WhyWork Podcast

WhyWork Podcast

by Alan Girle, Trajce Cvetkovski, & Sara Pazell

Management Social Sciences

Season 3

S03 E07: Intentional design & submersibles

Season 03 Episode 07: WARNING: Fatalities are discussed in this episode."I didn't really read the article, I just looked at the pictures," admits Trajce. Alan and Sara burst into fits of laughter while Sara admits that she reads the comics before the news. Sara recounts a tale of tennis players who recall the play-by-play points of their matches, even those played 20 years ago. She asks, "How do you temper the passion that is required of a world class winner when behaviours can be deemed to be aggressive by regulators?" The team link this discussion to the idea of thrill-seeking risk behaviour in exploration expeditions like the June 2023 Titanic Submersible. This unfortunate expedition led to a catastrophic high-pressure underwater implosion and the deaths of all five explorers. Alan asks, "What were the fail-safe provisions that were made?" Sara explains a research topic on off-the-road tyre handling and the visual storytelling that was developed to prompt design improvements. Alan, Trajce, and Sara explore their new lexicon of the A-E-I-O-U of design and work health and safety. "Visual storytelling through a lens of design makes occupational health and safety vibrant and, dare I say it, even sexy?" Trajce provokes.

S03 E06: Cha-cha-cha thrill rides

Season 03 Episode 06: WARNING: Fatalities are discussed in this episode.Trajce regales the story of the octopus ride at the amusement park: its carriage uncoupled from the main support arm and slid down side show alley. "Are you serious?" asks Sara, "That is out of a movie.""A guilty plea, mea culpa," says Trajce. "You know what was missing?" he asks, "human factors were not factored (into the risk assessments)."Alan, Sara, and Trajce challenge the idea of foreseeable risks of excitable children at amusement parks. Alan relays details of the 2016 Gold Coast Dreamworld Thunder River Rapids ride fatalities. Sara describes the human factors demands on ride operators revealed by the investigations. She explains that during times of stress, attentional focus can narrow, and our recall can diminish. Sara argues her case (again) for the work design strategist at a C-Suite executive level to provide an integrated whole-of-business approach to good work design. Alan commends the work of the work health safety inspectors who must be confronted by these investigations, and the sensitivities that are required to determine the nuanced and complex arrangement of factors that contribute to horrific accidents. "We accept risk if we have an emotional attachment to something (like a thrill ride)," says Alan.

S03 E05: Whakaari - the smouldering dragon

Season 03 Episode 05: WARNING - fatalities are discussed. Alan explains the current court case concerning the Whakaari / White Island volcano and discusses thrill-based recreational activities that can subject tourists to catastrophic events. "The island was smouldering like a magic dragon," Sara elaborates. "I've been there!" exclaims Trajce. Trajce recounts his motivation to visit Whakaari by chartered helicopter and the out-of-this-world experiences where the lava looked like neon ooze from outer space. The team debate the cultural approaches to risk-taking and the thrill of it all in sport and recreation. Trajce explains that 'violenti non fit injuria', a voluntary acceptance of risk, is not often upheld in the courts. Sara challenges, "How do you really prepare people for the risk realities?" as she relays a sibling teenage escapae made for American college movies.

S03 E04: Nurses - the heartbeat of healthcare

Season 03 Episode 04: We ask: "Who is at the heartbeat of your organisation?" In healthcare, that is often the nurse. Alan, Trajce, and Sara review complaints that were made by nursing staff to the regulator when hospital management announced their fitout of a nurses' station that would remove a counter barrier. "It must be more than just a counter to stir such emotion," says Sara, though she reminds the boys of the power of environmental design. Alan acknowledges the symbolism of a counter as a barrier to mitigate the escalation of occupational violence. Trajce demands decisions as he role plays the job of the hospital executive director. Alan implores managers to ask direct questions of workers to uncover their needs or concerns. Trajce just wants to know if he'll get some Brooklyn donuts, though he must hide them from his wife given her 'no sugar' mantra (the donuts will be his escape from the 'not-quite-cherry-ripes'). This episode prompts consideration of the Australian Work Health and Safety Act 2011, section 46 and section 47 (on 'consultation'). Thank you to subscriber Neil Logan of New South Wales, Australia, who nominated the case about the built environment in a psychiatric ward and the staff's perceived safety protections arising from the station counter.

S03 E03: WhyWHAT? Reflections: Farmer Owl-in, DJ Deer, and Magic Otter

Season 03 Episode 03 Reflects on early, childhood career interests and extends the Season 02 discussions on getting along with our colleagues. "Work is work." says Trajce, "but within that work construct... we must essentially get along." Alan contends that respect must be upheld in social relations at work, whether you like someone or not! (Very diplomatic, Alan). Sara considers whether an open plan office constrains social engagement among work colleagues versus the professional mock "dating app" to get to know others at work. She extends that discussion to envision a design strategies curates design partnerships (among conventional designers) and cultivates design thinking within the organisation.

S03 E02: WhyWHAT? Reflections: Disassociated from reality

Warning: This episode refers to vicarious trauma and suicide in the workplace. Season 03 Episode 02 reflects on vicarious trauma in the workplace. Alan recaps on mental health first aid programming and the boundaries around that service scope requiring effective referrals to qualified and trained healthcare professionals. When the crew consider their work from home ideals, Sara dreams of her backyard spa, sauna, and wet kitchen for more outdoor living. Trajce lowers the bar and dreams of a damn good coffee machine, scratch that, he reverts to an 'all-you-can-eat' buffet. Alan agrees with Sara's position on considering fatigue in the workplace. "I love being right!" Sara says through the giggles.

S03 E01: WhyWHAT? Reflections: Do not carve another man's turkey

“The stripper keeps coming back, straight out of the bottle,” says Alan. "You do not carve another man's turkey," is the meme entertained by Sara, as she reflects on a work party gone wrong. There were no boundaries and no planning, and the staff was teaming with Maslow's hierarchy of primal needs: hunger! "Does the prawn want to be peeled?" asks Trajce. Alan, Sara, and Trajce discuss the skills of a psychologist who can deescalate emotionally charged scenarios and help regain control of social situations. Trajce pontificates, “Power can be conveyed and transmuted through tribal culture and tradition, through the legal rational forms of bureaucracy, and through charismatic leadership qualities and personage.”

WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: Energise me, baby

WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: Bonus: Sara expounds on the expansive idea of design to energise at work versus design that focuses solely on fatigue management. She encourages organisations and decision makers to shift their narrow focus on the industrial management of shift work to a broad perspective on what motivates a workforce and what drains a workforce (what to prop, and what to mitigate) when addressing work performance. This is a Bonus episode that complements Season 03 Epsidode 11: A case of the missing Brussels sprouts and Season 01 Episode 08: Tired workers are deadly weapons.

WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: For the thrill of it

WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: "There is an element of risk because that is what people of chasing," Alan reflects when considering the way that the courts are confronted by applying conventional law to the design of sport and recreation when it crosses over to the workplace. "We do it for the thrill of it," agrees Sara. A BONUS to the Season 03 Episode 06: Cha-cha-cha thrill rides.

WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot: Work from home, duck, and go low

BONUS: "Do you have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket at home?" Sara asks. "I do indeed!" exclaims Trajce, while he elaborates on his family's home fire drills. Alan remarks that it all can seem incredulous, yet makes sense if we are in a working landscape of distributed work and the safety provisions must be adhered in any space, any place, any time. This 'WhyNOT? A Wisdom Shot' complements Season 03 Episode 12: Duck and cover, go low!

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