If you want employees to make real changes, you need to connect with their current perspective and understand why they take risks on the job. Understanding the current problems that keep workers from being as safe as they could be lets you know the underlying values and assumptions you need to reshape to effectively change the culture. Here are just a few of the common reasons why your employees may be risking their safety:
They don’t believe safety measures are important to their superiors.
They feel invincible after having done a task so many times without incident.
They assume cutting a safety corner here or there won’t be enough to get them hurt.
They are in a hurry and believe speed is more important than safety.
They are unaware of hazards because they lack proper training.
Starting with employees’ motivations for taking risks or their lack of motivation for committing to safe work practices is critical if you want to make lasting changes. Underlying beliefs and values are what make up a culture, so to change the culture, you must shift these beliefs and values.