…what is Human Factors Management?
Human Factors
The science of how humans interface with organisational, environmental & technological surroundings.
+
Management & Leadership
The process of planning and executing strategy, whilst inspiring and motivating people to achieve a shared vision.
= Human Factors Management
Background…
Human Factors was popularised in the Aviation Industry half a centry ago. As technology improved, accidents still occurred. The biggest cause - human error!
Decades on, pilots have become world class leaders and human factors specialists. Being able to manage a crew in short term, high pressure, time critical and highly complex scenarios. Al the time understanding the commercial implications.
Other industries caught on to their short comings and adopted the same principles, understanding that by addresing human factors in an organisation, performance and safety improved beyond all expectations.
Management and leadership has become a discipline greatly lacking and undertrained in the world today. Taking techniques from not just business but also aviation, sports and the military combined with traditional civilian skills has allowed James Knight Ltd to foster a set of skills to implement into any organisation.
As management techniques improved and business has become more streamlined with the inclusion of technology, blending Management, Leadership and Human Factors has opened the advent for high performing workforces.
“When properly managed, Human Factors Management fosters the most out of the people in an organisation”
Human factors Management is the study of how people work, and how to apply that knowledge to design tools, systems, and processes. It's a combination of management, engineering and psychology.
Goals of human factors management
Performance: Management techniques to enhance success
Safety: Reduce errors and improve safety
Comfort: Improve comfort for people at work
Productivity: Increase productivity
Organisational success: Forming a cohesive workforce
Examples of human factors
Leadership: How leaders manage teams in short & long term projects
Teamwork: Worked with a shared vision toward goals
Organisational Culture: “Buy in” and motivation
Communication: How people communicate with each other
Decision-making: How people make decisions
Learning: How people learn new skills
Process and procedures: Error mitigating work flows
Human factors can be applied in many fields, inincluding: Designing organisational structures, Improving productivity, Increasing sales delivery, Designing equipment, Designing systems, Designing processes, and Improving workplace health and safety.