There are two ways for your employees to work while on the job, safely or unsafely. Everyday at every second an employee has and makes the choice of which it will be. This is a voluntary action and unfortunately is one where the employer can not force compliance even if you were standing right with everyone of them all day long. Employers can only teach and preach safety and hope that the employees understand it is in their best interests as well.
Top 10 reasons why employees need to buy in to work safety.
- To maintain production/performance numbers. Nothing slows down work faster than an injury. Employers need to praise and admire good safety performance. As workers feel valued for their working safely they will get others to do the same.
- To become a person of influence. Employees that follow safety protocols without being forced shows others how to make good choices and becomes an influencer and team leader regardless of whether they hold a management or supervisory position.
- To set themselves up for promotion. Employers see and more often promote smart and cooperative employees. Not ones that make stupid decisions and risk theirs and others safety on the job.
- To get positive recognition. Awards, promotions and bonuses go to good performers and good performers are most likely the ones with good safety values. Employees are negatively noticed when they are not following safety rules dragging everyone else on the crew down with them.
- To remove friction and drama. When employees follow safety rules there is no need for the employee to be chastised, scolded or singled out making them look inept. Voluntarily following safety guidelines and procedures allows things to run smoothly.
- To maintain job security. When times get tight and cut backs are needed those employees that can not follow the rules including those for safety will be the first to go.
- To have a good retirement. It is already hard enough to plan for retirement, employees do not need to add on to that a physical disability that was caused by a work accident from not following safety procedures.
- To plan for a long career. Employees need and want to build their work experience and create a upward moving ladder of opportunities and with all that goes with it. Not working safety may wreak that or be left to chance.
- To allow family to worry less. The bread winner of a family should want to protect that family; physically, emotionally and financially. It is hard to do that if your family has to be worried about your safety and if they will be taken care of.
- To maintain a positive cash flow. Even if an employer supplies or the employee buys the best insurance coverage possible if they are catastrophically injured at work not everything will be covered. And eventually the coverage will stop along with the cash flow and then were will you be? Better safe than sorry, follow all safety rules 100% of the time.