Tips for building a safety-minded workforce

Having a company culture that values safety is a common trait among successful motor carriers. Culture defines an organization, and typically, motor carriers that value safety experience lower employee turnover, higher productivity, improved customer service, and decreased vehicle accidents and work-related injuries.

Selecting and retaining the right workers is one critical component to building this culture because safety-minded individuals practice safety and set a strong example for others. Here are five more tips for creating a safety-minded workforce.

GIVE SELECTION DUE DILIGENCE

Evaluate how candidates “show up” to work during the selection process. Specifically, do they approach every task with safety in mind? Pre-trip inspections and road testing are two hands-on ways to observe candidates. Also, asking safety and compliance-related questions during interviews and conducting background checks may provide a pretty good idea of how well a candidate will fit into your culture.

PROVIDE SAFETY TRAINING

Culture is not what you do but how you do it. Consider providing safety training in new employee orientation, this can help you create the expectation up front that employees are responsible for performing safely and reporting unsafe conditions to management. This training can be followed up during onboarding when new employees receive job-specific training. Mentoring and ongoing safety training are additional ways to keep safety at the forefront of all employees’ minds.

PROMOTE ACCOUNTABILITY

Consider measuring safety performance across the company. If safety is a core value, then it should be evident in every aspect of your operations. For example, monitoring drivers’ motor vehicle records, conducting facility inspections, and tracking accidents, injuries, and near misses are ways to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for coaching and training.

RECOGNIZE AND REWARD SAFE BEHAVIOR

Recognizing and rewarding employees for safe behavior can help reinforce a safety-minded culture. One way to accomplish this goal is utilizing a formal program, such as Great West’s Safety Awards programs. Likewise, informal methods, such as verbal praise, can be meaningful to workers. By publicly acknowledging safe behavior, leaders visibly demonstrate their support for everyone’s contributions.

SOLICIT EMPLOYEE FEEDBACK

Soliciting employee feedback on safety-related issues is a great way to identify areas for improvement. It also demonstrates to employees that their safety concerns are valued; listening to employee concerns will be appreciated and could help improve employee retention.

Note: These lists are not intended to be all-inclusive.

CALL TO ACTION

• Consider conducting road tests and background checks on all driver applicants.

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