RESPECT WORKS PLAYBOOK
Section three: Jobsite planning guide
This section of the Respect Works Playbook provides jobsite leaders practical guidance for planning respectful workplaces: creating project plans, meeting minimum duty-of-care obligations (PPE fit, jobsite scanning, bathroom facilities, nursing accommodations), establishing communication channels (orientations, toolbox talks, signage), and offering engagement activities like mentoring, plus/deltas, recognition, and skip-level meetings.
Introduction
Every successful construction project takes planning. Respectful jobsites are no different; they also require a plan in which culture, climate, and behaviors are both specified and intentional. The Respect Works Jobsite Planning Guide is designed to support construction jobsite leaders with the implementation of respectful workplace practices on their jobsites. Its main objective is to provide jobsite leaders with practical actions and tools that can be incorporated into the jobsite’s daily routines. Jobsite leaders are encouraged to review the guide and select practices and activities that work best for them and the size of the project. The Jobsite Guide is organized into four sections:
Section one outlines requirements for jobsite-level plans, including definitions of inappropriate behavior, behavioral expectations, referenced company policies, and how leaders will foster respect through communication, training, and crew engagement.
Section two covers baseline safety and dignity standards—properly fitting PPE for all body types, daily jobsite scanning for harmful graffiti/objects, clean and private bathroom facilities, and dedicated nursing accommodations for breastfeeding workers
Section three details how to communicate respect expectations through orientations (for leaders and employees), toolbox talks, daily huddles, banners/signage, and electronic messaging—emphasizing consistent, accessible messaging since most workers don't receive email communications.
Section four offers optional engagement tools including mentoring/coaching, plus/delta feedback sessions, picture boards, recognition programs, skip-level meetings, brown-bag learning sessions, and participation in industry events like Construction Inclusion Week.
The effectiveness of actions and activities within this guide relies on jobsite leaders who are committed to creating high functioning teams for everyone on the project. Leadership that drives the core elements of a respectful workplace and demonstrates respect for others during meetings, toolbox talks, and one-on-one interactions are critical to creating a respectful workplace.
Respectful workplace practices should be planned for during pre-construction and introduced at project kickoff. Ideally, project owners and the lead contractor(s), such as the contract manager and/or general contractor, will incorporate Respectful Workplace guidelines into the project’s general conditions.
A Respectful Workplace Project Plan outlines how project leaders will foster a respectful workplace at the jobsite level by developing standards of practice for identifying and responding to instances of inappropriate and disrespectful behavior. The plan must:
-
Include definitions for inappropriate behavior such as exclusion, harassment, discrimination, and bullying.
-
Spell out behavioral expectations on the jobsite and how instances of disrespect will be addressed.
-
Clarify which company policies and procedures will be referenced in the project plan.
-
Indicate how project leaders will foster respect on the jobsite through ongoing communications, training, and crew engagement.
The Respect Works Project Plan outline provides a useful starting place for developing site specific plans.
2.1 Personal protective equipment
Providing personal protective equipment is a basic duty of care requirement for jobsite worker safety. Providing PPE that properly fits all employees, meets their needs, and provides adequate protection without creating other hazards, is foundational to creating a respectful workplace.
PPE considerations that increase worker safety and demonstrate respect include:
-
Gloves for extra-small hands and extra-wide hands.
-
Multiple and varied types of hearing protection, including earmuffs for those who wear hearing aids or cannot wear ear plugs.
-
Bluetooth-enabled earmuffs for equipment operators.
-
Safety vests for smaller people that do not balloon on the sides, creating a safety hazard.
-
Safety vests for larger people that properly close in front.
-
Sized full-body harnesses instead of one size fits all.
-
Crossover full body harness options.
-
Different shape and style safety glasses, or adjustable arms.
