Haskayne Business Exchange tackles human costs of workplace systemic failures

Hospital alarm fatigue, harassment, and managing distractions were among topics discussed at the third Haskayne Business Exchange, which connected current and future business leaders to current research. 

At the March 4 event at the Grand, a theatre in Calgary, moderator Karen Radford shed light on the common thread tying the event presentations together under the evening’s theme Healthy Workplaces: The Human Cost of Systemic Failures. 

“We want to believe our workplace systems don’t leak like sieves, but they do,” said Radford, a former C-suite executive and board director at organizations such as Enbridge, Loblaws, and Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation. 

Alarming findings show risk of unnecessary alerts 

Presenter Dr. Hossein Piri, PhD, explained that up to 99 per cent of clinical alarms are false, likening hospital environments to “the boy who cried wolf.”  

He said constant alarms drain clinicians’ “cognitive budget,” desensitizing them to critical alerts and leading to potentially fatal outcomes, as seen in a case at the University of Massachusetts Memorial Medical Center, where a patient died after their heart-rate alarms went unanswered.  

Piri’s research into machine learning systems to reduce unnecessary alarms has shown up to an 80 per cent reduction in Intensive Care Unit incidents. “By respecting caregivers' cognitive budget, we can create safer, healthier care environments,” said Piri, an assistant professor with the Haskayne School of Business. 

Following Piri’s presentation, Radford discussed emergency service models with former Alberta MLA Danielle Larivee, vice-president of the United Nurses of Alberta. Larivee revealed the realities of systemic failure in health-care staffing, saying nurses in the province were seeing high rates of burnout, and fitting criteria for mental health disorders because of their work. 

“Nurses are expected to be miracle workers, but nurses are human just like the rest of us,” said Larivee. 

Harassment in the workplace 

The next presentation explored double-victimization in sexual-harassment cases. Dr. Samantha (Sammi) Dodson, PhD, an assistant professor at Haskayne specializing in organizational behaviour and human resources (OBHR), said her research found “himpathy,” a bias where sympathy is directed toward accused men, has damaging impacts for female victims who report misconduct, often leading to them being fired. 

Further, Dodson’s studies showed promoting bystander reporting can help reduce victim backlash, also saying, “an apology might seem like a small act, but it can have profound benefits.”  

Valerie Prather, LLB’88, workplace harassment officer at Bennett Jones, then offered a legal perspective following Dodson’s talk, noting Alberta’s unique Apology Act states that an apology is not an admission of guilt or liability, which allows the accused to express regret without repercussions throughout an investigation. 

Reclaiming focus amidst workplace distractions 

Dr. Justin Weinhardt, PhD, tackled workplace distractions, introducing techniques like “contingency planning”, which helps individuals manage interruptions by ensuring they know how to handle them before they come up. “Reclaiming your attention is the ultimate power move in a world of distractions,” said Weinhardt, an associate professor with Haskayne, also in OBHR. 

Weinhardt said his research presented that adults with ADHD who manage their symptoms show higher engagement and productivity after learning how to work with their focus fluctuations.  

Responding to his presentation, Catherine Fendall, director of human resources for Alberta Blue Cross, challenged the idea that adaptability alone can help employees thrive, saying there’s a need for psychological safety to prevent underperformance, sick leave and high turnover costs. 

“We need leaders who are compassionate, empathetic and curious,” said Fendall. 

The human solution to the human cost 

Radford concluded the event by challenging the audience to reflect on where they need to be present and when to use their voices effectively. 

“If you look at all three of these presentations, if you don’t have the human interaction, the human relationship, the rest falls apart,” said Radford. 

The next Haskayne Business Exchange is set for Nov. 4, with the theme of innovation taking centre stage.