Have you ever seen a sign posted in a plant that says, “Production First”? Of course not, why would anyone post contradictory signs? The signs take other forms such as output graphs, production goals and reward programs that suggest production is the real No. 1 priority.
So when companies post signs at your workplace that say “Safety First,” how can employees still get the impression that production is more important?
Only when employees understand the proper integration of safety and production are they able to make the right choices to make sure it really is “Safety First” at your company.
So how do you get them to do that? It’s all about communication.
Help employees make good choices
It’s clearly not enough to tell them that safety comes first – if that were the case; the signs would be all you need.
Employees have to learn how the consequences of their choices can impact the things they value most. Speak to employees in small groups that have structure and provide plenty of time for open discussion. Include supervisors and managers to show all levels of company employees are involved in this discussion. Ask co-workers to talk about current perceptions about workplace challenges such as safety versus production and what drives their risk-taking activities. Discuss the nature of hazards in your workplace. What are the risks associated with them? What are the potential consequences of these risks? At the end of the day, when management acknowledges hazards and lets employees know how important it is to manage them, better personal behavior and choices will naturally occur.
Get down to a personal level
Have you ever asked your employees about their personal work/life goals and how to reach those goals? What if an employee’s primary goal was to spend more time with or provide well for their family? How do you participate in helping help them reach these goals? What would be the impact on these goals if the employee had a workplace accident?
The break through occurs when employee’s understand their actions impact their personal lives. Challenge employees to reconsider benefits versus consequences of risk-taking. To reinforce this discussion, have real-life stories ready about workplace accidents and how they affected the victims and their personal lives. How are you going to handle the clash between safety and production at your workplace? Get personal and get the results you seek.
