Workplace safety initiatives are essential when it comes to maintaining a work environment that is both safe and productive. However, the safety programs you put into place do not mean much if employees are not inspired to change old behaviors. So, how do you get your workers motivated?

The first step is taking a close look at what NOT to do:

  • Disciplinary Action: Not only does this require constant supervision, but it is also ineffective. In fact, this course of action could incite hostility and defiance.
  • Slogans and Posters: If safety is not your #1 priority, a sign saying otherwise doesn’t belong in your workplace. Safety signage is only effective if what it is saying is true and lived up to. If not, it becomes a joke.
  • Incentives: Focusing on the number of accidents as a way to reward employees sends the wrong message. They may be afraid to come to you with an issue, which results in an unsafe work environment.

The fact is there is no one answer. Real and lasting change requires doing many things the right way.

The following 8 Workplace Safety Motivation Tips are designed to engage employees in developing workplace health and safety, from establishing core values to making safe choices on the job.

1. Intention, Strategy, Structure

Before any environmental health and safety program takes effect, it’s important to first establish the right goals and message. Motivation begins by engaging your employees’ hearts and minds. What is important to them about workplace safety? Take your employees’ feedback and turn their sentiments into a company slogan with real value.

By establishing a clear company vision, your strategic plan has a foundation. That is where the big picture goals begin to build and take shape. Once long-term strategies have been developed, short-term tactics can be formulated. This kind of planning paves the way to certainty about what exactly is expected from every employee.

When everyone is on the same page, there’s a sense of certainty about how processes should be conducted. It is then much easier to implement a management system that holds employees accountable for safe behavior.

2. Integration

A confused employee is an ineffective and uninspired employee.

If your company is held to any number of accredited national or international safety standards, the expectation is your business must operate under a variety of different procedures and practices. When different people manage these areas of compliance, it creates dangerous compatibility gaps.

By aligning the common elements of all safety standards, it’s possible to set up a compliance process to work from one system. By having as little bureaucracy as possible in your management system, employees gain a better understanding of what is expected and conduct themselves accordingly.

3. Learning and Development

What is your company’s current approach to developing a safe work environment? Opportunities to gain experience should not be used as a privilege or punishment. Workplace safety requires more than just giving your employees some information and leaving it at that. You have to create a safety learning culture at your organization.

  • Training Programs: Teach your employees how to apply and practice what they’ve learned about workplace safety and apply it to their daily decision-making.
  • On-The-Job Coaching: Treat every incident or mistake as a learning opportunity rather than finger pointing and punishing employees. This sort of feedback and support fosters continual improvement among your team members.

When you create a learning culture around safety, your employees feel cared for rather than scolded. This approach encourages commitment, accountability, and responsibility. Isn’t that a much more motivating environment than being forced to comply with safety rules out of obligation or fear of reprimand?

4. Engagement and Ownership

You might remember what it was like to be in their shoes: Always being told what to do. This course of action, while necessary in many cases, may be met with resistance or outright defiance. To inspire employee involvement in workplace safety initiatives, gather input from your workers.

Here’s how:

  • Ask them how they want to create their own safety system and account for the results.
  • Search for opportunities to bring them into the fold and pay attention to the issues they bring forth.

At the end of the day, your employees care about their own personal safety, health, and well-being. Providing them with a means of engagement and ownership of your company’s safety initiatives shows them a level of respect they respond to.

5. Recognition

Incentive programs designed to reward a worker with the least number of safety infractions can send the wrong message. A better way is to reward someone when you see them conducting a safety measure, right then and there.

But what should you reward them with?

Your sincerity goes a long way. A face-to-face “thanks” has more power than you might think. This is best received when the recognition is personal to the individual and comes from his or her own manager. Of course, more tangible incentives of some kind always help to spark some motivation. Following up your heartfelt thanks with a little letter, bonus, or gift, especially if their positive behavior continues, is the most effective way to use incentives as motivation.

6. Meetups and Results

With specific departments, you should periodically round everyone up to revisit the safety initiatives you’re putting into practice.

This is a time to update your team with the latest information regarding workplace safety and a great chance for employees to give their vital feedback, so you understand what is and isn’t working.

You might be asking yourself, “How is this motivational?” 

In addition to getting employees involved, you can demonstrate how and why the safety process works. When people begin to see the positive results of eliminating workplace injuries — that there’s proven success — they’ll be even more motivated to get on board.

7. Protect Employees Voices

Fear of faultfinding and subsequent retribution is what keeps a lot of employees from speaking up about safety issues. When employees aren’t reporting safety infractions, it prevents you from knowing exactly how safe or unsafe your workplace really is.

You have to encourage an environment where those who bear the risks are respected for bringing safety issues to your attention.

To give this some structure, set aside one day a week for any employee to bring issues to the table without fear of negative consequences. Review each item, find a resolution, and document its completion.

8. Enjoyment

Let’s face it: The reason for all the intense focus on workplace safety is that your employees’ health and well-being are at stake. Although workplace safety is very serious, it’s that very seriousness that also creates an obstacle for getting people to engage with it.

Lighten things up a little by adding creativity or variety to get people involved. An example of making things more fun is a “safety wheel”: If an employee suggests a safety change that you use, they get to spin the wheel and win a prize. Games like these breathe life to an otherwise somber topic.

Motivating employees and empowering them to take ownership of your safety programs are important steps in building a culture of safety within your organization. The tips outlined in this article are a good starting point and will help inspire your employees and increase engagement.

Schedule a free assessment with one of our safety experts today and get the tips and strategies you need to build an effective culture of safety within your organization.

Have a Safe Day!