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When you develop a work plan for the day, what do you think about? If you’re like most people, you probably spend the majority of the time considering what needs to be done in order to produce. “A machine needs to be moved here.” “This operator is out sick.” If you’re like most people, safety is rarely the first thought you have when you get started in the morning. In my years of doing risk management professionally, I have noticed that there is a tendency across all industries to only discuss safety once a year at the annual safety training, once a month during a required tailgate meeting, and/or following a severe incident that took place. While well-intentioned, this practice does not set us up to successfully create a safe workplace because it has the unintended consequence of making safety appear as an option.
While no one will argue that safety hasn’t always been important, the spotlight on safety the last 20 years has brought it to the forefront as a cultural shift that needs to take place. Because of this focus, we have seen a significant evolution in the way safety is handled by companies, with the best companies recognizing that it’s not enough to just follow the regulations; instead, safety needs to be a culture.
The idea of developing a safety culture is one most of us can get behind, but we stall out when we see what a daunting obstacle it is. Here are some key points to consider when you make the decision to shift your company’s culture:
1. It won’t be easy. Changing the culture of a company is going against the grain of years or decades of learned behavior. Employees will resist. You will be frustrated. But employees will adapt. Like the Theodore Roosevelt quote says, “Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty…”
2. Lead by example. Years ago, I was standing on the landing with an owner when his employee pulled up and got out without a hard hat on. The owner proceeded to yell at his employee for not having his hard hat on. The ironic part is that the entire time I was there, the owner never once wore a hard hat. I’m not even sure he owned one. When I brought this up to him, he explained he didn’t need to wear a hard hat because he wasn’t covered under the workers’ comp plan, so if he gets injured, it’s his problem. Employees look to management for leadership, as management needs to set expectations around safety. Lead by example.
3. Discipline is key. A key component of a risk management plan is setting up consequences for unsatisfactory performance. Unfortunately, this is a part that is missing from most safety programs. This could be for various reasons: fear of the person leaving, you care about the person, or you shy away from hard conversations. While these are all understandable concerns, consider what it would look like if you raised a child without consequences for their actions. While we love our children more than anything, most of us recognize that part of showing that love is disciplining them. The same goes for your employees.
4. Set expectations on day 1. The first day for any employee is a key time for the owner to set expectations. Take time with the new employee to onboard them and set up expectations like schedule, attitude, and safety. If you’re a large employer, a formalized orientation program is probably necessary, but for smaller employers, this may be a conversation at the garage or in the truck on the way to the first job. Regardless of how you bring a new employee on board, it’s easier to set clear expectations from the get-go rather than try to change a learned behavior.
For the last year or so, I’ve been looking at the roof on my house, knowing it needs to be replaced. I don’t think about it every day, but when it starts raining, I hold my breath and pray it doesn’t leak. The fact is the roof is hanging by a thread, and it’s only a matter of time before it starts leaking if I don’t address the problem. I’ve been lucky.
Have you been lucky? Is your risk management program like my worn-out roof? Do you hold your breath every time something out of the ordinary happens? Changing the culture of your company takes baby steps. Allowing safety to permeate your everyday conversations will be the first key step in shifting your company’s culture toward a safer future.
Acadia is pleased to share this material for the benefit of its customers. Please note, however, that nothing herein should be construed as either legal advice or the provision of professional consulting services. This material is for informational purposes only, and while reasonable care has been utilized in compiling this information, no warranty or representation is made as to accuracy or completeness. Recipients of this material must utilize their own individual professional judgment in implementing sound risk management practices and procedures.
