Providing industry with the knowledge, skills, and tools to create and sustain high reliability organisations.
The Leading for High Reliability Centre (LHRC) brings together researchers from across the University interested in using High Reliability Organisational (HRO) thinking to improve outcomes across such fields as safety and health, sustainability, and environmental performance.
Watch the video to learn more about the Centre.
Our vision
Through the Centre we aim to provide high-level analysis, assessment, advice, and support to improve the effectiveness of organisations, and their leaders. We also conduct cutting-edge research to advance our understanding of HRO practice to inform evidence-based interventions with, and by, industry.
We aim to:
- Provide industry with in-depth HRO diagnostics, advice, and support to facilitate organisational transformation and strengthen workplace culture.
- Develop and deliver world-class HRO education and training programs that provide industry with the knowledge and skills required to implement HRO principles and practices.
- Conduct cutting-edge research into all aspects of HROs that advances our understanding of the factors that contribute to high reliability and identify best practices to support organisational transformation, and leader development.
A significant component of our work is the conduct of HRO diagnostic assessments. These assessments provide organisations with a detailed, evidence based, summary of organisational strengths and improvement opportunities. Each assessment comes with recommendations on how organisational reliability can be enhanced. LHRC team members have provided HRO diagnostic assessment advice to multiple companies.
Our research also encompasses:
- Identification of the most effective ways to lead for organisational reliability.
- Development of robust organisational improvement plans.
- Measuring organisational improvement.
- Devising tailored approaches to improving organisational delivery on environmental, sustainability, risk, safety and health, and cybersecurity goals.
The Centre coordinates from across the University, bringing expertise from the Sustainable Minerals Institute’s Leadership and Organisational Improvement Program, the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre, and the Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry; the School of Psychology’s Social Identity and Groups Network (SIGN); and the Andrew N. Liveris Academy for Innovation and Leadership.
Centre Director
Susan Johnston
View Susan Johnston's profile
Steering Committee
Professor Alex Haslam
School of Psychology,
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
View Alex Haslam's profile
Professor Tim Kastelle
Professor and Centre Director,
Andrew N. Liveris Academy for Innovation and Leadership
View Tim Kastelle's profile
Professor Jolanda Jetten
Head of School, School of Psychology
Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences
View Jolanda Jetten's profile
Professor Claire Côte
Director,
Centre for Water in the Minerals Industry
Sustainable Minerals Institute
View Claire Côte's profile
Professor Maureen Hassall
Director,
Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre
Sustainable Minerals Institute
View Maureen Hassall's profile
This list is continually updating.
Publications
Howe, L., Johnston, S., Côte, C (2023). ‘Mining-related environmental disasters: A High Reliability Organisation (HRO) perspective.’ Journal of Cleaner Production, 417: doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.137965.
S. Alexander Haslam, Jolanda Jetten, Mazlan Maskor, Blake McMillan, Sarah V. Bentley, Niklas K. Steffens, Susan Johnston, (2022).
'Developing high-reliability organisations: A social identity model.' Safety Science, Volume 153: doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2022.105814.
Presentations
`Diagnostic baseline assessments and the journey towards HRO’, Susan Johnston, Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference, 2023 [can be accessed via conference website].
Howe, L. 2023. 'Exploring the holistic life-cycle of a mine'. Life of Mine Conference. Brisbane, Australia. Proceedings published by: AusIMM. Download the presentation (PPTX, 2.6 MB).
Knox, S. (2023). High-Reliability Followership in Elite Military Teams. [Seminar presentation]. Social Identity and Groups Network, The University of Queensland.
High Reliability Organisational Thinking: New Research and Practical Applications
Senior researchers from the Leading for High Reliability Centre, as well as industry representatives working to improve organisational reliability, are hosting this one-day Forum canvassing the latest HRO research, practical applications within organisations, and promising new research directions.
More information and to register
Contact us
Get in touch to learn more about our research.
Susan Johnston
Director, Leading for High Reliability Centre