Speaking Up to Your Team About Safety Culture
Speaking Up to Your Team About Safety Culture
There is a threat existing in many workplaces around the world that most people do not know about. This hazard cannot be mitigated by safety harnesses or helmets, nor can it be prevented through diligent hand washing and face masks. This danger that pervades workplace safety in all industries and in all countries is silence. One of the biggest threats to your company’s well being is having a safety culture where your workers do not feel like they can speak up at work when it comes to their safety. These people understand your company’s safety issues better than anyone and it is in everybody’s best interests that they have a loud voice in this area.
7 characteristics of a positive safety culture
Here are seven tips to foster a comfortable safety culture and open work environment where your team will feel safe to speak up at work and to express their concerns around safety in the workplace. Remember, cultivating a respectful safety culture is essential to protecting mental health in the workplace.
Silence is like approval
First of all, when there is a conflict or a potential safety issue – big or small – it is sometimes easier to “not cross that bridge” and not say anything. The problem is that silence can be as loud as words, expressing acceptance or indifference of a safety issue by not saying anything. One of the key characteristics of a strong safety culture is that the team members are not afraid of – and are even welcomed to – voicing their safety concerns not matter how big or how small they may be. Even a quick comment about issues as small as a leaky pipe could save a coworker from a debilitating, or even life-threating if they hit their head, slip, trip and fall. Encourage your team to speak up if they see anything that could threaten the well-being of the team and your safety culture.
Zero zero-tolerance
While it is important to have strongly worded and enforced policies for the safety of your workers, zero tolerance company protocols can actually dissuade them from speaking about safety issues and affect safety culture. Instead, clearly communicate which behaviors are not allowed and that any violations will result in appropriate discipline – do not use the words “zero tolerance.” This is important because you want a culture of safety and not a culture of fear or intimidation. At organizations where managers do not exercise discretion or adjust punishments to fit the different circumstances, the staff are usually timid and reluctant to speak up about safety concerns and issues. These are also usually work cultures that aren’t very positive and happy, and have the culture of fear we mentioned above.
Reward those who speak up
It can be verbal praise in front of the team or gift card from your local coffee shop, but reward those who speak up, making it explicitly clear that the organization welcomes and appreciates this kind of behavior. This could be viewed as a small-scale bribery, but there are those who will see this a serious token of appreciation. Some personalities value verbal appreciation, like thank yous, but some value action and tactile appreciation such as small awards and gifts. Not only will this encourage your team to be more vocal about possible safety issues, but giving out even small safety rewards can also educate the rest of the team about safety issues to be mindful of and look out for.
Be transparent
Some workers won’t report an issue if they feel nothing will be done about it. Additionally, after reporting a safety issue, workers aren’t updated by HR and management (sometimes for legal reasons), assuming nothing was done. But having a culture of transparency and openness encourages staff to speak up at work by demonstrating accountability by management and earning the trust of your team. Nobody likes working for a company where things are done in secrecy, especially decisions that can impact their safety and well-being. Having everyone, of every position, on the same page for safety really solidifies the safety plans and protocols into a strong safety culture where everyone has each other’s backs.
Emphasize the greater good
When encouraging your team to speak up, put emphasis on the fact that this is for the greater good of their coworkers and the safety culture of the company. The best-case scenario is that someone’s life is saved. The worst-case scenario is that someone disagrees, but at least the issue was addressed and identified, and a decision can be made. The key words here are “team” and “family.” When establishing a comfortable and effective safety culture, you need a team environment where everyone is looking out for their co-workers' well-being and demonstrate respect for the rest of the team. It’s impossible for everyone to like each other, but respect is achievable, especially when the greater good is at stake.
Talk to your team
While all of these tips can encourage workers to comfortably voice concerns, you may have to do some reporting and individually speak to your team or survey them about why they are not expressing any concerns that could impact workplace safety. Honest and regular communication is a pillar in a strong workplace safety culture - a culture that protects your team as well as your your company. Especially with more and more people working remotely these days, communication between the manager or supervisor and the team is so important for safety culture and operations. A manager should regularly check in with their workers not about tasks, projects and deadlines, but to see how they’re doing emotionally and what the company can do to help them.
Take your safety culture a step further
Establishing a strong safety culture starts with working with your team, creating a safe work environment, and making sure your workers feel comfortable enough to speak up about any concerns. But if you want to take it a step further, look at helping those who may be the most vulnerable like lone or remote workers. Invest in a dependable, automated lone and remote worker monitoring service, like SafetyLine, to ensure your isolated staff feel safer as well as provide you with more peace of mind that they will be ok out on the job.