Workplace security standards have evolved tremendously over the last decades. In fact, depending on which field you are in, your day could easily turn into a nightmare. Fortunately, a lot of growth occurred in this sector due to adapting an integrated approach to a safety culture.
However, there are plenty of improvements that need to be made to ensure that particular jobs are no longer dangerous or risky. According to statistics published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a total of 5,190 people died on the job in 2016 alone. That rounds up to about 14 deaths per day. In addition to this, one in five deaths of this type pertains to the field of constructions.
With this in mind, the importance of creating and promoting an integrated approach to safety culture is of the utmost importance. Only by doing so can progress truly happen. On top of that, it’s an irreplaceable opportunity to show your employees how much you appreciate them.
The Integrated approach to safety culture
Although there are many aspects that go into safety culture, a simplified definition of it would be that it represents all the different characteristics and attitudes that both organizations and their employees conduct towards making security a priority. Sounds simple enough, right? That’s because it is, but up to a point.
A holistic take on workplace well-being needs to include everyone in the company. To do this, awareness of the topic needs to be instilled into each employee to the point where it becomes an intrinsic guiding value. Even though it is their responsibility as well, people will generally expect their supervisors to be the one to delegate things when it comes to such matters. Therefore, when you go about it the right way, the benefits are many. Your employees will be more competent, which in turn results in quicker goal fulfillment. On top of that, reduced risk of injury minimizes the number of sick days that will be redeemed, which makes for a continuous, coherent and high-quality workflow.
Managing employees
This direction which always involves everyone in the company is tough at first. Even people who hold similar positions sometimes have varying needs, as well as conflicting takes on situations. Mediating between these differences is a hard task, but it is yours to complete. Don’t take anything for granted in this situation. You have to do your best so that those working under you follow your positive example. As an employer, you need to be the one to manage people in the company towards a safer tomorrow. It might sound cheesy, but it is the truth.
A responsible leader needs to know how to create an integrated approach to safety culture which involves everyone from all the positions existing in their department. Here are three things to keep in mind.
1. Reflection First and foremost
What you must do is reflect on the current situation regarding employee well-being. Depending on the field your firm operates in, these will vary. Naturally, conditions in constructions vastly differ from those in an office building. However, by assessing the requirements in your department and comparing them to what would constitute an ideal situation, you will easily pinpoint what can be improved.
2. Training Safety
Training is the norm in any company, but most employees only get it once at the beginning of their contract. Providing your staff with regular and thorough learning experiences is an important investment you can make for your company’s future. The ideal way to approach this is by keeping track of any updates and then taking necessary action to brief your firm about them.
3. Resources
Having the necessary resources to promote a secure environment for workers is essential in this case. Research has demonstrated that health and safety organizations improve company culture regarding this aspect through informed interactions and better communication. This not only changes related patterns for the better but also has been proven to reduce injury rates in the long run.
Workplace safety culture is an important element that can make or break the relationship between employer and employee. It is vital for everyone to be included in every aspect of this because this is how the integrated and holistic approach succeeds.
To do this, you will need to personally assess current circumstances, then come up with a plan for future improvements. There are two fail-safe ways to go about this: through training and by providing adequate resources. You don’t need to be taken aback by this investment. It isn’t an overly extensive one, but its results will linger on for years to come.
