What are the best ways to prioritize risk management in team culture?

Venturing into the dynamic realm of Insurtech requires a blend of innovation and risk management. In my experience, defining clear roles and responsibilities is paramount. It not only streamlines workflow but also fosters accountability, a cornerstone for success in this evolving landscape.

In my experience this is not the first step that you should take, the first step is to assess where your own team lives with their skills. Understanding each team members strength and weaknesses will help you to sort the responsibilities into an organized team structure that can be streamlined over time and improved with education strategies. Over defining roles and responsibilities can foster an environment of "not my job", this should not be a phrase that comes out of any team members mouth. One of my first education sessions I execute with new team members is that "No" or any form of no is not acceptable. There are many ways to communicate why it is a no rather than saying no and shutting your team down.

Risk management planning has to factor in 3 things in order to start a well rounded evaluation: 1. what work is being done - position / task review 2. who is doing that work vs. who is responsible for doing that work 3. training and implementation - the how You have to be able to have the clearly laid out roles and responsibilities - and be able to assess the individuals in those roles and their limitations. Using simple tools like a formal hazard assessment that is position based, can help you determine risk by position / task. But assessing the workers to understand their limitations - will impact how you control the 'what/where/how' of the day to day. THIS is where you can really minimize risk, by catering it to the individuals.

Workflows and communication channels are critical to executing any task when you have a team involved. Understanding the triggers to engage an expert or when to initiate the involvement of others has been one of the most useful tools that I have ever developed and executed. These simple decision trees can help your team to be empowered within limits.

The level of engaging communication will come as a direct result of the culture. Ensuring you're fostering an environment that makes workers feel comfortable and empowered to speak up and participate in the communication plan, is key. Utilizing multiple communication types is important for more than just overcommunication purposes. They can be beneficial for people with learning disabilities or other limitations that prevent them from learning through one form over another. It ensures we're being inclusive of all learning types and checking all the boxes. It's also important that the people expecting the communication standards are talking the talk, and walking the walk too. Leading by example changes everything.

Absolutely agree with all points here! Extra bonus points for companies that go above and beyond to: - ensure that language barriers are catered to - bring in third parties to assist with facilitating training so that the training is accurate, and professionally taught - utilize consultants to evaluate and maximize their training capacities - utilize multiple formats for engagement and to guarantee inclusive learning platforms - utilize specialists to guarantee inclusive and safe content

In the concrete reality of team dynamics, recognising and rewarding good practices isn't just a feel-good gesture; it's a pragmatic strategy.

People don't want to only hear from their boss when they've made a mistake! You're not going to ruin a single thing by telling someone they did a good job. It is psychologically proven that the affects of being complimented or told you're doing a great job can vastly improve mental health as well as increase productivity and build trust. Knowing they're doing a good job will make them want to do a good job more often, and encourage them to do the 'good' more often. It's also highly likely that the kind gesture can have a ripple effect beyond work and improve their mental health overall.

In cultivating a risk-aware team culture, the key is to actively involve and empower team members in the process. This approach transforms risk management to a shared responsibility. Start by educating your team about the various risks and their potential impacts. This knowledge enables them to identify and assess risks proactively. Encourage team members to participate in risk assessment and mitigation strategies. This inclusion fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility towards managing risks. Integrate risk discussions into regular team meetings. This practice keeps risk management at the forefront of team activities and decision-making. Create an environment where feedback on risk strategies is welcomed and acted upon.

This is why I love the OHS Right "the right to participate" so so so much. I love to utilize this right and its explanations as a way to empower staff to participate, be active, and involve themselves and their opinions in these kinds of discussions. Knowing that they not only have a legal right to be heard, but that we as a company want their valuable feedback, is so important. I love to empower workers by assuring them that 'they're the professionals who know more about these tasks, operations, materials, etc. than me... your opinion is more important than mine." when I'm talking to a group or team. Remind them that they are a crucial part of the whole process and their participation makes all the difference.

Prioritizing risk management in team culture involves leadership commitment, clear communication, and training. Integrating risk considerations into strategic planning, defining roles, and encouraging open communication foster a proactive culture. Recognizing and rewarding effective risk management, tying it to performance metrics, and using technology for streamlined processes contribute to a dynamic risk-aware environment. Continuous improvement, crisis response planning, and sharing success stories further enhance the team's resilience and ability to navigate uncertainties effectively.