Safety as an employee benefit

When you think of employee benefits most people say - vacation time, sick leave, health benefits and the list goes on. One benefit I think all my clients should share with their employees and the human resources departments when employees are recruited, hired, or trained is as follows.

That benefit is working for a company that holds safety as a value. As a safety motivational speaker and consultant, I talk to many people at safety conventions. One safety professional shared with me his company's leadership decided it was cheaper for them to pay for injuries than try to prevent them.

How often have you ever heard an employee say, "Why do we have to wear this personal protective equipment when those guys over there don't?" The best answer is to tell them, "Because you work for a company that has safety as a value. We care more about you getting home every day than that other company does."

I love ExxonMobil's slogan, "Nobody Gets Hurt." When I give my talk, which focuses on taking personal responsibility for your own safety, I tell people they have taken the first step by choosing to work for a company that puts safety before everything else.

Another reason we should let employees know working for a company that doesn’t compromise safety is a benefit is it approaches safety from the positive side rather than the legalistic, “Do it safely because it is a rule” side of the equation. Doing every task the safest way currently known is something everyone should be seeking when they look for an employer and that employer’s values.

Their personal role in safety is also important to reinforce because even in the safest workplace conditions change quickly and people do make errors. It is always important to watch out for your safety and the safety of others by taking personal responsibility.

Yours in service,
John Drebinger