By Scott Bogdan, EHD Producer in the Northeast Region
There’s one critical aspect of lowering an organization’s total cost of risk that’s often overlooked – culture.
In our experience as risk and safety experts, an organization’s culture plays a crucial role in shaping its approach to risk management and loss control, particularly in the context of workers’ compensation coverage.
Safety needs to remain top of mind for all employees throughout the workday. This cannot be accomplished through one-off meetings or reminders. Instead, leaders need to ingrain safety throughout every aspect of their organization.
When done successfully, the results can be extraordinary. At EHD, we’ve seen firsthand how culture can transform an organization’s overall risk profile. Organizations that have strong safety cultures typically share the following seven characteristics:
- Leadership Commitment: When leadership demonstrates a commitment to safety, it sets a standard for the entire organization, fostering a culture of accountability and vigilance. The single most significant driver in creating a culture of safety is leadership’s commitment to consistent safety practices.
- Employee Engagement: Engaged employees are more likely to adhere to safety protocols and report hazards, minimizing the risk of incidents. Put simply, an engaged employee is a safe employee.
- Safety-First Mindset: A strong safety culture prioritizes employee wellbeing. This includes taking proactive measures that prevent workplace accidents and reduce claims. Employees control their own mindset, so it is important that the organization sets the standard of safety first.
- Open Communication: Encouraging open dialogue about safety concerns allows for timely identification and mitigation of potential risks. Hazard identification and reporting leads to a safer working environment.
- Empowerment and Responsibility: Empowering employees to take ownership of their safety and that of their colleagues promotes a collective effort in risk management. What gets measured typically gets done, and an empowered employee is more likely to care if they feel engaged.
- Open Mindedness: A culture that embraces change and innovation is better equipped to implement new safety technologies and practices that enhance loss control. Embracing change and feeling safe in doing so is the name of the game.
- Recognition and Reward: Recognizing and rewarding safe behavior reinforces the importance of risk management and encourages continued adherence to safety protocols. Everyone wants to feel important in one way, shape, or form.
Culture is the Key
Safety-oriented organizations should not overlook culture as a driver of safe working conditions. No matter how much you invest in your safety programs, you need your employees to remember their training when on the job.
Want to breathe some life into your culture of safety? We can help your organization get started. Reach out to your EHD representative today to talk about how to elevate your safety culture.
