Communication Strategies for Achieving a Total Safety Culture

One of the most effective ways to improve a safety culture and prevent injuries is to optimize safety-related communication throughout an organization (Williams, 2003). Unfortunately, employees often fail to "speak up" when they observe risky behaviors even when they know they should. To p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Occupational Hazards 2008-07, Vol.70 (7), p.49
Main Authors: Williams, Josh, Geller, E Scott
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavior
Communication
Corporate culture
Employee attitude
Employees
Feedback
Gossip
Injuries
Interpersonal communication
Listening
Passive-aggressive behavior
Safety management
Social conflict
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Summary:One of the most effective ways to improve a safety culture and prevent injuries is to optimize safety-related communication throughout an organization (Williams, 2003). Unfortunately, employees often fail to "speak up" when they observe risky behaviors even when they know they should. To provide effective corrective feedback to others when they are working at-risk, don't make it personal -- focus on behavior. Ask questions to facilitate discussion, and don't lecture. A complicating factor with safety communication is that people have different styles of communication. Brounstein (2001) defines four basic communication patterns: the Dominant, Passive, Passive-Aggressive and Empathic styles. The first three styles are generally maladaptive and stifle the cultivation of a total safety culture. The fourth style, the Empathic pattern, is ideal and most conducive to effective communication and culture improvement. In dealing with rude and difficult people, empathic communicators don't take it personally, lose their cool or lose sleep over the conflict.
ISSN:0029-7909
1931-6739