Organizational Change Management and Occupational Health and Safety Amendments

The business environment today is turbulent and ever changing due to external
conditions which have resulted to organizations adopting new and complex initiatives.
The changes affected work promoting organizations to changing the design, reallocating
recourses, changing systems and procedures in a continuous attempt to improve
performance. The competitive nature of business has put more focus on effectiveness.
All of the processes and procedures across the organization must continue to be
realigned to achieve the overall objectives desired by the organization for it to survive in
the ever changing and competitive business environment. Performance is thus
measured on how the objectives are achieved. The objective can be achieved through
setting goals and measuring performance against the set targets. As human beings we
are naturally inclined to resist change but when supported through the change process
we become adaptive and successful. This can be attributed to the fact that we view
chance as disruption to our life and work. Individual change management requires an
understanding of how different people experience, react to change and what is needed
for the change to be effective. Also the practitioner needs to know how to help people
make a successful transition and the message delivery. For example what messages do
people need to get. The planning needs to factor in optimal time to teach them the new
skills to enable them demonstrate new behaviors, and how to the makes changes to be
impressed. Individual change management draws on disciplines like psychology and
neuroscience to apply actionable frameworks to individual change.
1 a. The introduction of performance contract can be classified as an organizational
wide change as this affects the organizational culture. In the end this affects how
employees and individual behave and perform their duties. Such a change should be
planned well as it can cause disruption or taken in a negative way by the employees. It
can also be termed as planned change with the objective of improving the normal way
of operation with the aim of achieving a pre-defined goal. In this perspective the change
is calculated and the desired goal chosen consciously so as not to cause disruption.
1 b. After understanding the objectives of the performance contract, it enabled me to
review myself under the big goals of the organization and my professional expectations.
I took it up as a measurement tool of my contribution to the organization and also self

reflection of my week areas for improvement. The performance contract acted as a
benchmark for my professional development and career advancement by keeping me
on track of the goals and expectations set out on the contract.
1 c. The contact signed enabled me to identify and define my professional expectation
at the work place. There was clarity and a better understanding of my job
responsibilities. These enabled me to set personal goals aimed at achieving the laid out
goals. The engagement prior to drafting and the signing made me part and parcel of the
process. I was able to give out my input on what is achievable and realist hence owned
it up. I felt in charge of my career advancement and empowered to drive my
development. These also gave me the opportunity to have a voice on how to achieve
the organizational goals. It also reduced misunderstandings and confusion at my work
place as each individual had clear set goal. Job and role duplication was also
minimized. Through the targets set out in the contract I was able to measure my
accomplishments at work and identify the areas I needed to work on so as to improve
my performance. Since reward was tagged on ones performance which was now
measureable it motivated me to perform my duties well. At the end I become more goal
oriented in how I performed my job.
1 d. As human beings it’s natural to resist anything that will change what we are used to
so when performance contracting was first introduced in the organization that I work, I
resisted its implementations. To me it was tool introduced by the management to punish
us such that those who do not meet the targets shall be laid off. Also I saw it as time
consuming without adding anything meaningful to our jobs. I did not see its importance
to my life and profession. With this mind set I was not willing to empress it.
2 a. Define the amendment to the Occupational Health and Safety Committee structure
in the workplace.
The Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act establishes minimum standards for
healthy and safe practices in Alberta workplaces. This act was amendment and the changes
took effect on June 1, 2018. The laws are meant to be enforced through, investigations and
inspections. Case where the law is not followed administrative penalties and fines are imposed.
Employers can also be prosecuted.

Amendment to the law enshrines workers’ rights where employers must inform workers about
potential hazards and allow them access to basic health and safety information on site. It also
ensures workers are involved in health and safety discussions which including participation in
health and safety committees.
It empowers Workers refuse to perform dangerous work and the law protected them from any
form of reprisal for exercising this right. In such cases worker must continue to be paid while a
work refusal is being investigated. Meanwhile other workers may be assigned to the work but
must be advised of the refusal, reason for it, and made aware of their own right to refuse the
work after the employer determines there is not a risk.
Obligations of work site parties
The law mandates all work site parties to work together and ensure a health and safe work site.
The employer must ensure the safety, health and welfare of workers is guaranteed. He should
also ensure workers are aware of their rights and duties under the law and that any health and
safety issues are brought to their attention. The employer should provide competent
supervisors, trained workers, and preventing violence and harassment and ensuring public
safety at or in the vicinity of work sites. This should be achieved working with the joint work site
health and safety committee or health and safety representative. Supervisors and workers need
to work together to mitigate any safety and health hazards and where concerns are noted the
same should be escalated to the employer. They also have a duty to use protective wear and
prevent, refrain themselves from participating in violence and harassment acts
Contractors should ensure that work being performed by employers under their control
does not cause danger to the health and safety of persons at the work site.
It’s the obligation of owners of work sites to ensuring the infrastructure, land and any
premise or building under their control is maintained and provided so as not to endanger
anyone.
Its only for oil and gas site that Prime contractors are required at construction sites
otherwise their obligations remains the same.
Suppliers should ensure their products are safe to use and they comply with the
legislation and where they don’t they should provide equipment and instructions for safe
use (if they exist). Any harmful substances provided should include manufacturer’s