What can you do to create a culture of safety throughout your organization?

If you are reading this post, chances are you’ve already determined that keeping your employees safe while on the job is a top priority. You may even already have robust safety policies in place, addressing everything from workplace hazards to safety check-ins for those who are working from home.

But are the people you’ve been tasked with protecting doing their part too? At CheckMate we often hear questions about how best to train employees in company safety rules and how to increase compliance. Many safety officers and human resource consultants assume that by simply having a safety policy in place and investing in a monitoring service, a culture of safety has been established. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case, and without a company-wide mindset of safety policy observance, organizations become vulnerable to financial penalties, employee injury, and diminished morale.

There are some simple steps you can take to create a positive culture of safety within your organization. To help you get the most out of your lone worker monitoring solution, we recommend reviewing how each of these actions might apply to your particular organizational needs:

1. Clearly and regularly engage with employees on the subject of safety

Having a well-defined workplace health and safety policy will only be effective if it is communicated in an accessible manner and regularly reviewed. Make information about your safety policies and expectations easily available in printed and digital formats. Hold regular safety meetings and training opportunities. Involve your employees in the process of improving safety policies and regularly provide opportunities for feedback.

2. Lead by example

Management knows the importance of establishing a positive company culture but can sometimes forget that this culture is dependent on their participation as well. Employees are more likely to pay attention to work health and safety policies, and comply with safety check-in requirements if they see that their superiors are doing the same.

3. Implement a positive reporting process

One of the biggest barriers to safety policy compliance can be a reluctance to report safety violations. Safety check-in procedures are often forgotten, and the failure to use a lone worker monitoring solution is often emphasized, rather than rewarding the proactive observance of safety procedures. Rewarding employees who use their Safe Alone App or report workplace hazards will reinforce their actions and help to build a positive culture of safety throughout your organization.

4. Keep an eye on safety policy participation

Ensuring that your employees are completing safety checks using the Safe Alone App or other Working Alone check-in methods is easy with the Administrative Dashboard. Reporting tools allow you to confirm compliance and catch minor issues before they become major problems, and CheckMate Working Alone provides this information to administrators 24/7 through an easy-to-use web-portal.

5. Share your culture of safety with others

Perhaps your department has already identified a solid set of workplace safety policies and has great employee engagement; in larger companies there’s a good chance that you work internally with departments that have not yet taken these steps. Your business or organization may depend on services and products from others who are at-risk without lone worker safety checks and an overall culture of safety. Share your experiences and these tips with them to help encourage better safety practices throughout your industry.

We hope these tips will help you to approach your lone worker safety policies with a larger culture of workplace safety in mind. Whether your staff is working from home, on the road, or even in remote locations, providing a safe work environment is the job of the employer.  The ability of employees to remain safe and effective in their roles should be your highest priority. Providing positive communication, frequent training, and leading by example will all help to make your safety policies more effective.

Don’t have an established set of safety rules in place? Looking for a simple solution to meet lone worker monitoring requirements? Whether your organization has 10 or 1,000 employees, CheckMate can help you save lives and protect your bottom line.

Contact us today to learn more about our Lone Worker Monitoring solutions and workplace safety tools.