2.2 Jobsite scanning
Scanning the jobsite, including all fences, site signage, bathrooms, and portable toilets, should be conducted daily to identify and promptly respond to unacceptable graffiti, signage, drawings, or objects intent on causing harm. All site supervisors, including trade partner supervisors, should share this responsibility. Employees must be aware of the role they play in identifying and reporting such unacceptable behaviors as well. Every newly delivered portable toilet should be inspected before acceptance to ensure it is clean of graffiti. If jobsite scanning uncovers unacceptable graffiti, signage, or objects, management should review and follow the organization’s response guidelines.
2.3 Bathroom facility best practices
Bathroom facilities play an important role in shaping workers’ expectations regarding the level of care for a jobsite. The following measures have been demonstrated to be effective ways to maintain a high standard of care that extends to the entire jobsite and help reinforce a culture of respect for one another:
-
Follow the ANSI/PSAI Z4.3-2016 standard for determining the number of required toilet facilities, or one toilet facility for every 10 employees (or for every 15 if serviced more than once weekly).
-
Ensure all toilets and toilet groupings have soap and running water in addition to anti-bacterial hand cleansers.
-
Provide trash cans for disposal of hand towels adjacent to handwashing stations.
-
Ensure that trash cans provided for disposal of feminine hygiene products have a lid and are located within the portable toilet/bathroom facilities used by women.
-
Supply feminine hygiene products to meet female employees’ needs.
-
Ensure an adequate supply of toilet paper and paper towels or hand dryers.
-
Ensure single unit and gender-neutral facilities lock to afford privacy.
-
Display diverse and gender-neutral signage on, at minimum, a portion of single toilet units.
-
On high-rise construction projects, ensure the portable toilets afford privacy and are located every three floors.
-
Ensure bathrooms and portable toilets are clean, lit, and located for safety and privacy.
-
Are the women’s and gender-neutral portable toilets immediately adjacent to the jobsite entry or where people must cross through gathering places, both of which afford minimal privacy?
-
-
Regularly inspect all bathroom facilities to ensure they are being maintained in a sanitary condition, are absent graffiti, and are being serviced often enough to maintain a sanitary condition.
2.4 Nursing worker accommodations
Creating an environment that allows nursing mothers to return to work is good for the employer and good for the employee. Many states require employers to provide accommodations for nursing employees to pump breast milk. These accommodations must be private, dedicated spaces that are other than a bathroom, lockable, and free from intrusion. There must be convenient hygienic refrigeration available for the storage of milk and a convenient water source in a private location near the nursing space to accommodate the worker to be able to clean and wash hands and equipment.
Creating respectful workplaces takes daily practice. Modeling respectful workplace behaviors during project meetings and daily interactions is critical to success, as is regular communication. Communicating expectations is key to intentional leadership. Once the Respectful Workplace Project Plan has been developed, outline the key points and incorporate them into your communication schedule and activities, including training and education of site personnel. Engage your trade partners collaboratively so that they understand their role in creating a respectful workplace. And remember that most jobsite workers are not receiving communications via email; they rely on orientations, huddles, toolbox talks and jobsite postings.
General Communication Guidelines:
-
Gloves for extra-small hands and extra-wide hands.
-
Multiple and varied types of hearing protection, including earmuffs for those who wear hearing aids or cannot wear ear plugs.
-
Bluetooth-enabled earmuffs for equipment operators.
-
Safety vests for smaller people that do not balloon on the sides, creating a safety hazard.
-
Safety vests for larger people that properly close in front.
-
Sized full-body harnesses instead of one size fits all.
-
Crossover full body harness options.
-
Different shape and style safety glasses, or adjustable arms.
3.1 Respectful workplace orientations
As the saying goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Employee orientation is that first impression. A major psychosocial risk factor that increases worker stress is role ambiguity and uncertainty about work tasks and standards. A well-crafted and communicated orientation is the first step toward clarifying roles and expectations and reducing ambiguity. Employees care about workplace fairness. It is not fair to hold workers accountable for rules, policies, and behaviors that have not been clearly communicated. Orientations are a key opportunity to connect with and communicate expectations with jobsite leaders and project personnel.
Key points:
-
Outline content that fits the needs of the project.
-
Incorporate related policies, project values, goals, codes of conduct, and incident reporting procedures.
