With support from Oregon Department of Transportation and Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industry, a team at the Institute of Occupational Health Sciences at OHSU is developing and launching two new tools designed to promote widespread adoption of respectful workplace practices in the construction industry (Respectful Workplace Climate Scale and Resource Hub). In order to develop and launch these tools effectively, OHSU is undertaking interviews with public owners, general contractors, subcontractors, unions, and community-based organizations to understand the state-of-the-field today.
Portland and Oregon have been particularly active in the respectful workplace space and are considered national exemplars. Interviews will help OHSU’s team understand how key players are engaging with these issues, what they are doing to improve job site culture, and how their products can complement and accelerate existing efforts. Participating construction companies input will be used to inform a fall convening where OHUS will introduce their project and products to the broader construction community. The goal of the convening is to enlist stakeholders in the design, roll-out and adoption of the new tools.
All interviews will be anonymous unless attribution is granted. While OHSU will write up a summary of findings from the interview process, they will not attribute quotes or specific information to individuals, companies, or agencies without prior approval.
If you are a small GC or speciality contractor (100 employees or less), OHSU is looking for five companies of this size to interview.
Through interviews, OHSU wants to develop a baseline understanding of what is currently happening in the field (regionally – Portland metro and Oregon). The goals related to contractor interviews include the following:
- Understand the extent to which contractors are engaged in Respectful Workplace practices and why
- Understand the relationship between general contractors and subcontractors in terms of disseminating and implementing Respectful Workplace practices
- Document the range of Respectful Workplace practices currently in play
- Explore if/how standardization of Respectful Workplace practices is desirable/feasible
Please contact Erin Flynn, Ph.D., Institute Outreach Director; Co-Director, Respectful Workplace Initiative at the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences