LOR INFOWORKS 2 - Flipbook - Page 18
INFOWORKS 2019 _ ISSUE 2
W
hen Select’s ‘pilots in the
sky’ climb up to their cab
in the morning, that’s where
they remain until their shift
ends. There is often no opportunity to
leave the cab for a break over a six
hour shift, making it one of the most
demanding jobs in the construction
industry, requiring a great deal of skill
and focus. It’s not for the faint of heart
and, due to the high levels of isolation
and restrictive nature of the work,
even the toughest individuals are
at risk from both mental and physical
health challenges.
This is why crane operators were
chosen to take part in an operationallevel trial looking at both their energy
and their physical and mental capacity
to do their job – the very same
programme that senior managers
across the group completed the
year before. The ambition was for
this initiative to be rolled-out across
all of Laing O’Rourke’s project-based
workforce, but to do that, the business
had to prove that it would work for
those who needed it most.
Having been identified as the most ‘at
risk’ of all the workforce groups, Select’s
tower crane operators were chosen to
take part in Laing O’Rourke’s operational
trial. Here’s how operators Casey Elsby
and Freddie Beckett got along...
INITIAL REACTION
CASEY - I felt very excited and
honoured to have been selected,
and eager to find out more.
FREDDIE - I was pleased about being
chosen. It was a bit nerve-wracking,
but I was mostly intrigued.
THE ENERGY PROJECT EXPERIENCE
CASEY - I learned about the layers of
energy: physical, mental, emotional
and how each of them can impact
your performance and well-being,
at work and at home. I had weekly
discussions with the coaching team
to reflect on what I could improve on.
We were each given a Garmin health
tracker that allowed us to track stress
levels. I focused most on the emotional
and mental layers.
FREDDIE - I’m not great with technology,
so I found the Garmin smartwatch and
the app took a bit of getting used to.
But once I got the knack, and as we
went through it, I realised I was feeling
good in the mental space, but I
struggled with the physical aspect specifically food and fitness.
17
BIGGEST IMPACT
CASEY - I had wanted to play football
for quite a while but didn’t feel I had
the time. This trial has taught me
the importance of making time
outside of work to do things I enjoy.
Since completing the coaching,
I have returned to football training.
This has had a big impact on my overall
happiness. I also feel calmer and more
in control, and when I’m up in the cab
I now feel like I can leave all external
influences outside, so I can focus on
the task at hand.
FREDDIE - I didn’t realise how lethargic
I was feeling. But that’s all changed
now. The Garmin watch tells you when
to breathe and move – and as a result,
I do a lot more of both.
BACK ON SITE
CASEY - I have seen improvements
in my working relationships as I’m now
approaching things in a much more
reasoned and logical way, as opposed
to letting frustrations build up.
FREDDIE - Life on site hasn’t changed,
but I’d say I’ve changed a lot.
THE DIFFERENCE
CASEY - Before the coaching I would
feel quite isolated. I was more guarded.
Now, I communicate more with my
team. It has made for a much happier
working environment.
FREDDIE - We can only work for six
hours at a time due to the demands
of the role. So, when I’m up in the
crane, I’m stuck up there. I don’t get
any breaks as you would in a different
type of job. I start at 4 and finish at
10 so it’s not easy! But I still wear the
smartwatch, it still goes off and still
tells me when to move and breathe,
so I now do a lot of stretching.
As for food, I used to take up a six pack
of cheese and onion crisps, chocolate
and a bottle of fizzy drink. But now
I take a lot of fruit up with me with
a two-litre bottle of water. It’s made
a huge difference.
SHARING THE EXPERIENCE
CASEY - I shared what I hoped to get
out of this initiative, and what I had
learned in the group sessions, with
my partner and my family. They loved
hearing about it and have even made
some of the changes themselves.
FREDDIE - I have shared a lot of it with
my colleagues. And yeah, they’ve
teased me a bit – but they are also
quite intrigued. They pretend they
don’t want to be involved, but you
can tell that, deep down, they want
to be a part of it too.
CHANGING PERSPECTIVE
CASEY - It has put wellness at the
forefront of my thinking. Previously,
I wasn’t giving it much thought at
all - it just wasn’t a priority. Now it is.
FREDDIE - I’m thinking about wellness
a lot more. Usually I’d just get up and
go to work, not thinking about the
long-term effects of how I was looking
after myself. But the project has a good
all-round approach to health and
well-being. It’s made me much more
in tune with everything.
FINAL FEELINGS
CASEY - I feel a lot more valued
and appreciated as a tower crane
operator, and feel proud to work
for Select, and for Laing O’Rourke –
as the first construction company
to recognise the need for change
and to lead us towards it.
FREDDIE - It’s good to know that you’re
thought of, and not forgotten about
on site, as you might be by another
company. It was nice to see people
from other parts in the business too,
and to work with them.
WHAT NEXT?
CASEY - I will keep the lessons this has
taught me and continue to make small
changes in my life. I also hope to help
others do the same.
FREDDIE - I’m going to carry on with
the positive improvements I’m making,
focusing on the exercise and the
healthy eating, and not going back
to my old ways. It would be good to
see what happens if everyone else in
the company gets to do it too. I can only
imagine the difference that will make!
The drive to be industry-leading
on well-being began with
Laing O’Rourke’s leadership team
in 2018, but has now grown into
a much bigger project, with a series
of pilots that are working closely
with operational supervisors on our
projects. These will run throughout
2020, with further sites being added
over the winter and spring.