Why Your HSE Team Needs to Be Fully Engaged

Creating a health and safety-conscious work environment is a great challenge for most organizations; however, many companies globally have gone on to develop safety cultures that have resulted in more efficient and productive work units.

Perhaps more difficult has been the ability to maintain those safety performances consistently. Many businesses struggle with how to keep their employees safe in the long run. With so many guidelines, statistics, and opinions available, it can be hard to determine the best solutions for any given work environment, as there are rarely one-size-fits-all solutions.

Active employee engagement has been shown in studies to be an effective strategy for developing that culture. Engaged employees approach work issues with the mindset that "safety is everyone's responsibility" and are fully invested in their work and the company's success. They will put in more effort across the board and demonstrate genuine concern for the safety of others in their workplace, going out of their way to ensure things are done correctly.

1. Leadership Dedication

The concept of safety leadership is frequently discussed within organizations. It's a phrase we often hear after a crucial workplace accident. Fingers are pointed out, and "lack of safety leadership" is frequently mentioned as one of the event's root causes.

Companies can best improve this by committing to a duty of care to all their employees, especially those fortunate in the organization. Executives and managers must demonstrate this by attending safety meetings, participating in regular safety walkthroughs, participating in workplace safety observations, and prioritizing health and safety.

2. Form Health and Safety Committees within the company

This action is an excellent way to encourage employee participation in workplace safety, health, and welfare. Not only will employee buy-in increase, but a committee will help shape a workplace's health and safety culture to make it more relevant to employees and their needs. In addition to being a powerful way to promote health and safety engagement within an organization, health and safety committees have become a fundamental requirement within any organization wishing to work to the latest standard.

3. Make "Safety" a personal concern

Some of the more successful businesses in health and safety performance frequently develop internal health and safety training programs that are integrated with their safety initiatives. In addition to providing the employee with the primary safety competencies needed to perform their job safely, these programs go above and beyond to emphasize how accidents can affect the employee, their family, and their coworkers.

4. Recognize and Reward Positive Behaviors

It is always crucial to have a safety recognition program within an organization; these can be in the form of formal, informal, or on-the-spot gestures that show the company's appreciation. The recognition will serve as a strong acknowledgment of their hard work and will instill those values in both themselves and their colleagues, ensuring that good behavior is maintained and improved throughout the organization.

5. Keep track of programs and their outcomes

Organizations must always have systems ready to track what is and isn't working. They must strive to ensure that performance is systematically tracked and improvements are measured once they have determined the type of initiatives or behaviors they wish to improve. The more engaged our employees can become, the better the results will be.