A safety manager’s job is no walk in the park. They have to handle training, compliance, and getting the necessary safety gear. But one of the biggest challenges they face is getting others to buy into safety changes. Prioritizing safety often means changing the way things are done, which can make people resistant. Employers worry about their budget and deadlines, while employees worry about their time and their product. So, how can a safety manager overcome this resistance?
One key approach is to make sure that safety goals are a fundamental part of the company’s values, KPIs, and goal measurement systems. If the importance of safety is clearly stated, the safety manager can use that to push for necessary changes.
When faced with resistance, safety managers can choose from four tactics:
Feed it – If the safety leader themselves shows resistance, how can they expect their team to embrace change? Employees look to their supervisors for guidance, so it’s important for managers to support the changes and avoid contradicting them through their actions and decisions. When managers make statements like “they want you to” or “I don’t necessarily agree, but we have to,” or contradict the change through their decisions and actions, employees perceive the change as optional. This kind of leadership behavior only fuels resistance. When discussing resistance with leaders, the safety manager must stand firm as the team’s advocate, having full faith that the changes will ensure safety.
Ignore it – It’s a common mistake for managers to assume that the changes being made aren’t a big deal and that employees will eventually get on board. But the reality is that resistance to change should be expected and planned for. Ignoring it only prolongs the inevitable and makes it more difficult to overcome. Addressing resistance promptly and effectively, with both leaders and employees, is crucial.
Avoid it – Nobody likes to be the bad guy, and most people try to avoid conflict if they can. Some managers may keep conversations about resistance brief and shy away from seeking feedback from leaders and employees. They keep themselves busy with other tasks to avoid addressing the issue. However, resistance can only be avoided for so long before it becomes a major obstacle. Sooner or later, it must be confronted. Avoiding it only wastes more time and effort in the long run.
Unearth it – This is the most successful way to tackle resistance. It involves recognizing and acknowledging the resistance and bringing it out into the open. Managers should work to understand why there is resistance and have meaningful conversations with employees and leaders to address their concerns without judgment. They should actively support employees through the change, explaining how it aligns with safety and productivity goals. Successful managers engage employees and leaders, seek feedback, take ownership of the change, invest time, build trust, actively listen, seek to understand, and remain authentic. When dealing with leaders, it’s important to offer data-backed information on accidents, near-misses, and industry trends. Highlighting the financial and productivity risks of potential accidents is a powerful lever when addressing higher-ups.
Most of the time, employees are not resistant to technical change but to social change, a shift in their human relations. It takes time to empathize, gather feedback, and reach a mutual understanding. While employers may be concerned about deadlines and budgets, deprioritizing safety is far too risky and can ultimately compromise both deadlines and budgets even further. Address resistance head on, with empathy and respect, and your team and leaders will be on board in no-time!
