Page 94 - Occupational Health & Safety, September 2017

Employee Gifts & Incentives
propriate incentive program.
Your safety incentive program should include intrinsic moti-
vators that appeal to your employees, such as having sense of be- longing in the organization by participating in a safety program or mastery of the skills needed to stay safe. Employees must un- derstand that safety initiatives can be successful only if everyone is educated and knows what to do. They need to know they are an integral part of a whole system in achieving a safe workplace in order to become more engaged in your safety efforts.
You can further strengthen motivation by also weaving in ex- trinsic motivators. Praise and social recognition of people exhib- iting preferred behaviors create role models for others to emu- late. Tangible awards given in the spirit of friendly competition can enhance engagement and participation. Blending intrinsic and extrinsic motivators in your safety incentive programs can and should be implemented in your other performance im- provement instances, as well.
Conducting an Internal Assessment
To motivate your employees to participate at a high level in your safety program, assess your current safety incentive program or, if you don’t have one, consider and answer these questions to get started.
1. What do I know about the employees I want in the safety program? What are the demographics, psychographics, and commonalities?
2. Where do my employees excel already? Where don’t they need any additional motivation? Where do they struggle and need an extra boost? What types of additional motivations would work best?
3. What specific behaviors do I want my employees to exhibit in order for the work environment to become safer? What cur- rent behaviors are being rewarded, and are they consistent with my safety program requirements and federal regulations?
4. What has (or hasn’t) motivated my employees to partici- pate in our safety programs in the past? Do I have a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators woven into my safety incen- tive programs?
5. What behaviors are currently being tracked, measured, and/or reported that are relevant to our safety initiatives?
6. How are safety best practices currently being communi- cated? What works and what hasn’t worked well in communicat- ing to my employees?
7. How do I track whether or not an employee is in com- pliance? Is there a significant difference between employees or regions in this regard?
8. Is there a safety training program in place for each employ- ee? Is it mandatory? Are my employees certified or rewarded in any way for completing their training modules?
9. Does management currently have budgets or the skill to award our employees on the spot for exhibiting safe behaviors? If so, which employee positions qualify for these awards?
Answering these questions will identify the gaps in your
safety incentive program. Closing these holes will help explain expectations of preferred behaviors to your employees and man- agers. After all, if people don’t fully understand safety processes and what they’re expected to do and how they’ll be rewarded, your safety incentive program will fall flat. Conversely, if you’re not motivating people to participate from both an intrinsic and extrinsic perspective, you’re missing a great opportunity to im- prove the outcomes of your safety programs.
Integrate Your Safety Program Into a
Broader Employee Experience Platform
A safety program should be integrated as a component in your employee experience platform. Besides a safety initiative, em- ployees should have the opportunity to earn awards or recogni- tion in a variety of ways. Multiple earning opportunities increase award point accumulation, which has a direct correlation to en- gagement. The more points employees can earn, the more likely they can redeem for an award of their own choice—which, in turn, furthers the likelihood of engagement, involvement, and retention.
Here are some ideas for multiple programs (including safety) in an employee experience platform: Waste reduction, safety, suggestion program, length of service, recognition (peers and managers), well-being, career, training, certification.
Combining Motivators in a Safety Incentive Program
■ Award individuals who attain an accident-free first quarter and incrementally increase the reward for subsequent quarters. (Intrinsic: status, mastery; Extrinsic: competition, fear of failure)
■ Motivate individuals to have perfect attendance for a pe- riod of one year with no unplanned time off such as sick days or injury-related days. (Intrinsic: autonomy; Extrinsic: competition)
■ Reward drivers who have not had any preventable vehic- ular damage for a period of one year. (Intrinsic: mastery, status; Extrinsic: tangible rewards)
■ Recognize drivers who pass safety guidelines during annual ride-alongs that are reinforced by unexpected management checks. (Intrinsic: learning, mastery, status; Extrinsic: fear of failure)
■ Reward employees for submitting proactive ideas that are implemented to impact employee safety and reduce accidents. (Extrinsic: praise, tangible rewards)
■ Increase targeted communication campaigns, focused on relevant safety tips. (Intrinsic: learning)
Conclusion
With your vision established and motivators identified, you can collaborate with your team and determine the perfect plan for success—one that fits your people, your organization, and your goals—and most importantly, for the safety of your employees.
Jane Larson is research manager at ITA Group (www.itagroup. com), an engagement solutions partner in West Des Moines, Iowa.
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