Text: Mari Lohisalo
When the personnel feel good, the result is a positive cycle: work runs smoothly, the company develops and the result improves. It is therefore worth investing in well-being, and the occupational health and safety representative also plays a key role in this.
“A healthy employee is efficient, smart and inventive. They improve the competitiveness of the company as a whole,” says Mohammad Rostami Barouei, occupational health and safety representative in the consulting sector.
Occupational health and safety representatives are needed at workplaces with more than ten employees, but can also be elected for smaller ones
Occupational health and safety is a statutory activity and, according to the law, an occupational health and safety representative must be elected in every company with more than 10 employees. However, a representative can also be elected at smaller workplaces.
An occupational health and safety representative can influence matters related to the safety and health of employees at their workplace. They familiarise themselves with occupational safety regulations and share the views of the employees with the employer in order to improve occupational health and safety.
“Small workplaces may not know that an occupational health and safety representative can be elected, but there is no obstacle to it, even if there are fewer than ten employees. We usually recommend choosing a representative when the idea arises at the workplace,” says Sirkku Pohja, occupational health and safety expert at the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN.
The work of an occupational health and safety representative opens up a view of everyday life at the workplace
Rostami Barouei is acting as the occupational health and safety representative of his company for the first time, but he has already been a deputy representative for six years. He became an occupational health and safety representative because he wanted to influence matters and do good for the whole of Suomi Oy.
“When I moved from Iran to Finland in 1996, my father told me that I should learn the local language and culture. This piece of advice is part of why I became an occupational health and safety representative, and this position has taught me a lot about Finnish working life. I am also an active person and want to do good for other people. The best thing about my work is that I can influence the mental and physical well-being of people,” he says.
The occupational health and safety representative also plays an important role in the development of corporate culture. Open discussions with the employer help to create an atmosphere where people feel comfortable talking about issues and can work on resolving them.
“Even difficult issues can be solved through dialogue and understanding each other. When you take a step back and look at the bigger picture, you can make decisions that benefit as many people as possible,” says Rostami Barouei.
“I always say to those considering standing as a candidate that the position is definitely rewarding. It shows how occupational safety affects business and how operations can affect productivity, for example. Being an employee representative provides a broader perspective on the company,” says Pohja.
Occupational health and safety promotes competitiveness
Rostami Barouei emphasises that occupational health and safety promotes the success of the entire company and can even save jobs.
“There is a poem* in Persian, according to which humanity is like one body and every person is a part of it. When one part of the body becomes ill, the whole body suffers. Similarly, if an employee feels unwell and is unable to do their work, the entire company suffers. A company is only successful if its people are healthy,” he says.
Effective models in occupational health and safety make life easier for both the employer and the personnel. It is easy to rely on jointly agreed operating models when necessary.
“The starting point is a confidential atmosphere at the workplace. Today, people often fear losing their job, and may not dare to talk about the stress they experience, for example. Effective occupational health and safety models help to think about how to proceed when someone is stressed. In a healthy and safe working culture, people dare to bring things up and solutions can be found,” says Pohja.
Senior salaried employees are needed
The law only defines two personnel groups, employees and salaried employees, but no senior salaried employees. However, Pohja and Rostami Barouei encourage them to become occupational health and safety representatives.
“Senior salaried employees know what the job of a senior salaried employee entails. They understand the work and what can be stressful about it, for example.
The tasks can differ greatly between salaried employees and senior salaried employees, as can the work-related responsibilities. Understanding the demanding nature of the work helps in looking at occupational health and safety from that perspective,” says Pohja.
“We have room for good occupational health and safety representatives and good personnel representatives,” says Rostami Barouei.
* Human beings are members of a whole.
If one member is inflicted with pain, other members uneasy will remain.
If you have no sympathy for human pain, the name of human you can not pertain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bani_Adam
As an expert and supervisor, you can influence and develop your working environment with the help of an occupational health and safety representative. Or have you wondered if it could be you? We encourage you to apply for the position!
Read about occupational health and safety