Larry Sloan, MBA, CEO of AIHA, took ISHN’s question, “Can artificial intelligence be used to improve cultures, trust, engagement and job satisfaction,” and entered it into ChatGPT 5.2.  “There are some valuable pointers here,” he says. “My suggestion is to check a few AI tools with various prompts, and then carefully compare and review the outputs.  Use the frameworks as a basis that complements your own professional judgment in developing your plan.”

Here are ChatGPT’s verbatim recommendations:
 
1. Shift from “enforcer” to “problem-solver”:

If people experience EHS as someone who shows up when something goes wrong, trust erodes fast.

What builds trust instead:

• Ask why before you cite what: “Help me understand what made this task hard to do safely.”
• Treat noncompliance as a system failure, not a personal failure.
• Be visible during normal operations—not just audits or incidents.

Signal you’re on their side: “My job isn’t to catch mistakes. It’s to make the job easier and safer to do right.” That sentence alone can change how you’re perceived.

2. Spend disproportionate time with frontline workers: 

If you’re mostly interacting with leadership, your influence will plateau.

High-impact behaviors:

• Walk the floor without a checklist once in a while.

Ask three simple questions:

• “What’s the hardest part of your job?”
• “What’s the most unsafe thing you deal with?”
• “If you could fix one thing tomorrow, what would it be?”

Critical follow-through: If someone gives you input and never sees action — or at least feedback — you lose credibility fast. Even saying “we can’t fix this yet, here’s why” builds trust.

3. Make safety personal, not abstract: 

People don’t connect emotionally to TRIRs or policies.

Translate safety into:

• Fatigue → mistakes → people going home stressed or injured
• Exposure controls → long-term health for their family
• Near misses → “free lessons” instead of blame events

When people feel seen as humans, not statistics, engagement rises.

4. Create psychological safety around reporting: 

If reporting feels risky, silence becomes the norm—and silence kills safety culture.

Do this intentionally:

• Publicly thank people for raising concerns (even small ones).
• Never ask “who did this?”—ask “what allowed this?”
• Protect anonymity where possible and mean it.
• Watch your reactions:
   One defensive or dismissive response can undo months of trust.

5. Be consistent—even when it’s uncomfortable: 

Nothing erodes trust faster than selective enforcement.

Consistency looks like:

• Holding leaders to the same standards as operators.
• Saying the same thing in private that you say in meetings.
• Standing firm on real risk—even when it’s unpopular.

Ironically, people respect EHS professionals more when they say no thoughtfully than when they always compromise.

6. Partner with leadership without losing credibility: 

You want leadership support—but not at the cost of frontline trust.

Balance it by:

• Framing EHS recommendations in business language without watering down risk.
• Giving leaders options, not ultimatums—while being clear on consequences.
• Being transparent when decisions are business tradeoffs, not safety ideals.

When workers see you’re honest about constraints, they trust you more—not less.

7. Design participation, not compliance: 

People engage more when they help design solutions.

Easy wins:

• Involve workers in JSAs and control selection.
• Pilot changes with the crew who does the work.
• Ask for volunteers for safety improvement teams—not appointees.

Ownership beats enforcement every time.

8. Protect your own job satisfaction: 

EHS burnout is real—especially when you care.

Sustain yourself by:

• Defining success beyond zero incidents (learning, trust, improvement).
• Celebrating quiet wins (near misses reported, hazards removed).
• Building a peer network outside your company—so you’re not alone in the role.

Remember: you’re often carrying risk, fear, and responsibility that others don’t see. That weight deserves acknowledgment too.

A simple litmus test

If people:

• Call you early instead of after something goes wrong
• Tell you about “almost” incidents
• Ask for your input before making changes

…you’re building trust, engagement, and a career you can actually enjoy.

If you want, tell me:

• Your industry (manufacturing, construction, healthcare, energy, etc.)
• Whether you’re an individual contributor or manager