Safety Incentive Programs
Nowadays, most companies around the developed world use Safety Incentive Programs as part of a thriving and cost effective business plan. For many years prior to their application in the workforce, many companies were struggling with the added material, social and physical costs of injured workers, damaged goods and premises and lost productivity as the result of careless and shoddy business management. It was widely realized that the resulting chaos from accidents also often had a lasting detrimental effect on a company’s reputation, a situation any reputable company was keen to avoid.
In modern times, although most professionals do not doubt the positive effects such Safety Incentive Programs have in contributing to better staff health and morale as well as to the overall productive running of their company, in the minds of some there are still some doubts as to their overall effectiveness, namely that many Safety Incentive Programs reward the wrong behavior such as increased pay and contract bonuses, particularly in the construction industry. While the critics remain very much in the minority, they also claim that over time these initiatives can hinder rather than help the everyday running of the company.
Rules to be followed for Safety Incentive Programs
No respectable company wishes to find itself bogged down in a mire of “red tape” when it comes to Safety Incentive Programs. But a cost effective, straightforward and easy to implement plan should be readily applied if some simple rules are followed.
The first of these is that the company should already have a standard code of safety. No one of Safety Incentive Programs will have any effect unless there are already set guidelines for everyone to follow, and all staff should be properly trained in this field so no misunderstandings occur. Any staff questions in this regard should be readily and promptly addressed.
Second thing which should be included in Safety Incentive Programs is that the company should examine the workplace safety record. If too many discrepancies in the health and safety record occur, the key points of concern should be tackled before any new incentives are put into place to ensure accidents are dutifully reported on time and that staff follow the correct procedure.
For the third key point, management as well as staff should be involved in all stages of Safety Incentive Programs. Both parties must be able to agree on a process that is acceptable to both sides and is fair and open. Staff must be able to trust that the program will be dutifully administered and that the rewards offered will indeed be given without any backsliding. Failure on the part of management to adhere to the agreement made is one of the main reasons for a program to fail.
Role of company in Safety Incentive Programs
A good structured system is the fourth point a company should address. Goals as well as rewards should be clearly defined for everyone to aim for, and these should be realistic and achievable. High expectations is another reason why a program can fail.
Finally, the rewards should have value to the majority of the workforce. This need not be just in cash bonuses, but could come in the form of a day off, a plaque of recognition on the cafeteria wall, a general citation which always looks well on an employee’s work history, or a gift certificate. Whatever you decide, it is imperative that everyone from the management down takes an active role to ensure that your Safety Incentive Programs will work efficiently and to the satisfaction of all parties concerned.