"He is the most free from danger, who, even when safe, is on his guard."  ~by Pubillius Syrus

The need for personal safety is a powerful motivator. Satisfying that need is a factor in each decision we make. There is mounting pressure on today’s business leaders to recognize the pervasive quality of this threat.  Take the lead stories and headlines from the mainstream news outlets for the past six months and search for the common thread that links them together.  The common thread can be reduced to one sentence, "The world is a dangerous place."

The result of this constant "danger drumbeat" is increased concern by workers for personal safety, both at home and in the workplace.  According to industrial psychologists like Dr. Abraham Maslow, the concern for safety is a basic need that must be satisfied in order for workers to move toward self-actualization.  Workplace safety in today’s world, however, is more than OSHA regulations, training, and monthly safety committee meetings.  In order to maximize performance and organizational efficiency, business leaders and managers must broaden their influence to include not only physical safety, but also the emotional and financial safety of all members of the workforce.  By using safety as one of the criteria for making business decisions, leaders and managers can strengthen organizational communications, reduce absenteeism, increase retention, and improve profitability.

PHYSICAL SAFETY

Ensuring physical safety in the workplace is required by law and, more importantly, is a sound management practice.  By reducing physical threats (faulty equipment, poor lighting, inadequate ventilation, ineffective training programs) managers can demonstrate a commitment to the safety of the workforce.  Policies regarding safety must be in writing, clearly stated, and strictly enforced.  Merz Pharmaceuticals, for example, states in their mission statement that they are committed to providing a "positive working environment in order to achieve our vision."  They specifically state, "We believe that company growth will only be achieved by providing a work environment where there is respect and responsiveness to employees’ needs on both a work level and personal level."

There are a variety of techniques leaders can use to elevate the awareness of safety.  Small groups within the workforce are especially effective.  Establishing safety teams decentralizes the task of monitoring activities and makes safety everyone’s responsibility.  Increased interior and exterior lighting is another easy and visible way to demonstrate a commitment to safe working conditions.  There are many products available at a relatively low cost that dramatically increase the safety quotient of any exterior environment.  Ingress and egress become safer, and exterior lighting is a crime deterrent.  In developing their new prototype unit, the Sheetz convenience store chain, headquartered in Altoona, PA, raised the wattage and the number of light fixtures per unit.  According to a company District Manager, the brighter image had a positive effect for both customers and employees.

EMOTIONAL SAFETY

The ideal workplace is free from intimidation, threats, and harassment.  There are laws against discrimination based on gender, race, religion, and ethnic origins.  Lawsuits based on discrimination and unjust terminations are expensive to litigate, and even more expensive to lose.  Sometimes, however, the effect of threats and intimidation is harder to see.  The solution is more open communication, closer supervision, and urgency to address problems when they arise.  While after the fact, exit interviews are excellent opportunities for managers to discover hidden problems that still need to be addressed and corrected.

There should be a clear written policy establishing a chain of command for voicing complaints.  Managers and supervisors, by being visible and accessible, can monitor and manage the individual incidents that may undermine the emotional safety of the group.  On-going training for managers and supervisors in the areas of conflict resolution and problem solving are invaluable to increasing emotional safety in the workplace.  Failure to root out and remove the sources of fear and intimidation will result in a tarnished company image, lower productivity, increased turnover, and lost profits.

FINANCIAL SAFETY

In our previous article we discussed the concept of Open-Book Management.  John Case, an Open-Book Management practitioner, makes a powerful case that financial uncertainty can and does inhibit individual and corporate performance.  There are a number of questions in the workplace that are rarely asked by members of the workforce:  "Is our company financially sound?"  "Will we be in business five years from now?"  "Are our company assets being properly managed?"  "Are we in compliance with all laws and regulations?"  The result of these questions not being openly discussed is anxiety.  Owners and managers who acknowledge and address these unspoken concerns create a safer environment through reduced financial anxiety.

Corporate scandals (Enron, Tyco, MCI, and Adelphia) have been in the headlines daily for over a year, and the trials and resulting fallout continue today.  The fear of unexpected financial chaos is fueled by these stories of mismanagement.  Owners and managers can address these fears by openly sharing the financial health of the company.  Sales trends, sales projections, and profitability are three good topics to discuss on a regular basis.  By reviewing the company’s performance with workers, managers will begin to reduce the fear of the future and gain commitment for an improved future.

The world is indeed a dangerous place.  We as business owners and managers can’t solve all of the world’s problems.  We can, however, reduce the stress in our individual workplace settings by simply recognizing that safety is a basic and powerful human need that must be satisfied each day.  We can either be part of the problem or part of the solution.  By addressing the needs for physical, emotional, and financial safety in the workplace we can begin to effectively manage this complex issue and slow the "drumbeat of danger."

This article is provided for information only and is not intended to substitute for legal or other professional advice.