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Changing attitudes results in a work
culture where employees work safely, assume responsibility for their attitudes and behaviors, and feel empowered to make
changes and
contribute positively to the workplace.
Changing employee attitudes and behaviors has been proven to improve safety performance, as well as overall productivity. One particular employee attitude - low morale - can contaminate a company's safety program and be a key factor in on- and off-the-job injuries.
Low morale does not happen by accident. It can be caused by a variety of internal and external influences that affect the attitudes and thinking among labor and management.
In a challenging business climate, where production and related results are stressed above others, the belief that safety procedures impede efficiency can evolve. Management slogans such as "Safety is Our Number One Priority" can become viewed by workers as mere management lip-service when they are not supported by related actions, and this can damage morale even further. As morale worsens, conditions can deteriorate quickly when safety plans and directions are based on the "command and control" style of management. In this type of safety master plan, workers are trained what to do and what not to do; those who fail to follow the policy may be chastised or disciplined. The result is lower morale. Despite knowing what is and is not safe behavior, when morale is low, people continue to be susceptible to injuries, both on and off their jobs. Efficiency begins to erode significantly, and eventually, line and management employees may tend to blame others and their circumstances as the reasons that they are less effective. They may also see safety as the sole responsibility of the safety department or someone other than themselves.
This article discusses several ways to improve morale and the level of safety at the same time. Start with attitude
Safety begins and ends with attitude. It's important to find out what employee attitudes are toward safety and why they have these attitudes, because employee attitude is linked directly to morale.
Use an anonymous perception survey and confidential interviews to gather the information you will need to discover why employees feel and behave the way they do toward safety and the environment. A properly prepared survey asks all company...