-
Determine who should lead the respectful workplace orientation and other related trainings.
-
Keep information relevant and engaging.
-
Remember location: the message will get lost if orientations are competing with equipment, temperature and weather, or other meetings.
-
Provide related resources, such as bystander intervention, mental health, and suicide prevention handouts.
3.2 Jobsite leader orientation
Jobsite leaders are the key to respectful workplaces. Orientation for jobsite leaders is about garnering a commitment from all jobsite leaders across all trades and trade partners and providing tools and resources to guide their success. Provide an orientation for jobsite leaders that incorporates the core elements of a respectful workplace and the project-specific respectful workplace plan, and that communicates their role in leading a respectful workplace.
3.3 Employee orientation
Respect Works encourages organizations to develop an employee orientation template you can use and customize to make goals, expectations, and procedures clear. This orientation material can be incorporated into the project safety orientation.
3.4 Routine project communication
Utilize routine project communications and meetings as key opportunities to demonstrate leadership commitment to respectful workplaces, reiterate project goals, create feedback loops, and provide knowledge tools to the workforce. Routine project communication that is conducted respectfully and demonstrates psychological safety also provides opportunity for feedback, demonstrates coaching and mentoring methods, encourages innovation, and builds consensus.
3.5 Toolbox talks, daily huddles, and pre-task planning meetings
Construction sites, large and small, should always have a weekly toolbox talk meeting that includes all project personnel. Best practices will include a template to ensure critical safety topics are always addressed and incorporated into documented meeting minutes or notes. Toolbox talks, or weekly all-project safety meetings, are a prime opportunity to incorporate respectful workplace policies, practices, resources and educational information.
The messenger matters. Leaders of toolbox talks must be committed to workplace physical safety as well as psychological safety or they can create irreversible damage to jobsite trust, respect, and culture.
Daily huddles and pre-task plan reviews are key opportunities to create respectful workplaces at the worker level. A well-run daily huddle/pre-task plan review meeting should afford everyone on the crew an opportunity to clarify the day’s work, ask questions, meet new workers, obtain new information, and share concerns in a civil and respectful manner.
Toolbox talks best practices
Site signage best practices:
-
Afford crew members opportunities to ask questions without fear of embarrassment or punishment.
-
Do not allow harmful behaviors in the huddle.
-
Recognize workers for a job well done.
-
Never discipline or dismiss crew members publicly.
-
Provide information in a respectful manner, using civil tones and common courtesies.
-
If you must yell to be heard in gatherings, consider a communication tool such as microphone and speakers.
-
Include all crew members by asking questions designed to elicit engagement, i.e., not just asking yes or no questions.
-
Ensure apprentices are/have been assigned to competent journey workers willing to teach their trade/skills.
-
Provide time for crew members to share any lessons learned from the day before.
-
Lead plus/deltas.
Effective toolbox talks and daily huddles on large projects may need to be crew specific or limited in size. Small projects may benefit from an all-project huddle or toolbox talk meeting. Find toolbox talks and other resources on our Respect Works program assessment and implementation resources page.
3.6 Banners and signage
Banners and site signage can be used to support the project’s Respectful Workplace project plan. Examples of banners and site signage include:
Site signage best practices
-
Banners and signs should be discussed, highlighted, and updated or rotated periodically; otherwise, they become background static conditions that employees no longer notice.
-
Construction elevators, bathrooms, jobsite posting boards, and offices are great places to post signs about expectations and reporting guidelines.
-
Suicide hotline phone numbers, mental health and drug and alcohol addiction resources, and/or employee reporting hotlines should be posted where employees frequent, where orientations occur, in jobsite offices, and, most importantly, in private locations such as bathrooms.
-
Don’t forget to have signage and banners that are multilingual.
Find jobsite-level resources on our Respect Works program assessment and implementation resources page.
3.7 Electronic messaging
If utilizing an electronic mass communication platform, consider if it would be appropriate to incorporate respectful workplace messaging and well-being, mental health, suicide prevention, and safety resources through the platform.