How to motivate staff to be safe at work

Responsible businesses take care of employees, but it isn’t easy when employees aren’t motivated enough to act when issues arise.

Businesses would be wise to get proactive on accident prevention, considering recent statistics. Safe Work Australia reports there were 128,050 serious workers’ compensation claims in 2011-2012 – about 12 serious claims per 1,000 employees. When employees are trained on how to identify risks and respond to them, though, this number could be minimised.

Here are some suggestions to help motivate employees to be safe in the office.

Inform them

When a company employs new workers, it is important to inform them of potential risks and dangers in the office. This might mean showing the employee where the exits are located or telling them how often to move around out of their chair.

Suggesting what they can do to report an issue or who to talk to can increase the likelihood employees will take the initiative and help prevent risks to themselves and their colleagues.

If changes are made to mitigate the risks, the company should inform employees and allow feedback to improve the measures further.

Reward reporting

One incentive is to reward employees who report potential dangers and help to reduce risks in the office.

The employer should be rewarding based on the number and severity of reported risks, rather than the number of accidents that have occurred, though.

The reward can be simple as a group email congratulating the employee, or as extravagant as a monetary award.

Be proactive

Having proper processes in place can help show employees that the company is committed to ensuring their safety while at work.

By using HRIS software, businesses can more easily track hazards and analyse risks. This can help ensure compliance from employees and reduce dangers.

If there is an accident at work, HRIS software can manage worker compensation more quickly, which improves relations between the company and the employee.

Employees who feel safe and secure at work can be more productive, especially if they believe their employer has strategies and processes in place in case something goes wrong.