We all assume that we will return home as safe as when we first arrived. In reality, our workplaces may not be safe. To feel safe and secure at work, it takes training and a change in organisational culture and behaviours.
We encourage our clients to create a’safety-culture’ in their company, instead of just focusing on safety training. It’s about advocating a complete shift in safety mindsets and practices that filter throughout the business. What does this really mean? What does that really mean?
In a strong safety culture, both physical and psychological safety is emphasized. Staff are well-trained, and people are constantly learning. Everyone can thrive, as they feel confident to work. It’s important to embed a strong safety culture. It’s an investment and not always a fast fix. But it is vital for a motivated and happy workforce. According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), a “safe workplace is good business”. Safety Culture also notes that having robust policies and procedures for a safe workplace can reduce injuries, work related ill health, deaths, sicknesses and deaths. This can boost employee morale as they feel protected.
A strong safety culture benefits your employees, but also your business. Fewer workplace injuries lead to fewer insurance claims, and less money is spent on repairs of equipment, as well as protecting your company’s reputation. WHO research also shows that workplace initiatives reduce sick leave and other health complications by 27%, and company healthcare costs can be reduced by 26%.
How can you begin to create a culture of safety in your company where everyone feels safe, confident and comfortable to do their best?
Let it be known that safety does not involve a simple tick-box exercise
Safety is a priority in your business, and it should be reflected throughout everything you do. Training plans and business plans are just a few examples. Inductions of staff, performance reviews, water cooler conversations, regular check-ins and staff handbooks with policies and processes. Brand values, employee handbooks and recognition and rewards for your employees should also be reflected in everything you do.
It is a behaviour-based system
We believe that a Behaviour Based Safety approach is essential to achieving any level of maturity in safety culture. It aims to create an proactive safety culture, by addressing human factors which contribute to workplace accidents. By understanding and influencing behavior, organizations can reduce the risk for accidents and create safer workplaces.
Keep communication lines open
According to leading health and safety consultants SHEilds “clear and transparent communication is crucial for cultivating a positive safety environment.” Set up channels where team members can report safety concerns, hazards and improvements. “Ensure that the team receives regular updates about safety performance, any new policies and procedures and any changes to regulations.”
Lead by Example
Leadership teams are the glue that makes safety culture stick. Make sure your executives set an example by demonstrating a commitment to safety and setting clear expectations. They should also provide adequate resources for their teams. Leaders must make safety a priority, identify training gaps and implement safety programmes. Leaders must invest in their teams so that they are not only compliant but also constantly learning and being ultra-vigilant every day.
Get everyone involved
Everyone must be included in a shared culture of the workplace. All employees need to feel heard. It is important to create an atmosphere of dialogue between team members, where they can voice their concerns and issues. This will encourage them to improve safety procedures. Maximising team-talks is one of the best ways to improve safety practices, as long as you use them to their fullest potential.
SHEilds emphasizes that companies with a strong culture of safety “encourage employee participation in safety initiatives, by soliciting input, by providing them opportunities to participate in safety teams or committees, and by recognising the contributions they make to improving safety performance.”
Learn by making time.
Safety isn’t a one-time exercise, so you need to learn continuously as your company grows. It’s important to have a plan in place for when an accident occurs, which also includes space for discussing how to prevent another incident. Read more about how we’ve helped clients embed their injury-management training into a broader safety culture plan.
Training is training and training is training
This work is centered on safety training that is tailored to each role, comprehensive, and easily digestible. This work is centered on ensuring that all staff feel confident and equipped to carry out their role safely. Leaders and middle managers should also receive training in order to support their team. By providing the training that they require, it allows them to feel confident in their ability to lead a culture of safety based on behaviour. Supporting them is beneficial to the bottom line. They have a lot of daily responsibilities within their role. Building a strong safety culture is a complex process.
Prioritise mental, not only physical, safety
At NKD we are always advocating for the importance psychological safety in the workplace. Psychological safety means that people can be themselves in an environment where they feel safe. They feel comfortable asking questions, sharing their ideas, receiving and giving feedback, and taking risks in order to challenge the status-quo.
We have all experienced working in an environment where we felt our psychological safety was at risk. It could be discrimination on the basis of identity, not being heard, boundaries being crossed or fearing to speak up. Psychological safety is not a nice-to-have, it’s essential to ensuring that team members are comfortable, happy, and safe. Team members who are psychologically secure will also be more willing to speak out when there is a physical danger.
The 2017 Gallup Report, “The State of the American Workplace”, collected panel data from over 200,000 employees. It concluded that millions of workers enjoy a significantly higher level of well-being and productivity at work when they are working in an environment with high psychological safety. In fact, 74% of them do.
A second study found that psychological safety could lead to a reduction of 27% in turnover, a reduction of 40% in safety incidents, and an increase in productivity by 12%.
