Incentivizing Safety: Could Recognition Save Lives…or Have the Opposite Effect?

May 12, 2023

Guest Author: Mallory Dunbar, Learning Specialist, Greatness Magnified

In 2019, more than 900 workers died due to work-related causes in Canada, and workers’ compensation boards accepted a total of 271,806 claims of lost time due to injury.

These numbers are an improvement from the previous year, suggesting a step in the right direction, yet more needs to be done to decrease the number of incidents and injuries and promote a culture of safety across all organizations.

Safety incentive programs have been around for decades with the purpose of improving health and safety outcomes by rewarding and recognizing employees for safe behaviours or outcomes. Organizations have seen dramatic decreases in lost-time injury rates and health and safety incidents when done right. However, a poorly designed program can lead to unintended consequences when done wrong.

Rates-Based Safety Incentive Programs

There are two ways safety incentive programs are typically structured. The first is rate-based programs. Under this structure, employees are rewarded for meeting safety targets and goals. For example, if a department goes a month with no safety incidents, employees will receive a reward – gift cards, prizes, bonuses, etc.

It seems like a good idea, right? Companies reduce safety incidents; employees are rewarded. It’s a win-win.

That’s what many companies thought when they implemented these programs, however, once in effect, they saw several unintended consequences.

If employees know that a month with no safety incidents leads to a reward, they will be reluctant to come forward and report incidents as they don’t want to lose their opportunity for a reward. When rewards are team-based, employees might face peer pressure to hide injuries and lie about incidents to prevent the entire team from losing out on a reward.

What is designed to promote a safety-oriented culture ultimately can promote a cover-up culture where incidents and injuries are swept under the rug. Decreases in incidents aren’t because of an increase in safety behaviours, rather it’s due to incidents going unreported.

Behaviour-Based Safety Incentive Programs

The second type of safety incentive program is a behaviour-based program. These programs are designed to prevent accidents or injuries by encouraging and recognizing employees for safety-oriented behaviours. This can include things like reporting near misses or unsafe conditions, attending safety training or taking health and safety courses.

While a rates-based program focuses on reactive rewards, a behaviour-based program emphasizes proactive recognition. Safety-conscious behaviours are recognized and rewarded to promote a safety-focused culture.

Under this structure, employees are encouraged to be conscious of health and safety protocols and look for potential hazards in the workplace. Rather than fearing the consequences of reporting an incident, employees see it as a learning opportunity and a chance to find new processes and solutions to prevent future incidents.

When done right, safety incentive programs can effectively improve the safety culture in your workplace. If designed poorly, it can do the opposite.

We are not safety experts, nor could one article speak to the depth and breadth that such a critical organizational anchor requires. However, we hope you’ve seen how recognition done right can increase a culture of workplace safety, and that’s worth a second look.

This week, we’re giving a big shout-out to someone who is a safety expert, Craig Gauvreau! Craig is a people-first, positive, motivational, humble, supportive and generous safety professional who personifies appreciation in everything he does. Connect with him. Your professional world (and personal too) will be better for it.

Join us next week, where we will share ideas on how to build recognition into your safety incentive programs to promote safety-focused culture.

Take a peek at these other posts with workplace safety and implementing new programs in mind:

• How Recognition Makes Work Safer: 5 Tips from Canada’s Safety Diva Lee-Anne Lyon-Bartley

• How to Fix Engagement: Expert Advice for 2023 That we MUST Act On Now

• HR is the New IT