From time immemorial, there exists a disparity between the top management and the ground workers. A barrier of ‘us’ vs ‘them’ separates the two. Such a distinction amongst the employees of the same company, working towards the same goal, never bears positive results. This particularly hampers the safety culture of a company since the employees are not working in cohesion. The top management in this regard has a principal role to play. The decisions they take widely influence the atmosphere of safety that is prevalent. So to say, the burden of ensuring employee safety rests largely on their shoulders.

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What to include?

In this blog post, we will understand certain tips that would help those at apex make decisions regarding safety. Their decision-making would lead to positive development in the space of employee safety and forge healthy relationships among all. The following tips will be akin to a blueprint on what to include while taking decisions with the aim to promote employee safety.

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1. Open Communication

One of the key components of safety is appropriate and timely communication. The management should facilitate open and free communication across employees of all levels. An atmosphere that allows employees to comfortably express their concerns is always fertile ground for the growth of a safety culture. Open communication ensures that whenever an employee encounters an unsafe situation or witnesses a safety violation in his/her environment, they should be comfortable enough to convey the same to their superiors without any fear.

Communication is a two-way process. Similarly, the top management should also be receptive to feedback from employees. Their inputs should not be disregarded because of their position as most often than not, they are information-rich which propels the purpose of employee safety forward. Documenting the issues flagged by the employees and incorporating their feedback into the workflow is guaranteed to create a system of safety that is accountable. Being heard also fosters belongingness in the employees, motivating them to comply with all safety rules and regulations.

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2. Behaviour-Based Safety

Behind every unsafe practice lies a certain behaviour. It is adherence to this behaviour that drives employees to commit to habits that are counter-productive to their own safety. As such, the top management can focus on behaviour-based training and behaviour-change communication to ensure compliance with safety standards.

Positively reinforcing safety practices by pinpointing and addressing naturally inclined unsafe behavioural patterns encourages employees to conform to safety standards. This change in behaviour will be reflected when the employees do not engage in deliberate activities that defy safety protocols. The primary goal here is to make the employees accept safety as a core value in lieu of a mere rule that they have been mandated to follow.

This is one of the most pragmatic approaches to eliminating human error and witnessing a rise in employee safety. With proper initiatives, measures and interventions, the management can make proactive decisions to develop desired behaviours for the well-being of all.

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3. Technology -

Technology has evolved quite a lot over the years and has percolated into every aspect of our lives. The safety industry is no exception and newer technologies are rolled out every day to promote workplace and employee safety. The decision of top management to accommodate technology in their workflow is supported by their flair for innovative thinking.

Be it on the road or inside a plant, there will always be a tech-powered solution for all. For employees who travel daily**, road safety apps** have been developed to understand driving behaviour and rectify unsafe practices. Management can also choose to employ technology to gain insights into the driving behaviour of forklift operators and curb forklift accidents in between aisles. Cameras and sensors can be used for a variety of reasons to ensure employee safety and take immediate action in response to dangerous situations.

4. Felt Leadership

Leaders of the top management must keep in mind that they are not the sole components required for creating a safety culture. They have to take conscious decisions to engage in felt leadership in order to achieve world-class safety performance. Felt leadership enables the concerned authorities at the apex to tap into the emotions of the employees to imbibe them with inspiration and motivation.

Employee engagement has to be carried out in terms of casual conversations, recognition of hard work, spending time on the shop floor or work area, etc. Such activities reinstate the employee's faith in the leadership and drive them to uphold organizational values including safety norms. Respect and credibility are built when the employees feel that the top management genuinely cares about their safety and becomes active contributors to employee safety rather than passive receivers.

What is the outcome?

Adherence to the aforementioned tips will help the top management take appropriate safety-oriented decisions and guide the results in the desired directions. Decisions supported by these tips would help the top management attain the RoI of safety in terms of a reduction in the number of accidents, an increase in productivity, and a boost in employee morale among others.

The management will successfully curate an atmosphere where employee safety will thrive.

The Role of SafetyConnect

SafetyConnect offers three solutions in the space of road, employee, and forklift safety. It is something that propels the decisions of the top management forward when coming to the safety of the employees from hazards, road accidents, forklift accidents, etc.

To schedule a demo, contact us.

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