By Jorge Torres March 8, 2022
For decades now we have heard about this concept of Safety Culture. Companies and organizations across every industry are expected to build a strong safety culture to keep people safe. Ask any employer if they have a one and the answer is likely to be yes. Ask them to define it and things get a little muddled. Ask them what specifically is done to support it and they may have a conniption.
A quick google search brings up several million results with multiple variations depending on the industry or in some cases, subsection of an industry that is attempting to define the concept. It may be more useful to begin with a general definition of culture and since I like to keep things simple, I will define it as the shared characteristics of a group of people. Think of the “big” use for the term as it’s associated with a country, religion, or ethnic group. The American culture is a clearly understood concept. We can probably mention a few of those shared characteristics off the top of our heads: Freedom, Liberty, Justice. These characteristics usually form years of shared experiences.
So, how do we apply this to an organization? Most companies are attempting to develop their culture from day one. Founders create mission and vision statements and define corporate values that will, they hope, create a culture conducive to reaching their business goals. As the organization ages and matures, it faces some degree of turnover at all levels that constantly bring in folks who haven't shared those experiences. This constant ebb and flow of personnel can severely affect how the culture develops over time; therefore, we can’t think of culture as a static thing. In fact, the organizational culture will change over time as these movements in personnel, especially if top management changes, brings in new ideas and concepts on how to function as a group. Remember, culture is based on shared experiences; as the group changes, so does the experience and the culture; therefore, safety culture cannot exist as a stand-alone piece, apart from the greater organizational experience.
Organizational culture either includes safety or it does not. It really is that simple. Make any attempt to implement safety initiatives in an organization that doesn’t support safety as a core element of the overall corporate culture, and you will fail. Now, I’m not talking about safety as a stated value; you know, the infamous “Safety First” slogan on every wall while workers lack adequate tool, equipment, and training. I’m talking about an organization where the corporate culture demands the conditions for safety at every level, in every task. Where safety is never compromised.
These organizations don’t need slogans, or gimmicks. These are the industry trendsetters that, in many cases had to learn the hard way that a banner on the wall and a claim of “safety first” means nothing if even one person is willing to compromise their or someone else’s safety. These are the organizations that stopped making excuses and began setting and driving expectations and accountability.
Safety culture is a myth. Organizations must embrace, drive and create safety through a continuous assessment of the overall organizational culture and it's support of safety as a core value, not a slogan.
Interested in having Jorge talk to your organization about how your culture can drive safety? Contact us today.
Further reading: For a great case study on the impact of the overall organizational culture, read “The Biggest Lesson from Volkswagen: Culture Dictates Behavior” by Robert Glazer
Comments