Too often, safety leaders mistakenly believe culture has little to do with their sphere of influence and leave it to the human resources department. This can be a costly mistake. Every leader is responsible for shaping the overall culture in their organization. Safety leaders should especially welcome the opportunity, given the critical role culture plays in creating and maintaining a safe workplace.
Research finds that a handful of factors have substantial impact on creating a safe work environment, and all of them relate to the overall culture of the company. More important, the number of safety incidents within an organization will likely relate to how employees feel about those factors, according to a Towers Watson-ISR study.