Page 78 - OHS, JulyAugust 2023

INCENTIVES Gamify Your Safety Incentive Program New advancements in gamification, automation and behavior rewarding deliver stronger accident reduction. BY BUCK PEAVEY As safety experts, the task of dra- matically lowering workplace accidents and fatalities comes down to the ability to positively change employee workplace behavior. Changing unsafe behavior, of course, starts with education and, ultimately, compliance. The unfortunate fact is that the majority of workers yawn during classroom teaching and often feel that following all the safety rules and regulations is a waste of their time. Why? They believe that they are above it and bad things only happen to “other people.” Similar to how some of us were as teens, right? Safety and HR experts are frustrated that employees cut corners and don’t always pay attention in safety meetings. We have learned that addressing this with punishment can result in non-reporting, poor morale, and costly turnover. A Tricky Dilemma To many, it makes sense to perhaps “bribe” employees by dangling an incentive “carrot.” Merchandise and even taxable gift cards and cash are used for this purpose. This approach also has proven to have some big pitfalls. The challenge here is that the programs that focus solely on the carrot “award” do one photo/Shutterstock.com grab attention and are often successful for several months, but unless the value of the incentive carrot is quite large, these initiatives often weaken with time and eventually lose their effectiveness. If the programs are not structured correctly, they too can even cause non- reporting issues. In addition, if most of the recognition program is based solely on the reward itself, it can become an expected form of compensation that the employee becomes entitled to versus a program that builds a lasting safety culture. In order to avoid this dilemma and create an environment of safe behavior, we must learn from and implement the 78 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2023 www.ohsonline.com