyconference call to put everyone on the same page Step 3. Establish basic principles for messaging across TransLink family Step 4. Deliver the message EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 10

11 Step 1 Establish CMBC Flu Management Team: Includedmanagementfromkey stakeholder departments & subject matter experts: Emergency Management Operations Maintenance Corporate Wellness Corporate Safety Sft Media Relations Employee Communications Loosely followed basic BC Emergency Management System protocols (EOC Director, Safety, Liaison, Communications, Operations, etc.) EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 11

12 Role of CMBC Flu Management Team: Coordinate CMBC response leveraging in house expertise Liaise with other TransLink family partners to ensure consistent approach across transit providers Continued EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 12

13 Role of CMBC Flu Management Team: Participate in conference calls with Public Health Authorities a critical component to successful H1N1 management Provided dinformation i to CMBC Management & Senior Management on: Status of knowledge about H1N1 Personal Protective Equipment WCB Refusal of Work Protocols Status of Flu Management Initiatives Sources of reliable information EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 13

14 Step 2 TransLink Connectivity Conference Call ConnectivityConference Conference Call withtranslink family partners: SkyTrain TransLink (the parent SeaBus corporation) Coast Mountain Bus Company Albion Ferry Access Transit & Contracted West Coast Express Service Providers Transit Police EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 14

15 Step 3 Establish Basic Principles for Messaging across the TransLink Family of Companies EVERYONE in the TransLink Family of companies would send the same message to their employees CMBC, which has full time Occupational Health Nurses, and a Safety Officer experienced with SARS, would take the lead within the TransLink Family Medical direction would ONLY be taken from Government agencies: Public Health Agency of Canada British Columbia Center of Disease Control Coastal Health Fraser Health Daily updates would be prepared for employees EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 15

16 Crafting the message The original concept was: Daily, the Occupational Health Nurses would collect information from public health official websites and public health conference calls OHN s would prepare a draft employee message, which would be shared among key TransLink Family stakeholders There would be agreement on the final wording & distribution to employees The reality was EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 16

17 The first draft message Black text submitted by OHNs; each colour represents a different person s proposed edits. EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 17

18 Reality necessitated a rethink on the process for crafting the message: 1. OHNs would draft the message for CMBC 2. Select staff fromcmbc Flu Management Team would review and offer comment 3. OHNs had authority to accept or reject comments 4. CMBC message issued to CMBC staff and shared with TransLink family 5. TransLink family partners could use message either as is, or adapt to their own needs. EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 18

19 Advantages to revised approach: 1. The message would be crafted and distributed quickly 2. TransLink family partners would have benefit of CMBC subject matter experts, without being tied to the exact message wording 3. For CMBC, superior message credibility: Health lthauthorities OHNs Employees Information delivered in a straight line through health professionals ONLY no filtering i by non medical staff Proved critical for countering unfounded fears of unsafe working conditions EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 19

20 Message format: Identifier as Safety Bulletin Reference to TransLink Family Monitoring Key basic information Credible sources of additional information EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 20

21 Step 4 Deliver the Message Distribution by: to healthinfo distribution list (TransLink family managers) all CMBC employees working with computers Unions Managers & Supervisors withmore detailed in Postings: Posted Bulletin Boards CMBC Electronic News (ld (slide shows in on TV Screens in lunch rooms) Employee web portal Site visits by OHNs and Safety Officers EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 21

22 Challenges in message distribution: Sticking to the H1N1 message: General message overload H1N1 message buried in other notices. Consequently, a few managersandsupervisors and supervisors tookactions inconsistent with the message (albeit with the best of intentions) Addressed through Directive by CMBC CEO EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 22

23 Directive from CEO to all Managers: 1. Monitor the daily safety updates and follow the directions and advice in them; 2. Follow any other directions and recommendations from the Flu Management Team; 3. Direct questions on flu related safety concerns to the CMBC Occupational Health Nurses, copying any affected managers and directors; 4. Do NOT follow the recommendations of outside sources (particularly reports in the media), unless approved by the Flu Management Team. EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 23

24 In Summary, Lessons Learned or Validated: 1. Create a qualified management team and let them lead 2. Let your medical subject matter experts craft the message: one source of truth 3. Your message should not deviate from (or supplement) the advice of medical health authorities 4. Inanemergency emergency, updatestaff frequently 5. Ensure your message to the public is the same as the message to your employees EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 24

25 Thank you EPICC May 26, 2010 People Management During a Pandemic 25