Safety in the workplace is a must, and leaders are always looking for ways to create work environments that meet or exceed recommended safety standards. One popular strategy is to implement safety incentive programs, which usually have the goal of raising awareness of safety procedures and motivating employees to adhere to them. But many safety managers are now wondering if these programs are truly successful—or if they do more harm than good. When deciding whether to implement a safety incentive program, organizations should consider its risks.
The Risk of Underreporting
One of the primary concerns when using a safety incentive program is the risk of accidents or injuries going unreported. It is possible that a worker could choose to hide incidents that might jeopardize their eligibility for a safety incentive. When group-based safety incentives are on the table, peer pressure could be a factor as well: if an entire group is at risk of losing an award, a worker might be more inclined to keep quiet about an incident so they aren’t perceived as “messing things up” for everyone. Both individual and group programs that are built around “X days without injury” measurements can be especially susceptible to such omissions when the goal date is close at hand.
The Risk of Reduced Ownership
Safety incentive programs can become more problematic than helpful when they lead people to refuse to take ownership of tasks or projects. If a task is perceived as slightly dangerous or more likely to have an incident associated with it, people may shy away from it altogether because they don’t want to jeopardize their own safety incentives. This reluctance to do certain duties can create gaps for employers as well as lower productivity and efficiency. It can even increase the risk of injury in some situations. If a team, task, or department doesn’t have adequate staff, those who do take ownership in that area could become overworked and stretched too thin, which in turn can lead to safety mistakes that might otherwise have been avoided.
The Risk of Short-Term Change
Like many New Year’s resolutions on January 1, many safety incentive programs get off to a great start. But it usually takes anywhere from three weeks to two months to form a new habit, and if a change isn’t approached conscientiously—and doesn’t receive support—employees can lose momentum as time goes by and the excitement associated with the incentive begins to fade. Often workers end up reverting back to their “old ways” after a while, and the company doesn’t get a solid return on all the time, effort, and resources invested in the incentive program. Sometimes safety managers will increase the incentive in an attempt to rally new excitement for the program. This strategy can sometimes work, but having to constantly up the ante to keep people engaged isn’t a viable long-term strategy.
Mitigating the Risks
Despite the negatives, many safety managers still believe that it is possible to have a successful safety incentive program. In order to achieve good results, though, they need to be aware of the risks and mitigate them accordingly. For example:
- Reward workers for completing safety training. This motivates individuals and teams to grow their knowledge of safety procedures and their familiarity with standards, both of which should reduce injury in the longer term.
- Focus more on a positive safety change over time instead of on a hard-and-fast metric. For example, instead of a goal of “X days without injuries,” aim to reduce overall injuries by a certain amount each quarter or each year.
- Provide some confidential or anonymous methods for workers to submit observations, ideas, concerns, innovations, and suggestions for safety. Employees will feel more empowered to contribute without fear of rejection or retaliation.
- Provide various kinds of short- and long-term goals and incentives. This helps people stay excited over time and gives them the opportunity to pick and choose where to focus their efforts.
Although the verdict is still out on the effectiveness of safety incentive programs, that doesn’t mean that safety managers shouldn’t ever recognize accomplishments or reward safe behaviors. Positive reinforcement and strategic goal setting can be powerful motivators, as long as they are used in the right ways. A program or incentive that fosters a positive work environment and increases engagement and communication among workers is most likely to yield long-term and sustainable results.