Safety regulations are important for every person in your company. Get your employees to follow the safety regulations with these 5 strategies.
You know safety is important for your company, but sometimes there is a gap between your safety rules and getting your employees to follow those rules. Here are 5 ways to help encourage your employees to follow the safety regulations.
- Use Positive Reinforcement
One of the best ways to get people to change any behaviour is through positive reinforcement. Rewards, encouragement and incentives go a lot farther than imposing fines, or punishments for not following safety procedures.
Positive reinforcement could take the form of:
- Bonuses
- Employee rewards or additional time off
- A simple thank you and acknowledgement can even go a long way
It is also important to reward employees who make safety reports and make sure the whole process is a positive one. Make sure your employees feel comfortable reporting and take their concerns seriously.
Safety violations or even ‘minor’ incidents should never be ignored. Team leaders can use these opportunities as learning lessons for workers rather than being accusatory.
- Make Safety an Important Part of Company Culture
Safety should be a part of everything you do in your company and should involve workers, managers and owners. Safety should not be something that is separate from efficiency or getting the job done.
When you communicate to your employees make sure you link safety into daily messages. Be sure every employee at every level is aware of the importance of safety at your company from the moment they walk in the door.
- Training
It is hard for people to follow the rules if they aren’t clear on what the rules are, why they are important, and how to follow them. Trained employees are also more likely to follow the rules because they are aware of the hazards and risks involved in their jobs.
Training is an important part of creating a safe workplace and shows your employees that you are committed to their safety. It can help to get some outside help to make sure the message is clear. There are many places out there such as trh-group.com that specialize in workplace safety training and can help you create a training program for your company.
- Make Safety an Important Part of Leadership – work together towards a common goal
Your safety training and company messages won’t go very far if your team leaders aren’t also setting a good example and taking the lead on safety. Make sure your leaders are showing good examples of safe behaviour by following the rules themselves and encouraging their teams to do the same.
You want safety to be a common goal between management and workers, not just something for your workers to worry about.
- Listen to Your Employees
Help staff take ownership of their safety and listen to employee feedback. They may have some excellent suggestions that will help them do their jobs safely. It also motivates people to follow the regulations if they feel their voices have been heard.
Workers are also more likely to stick to the rules if they have a say in making them. Rather than imposing rules from the outside, ask your workers to suggest ways to regulate their working conditions. They are more likely to follow these rules if they or their colleagues suggest them.
