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People do things because they either “want to” or
“have to.” It is more valuable to build a safety incentive program
maximizing the “want to” in people’s performance.
Safety incentive programs using the “have to” performance yield
short lived results and often take on the incentive-of-the-month
effect. When people “want to” they:
• Value practicing safer behaviors and actions more;
• Are more persistent at learning how to be safer;
• Strive for higher levels of performing safely;
• Display greater interest in their overall work; and
• Develop a stronger loyalty to your company.
To effectively structure and run a successful safety incentive
program, you need a workforce that is knowledgeable.
The employees need to be knowledgeable about the expected behaviors
and practices one should exhibit in order to ensure safety.
This knowledge can be obtained from many methods. One method is
training through such means as classes or software modules that can
be incorporated as objectives and as actions worthy of rewarding.
Establishing Objectives
Design a safety incentive program that utilizes appropriate rules,
effective communications, quality administration, and a projected
return on investment. Before building a safety program, it is
valuable
to analyze the situation and sketch out objectives that are:
• Reasonable (not too easy or too extreme);
• Attainable (the goal and awards are reachable based on time
constraints, demographics,
and other variable factors); and
• Measurable (a means of tracking performance so participants can
receive appropriate attribution).
Structuring a Safety Incentive Program
You can ensure that all of your participants will be fully aware of
the program’s objectives and will be working toward their
performance goals by developing a safety program that is mapped out,
incorporating these four essential components:
• Communication — Communicate your safety program to encourage
teamwork, learning safer practices, and to reinforce the safety
objectives. The continuity in the communication will be
action-oriented and will create ongoing enthusiasm.
• Administration — Tracking the accomplished safety objectives is
essential, but even more critical to the success of your safety
program is reporting and acknowledging progress to the participants
in a timely fashion. Ensure that the participants are recognized for
their efforts and are motivated to continue their performance.
• Promotion — Throughout your safety program keep things new and
exciting asked why they got the check in the first place and only 14
percent could answer correctly.
Considering Your Relationships
There are many people that have an impact or are impacted by the
fact you are running a safety incentive program.
Here is an example of how choosing your relationships or
partnerships can be invaluable. A relationship with a vendor is more
than buying and selling; it is integral to your company’s success. A
vendor impacts your ability to keep an operational flow, sell, and
maintain profitability.
Imagine you are a bicycle manufacturer. You depend on the vendor to
supply you with quality tires, exactly when you need them, packed
and shipped with quality, to ensure your employees perform safely
and your customers are safe and happy with their purchase.
Of course, customer relationships are valuable. Studies have shown
it’s more expensive to gain a customer than keep a customer. Most
businesses strive to build customer loyalty. Loyalty is an
unswerving allegiance; it is a long-standing commitment to buy from
your company. Good customers are hard to find.
Continuing with the bicycle story, you are trying to get this large
retail chain to sell your bicycles. Your continued efforts with
ensuring your employees are building quality bicycles safely, will
shine through and strengthen their loyalty to buy from you.
Your business may not exist, or exist successfully, without
employees. Recognition shows your appreciation for having the
relationship. Employees fill responsibilities and perform functions,
and for that, receive a compensation package such as salary,
vacation time, and other benefits. Incentives are a way to show you
desire and care about their extra efforts and exceptional
performance.
It can lead to an employee caring more about what they do, resulting
in a more positive culture and increase in productivity and
performance. Over the years, each time they use the incentive
selected, a quiet “thank you” is said. That constitutes a memory
value for you and your company. I relate this to a
child earning the privilege to pick a new bicycle. The child’s
excitement level rises as he or she goes through the process: he or
she is first told of the opportunity to get a new bicycle; he or she
views all of the options and picks the bicycle; and, he or she
receives a new bicycle.
In addition, every time the child rides the bicycle he or she will
remember the moment of getting the new bicycle. At some point, most
of us have either been the recipient or the giver. You may not be
building bicycles, but the safe practices your employees exhibit,
and the safe-to-use components
purchased, are essential to providing a safe environment to work in
while producing safe products to use. Choose your relationships
thoughtfully, and make certain to recognize the people making a
difference. FSM Scott
Sodikoff is director of Marketing & Business Development for the
Certif-AGift
Co., Arlington Heights, IL 60005, 800-323-6849.
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