Millions of workers attend some sort of safety related meeting on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.  The effectiveness of these trainings in changing workplace behaviors and attitudes is questionable—reading the same tool box talk for the tenth time isn’t the most engaging way to connect with your employees. 

An effective way to reach employees with any safety communication is to connect work with home.  If employees can learn something in the workplace that relates to their personal life, they may be more receptive to the message. 

Here are some examples for you to consider:

• Life Safety- Home Evacuation Plans: Develop and review a home plan that contains many of the same elements as your workplace program (routes, meeting area, role call, emergency action plans).
• Fire Safety- Fire Extinguishers and Smoke Detectors: Train employees how to use a fire extinguisher and develop a program to provide batteries, encouraging the changing of home smoke detectors.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Discuss proper selection and use of PPE while working with chain saws, landscaping tools and equipment. Consider providing gloves and safety glasses as part of a recognition program.

Many companies are beginning to connect employee wellness and safety programs.  Understanding the benefits healthy employees bring to the workplace, companies are beginning to offer programs that include family members or provide information that is sent directly to the home, encouraging participation. Examples include:

• Monthly wellness and safety newsletters.

• Wellness programs that offer family participation rewards, like exercise or weight loss incentives.

• Classes offered in the workplace, open to family members. For example smoking cessation, Weight Watchers, or an exercise class.
• Discounts at gyms or company sponsored events that include family members.

Be creative and connect workplace safety with home safety.  If the message impacts one employee in a positive way, it was worth the effort!

Posted by Eric Grant