Motivating employees to make substantive changes in workplace practices or in their health behaviors is no easy task. While many managers are adept at conveying compliance information, the most effective managers take it to the next level by influencing behavior and engaging employees. They promote a sense of responsibility among employees for managing their own safety and health and give them the resources and opportunities to do so. The way they communicate is key to their success.

1. Overcome objections and foster a safety culture: use storytelling

Disney theme parks are famous for their cleanliness. In a recent Business Insurance article, Trevor Larson, senior vice president of facilities and operations at Walt Disney World in Orlando notes that employees do not go through cleanliness training. "People develop that lens on their own. It's a value." He notes that one way value is instilled is through 'the power of storytelling' and that Disney also uses the technique to motivate safe work practices.

In many situations, stories can come from the experiences of employees. There is an immediate emotional connection that employees will remember. A printer disabled a safety device and lost the tips of two fingers. His story was a powerful counter to those who complained that the device was 'slowing down production'.

2. Identify problems and solutions: use video

Employees at a warehouse were experiencing excessive muscle strains and sprains. Some employees were writing it off as the 'nature of their work,' but the manager took a video of the processes and asked the insurance company to review it. An ergonomist identified issues that the employer was not able to see and together they analyzed the video and developed solutions to reduce the number of injuries.

Video can also be an effective way to communicate problems in the field or to train employees. It's important to be cautious though when using 'off-the-shelf' videos for training. If the employees can't relate the message to their worksite or there are significant language barriers, a packaged e-learning program may not work.

3. Routine hampers awareness: be creative with visual reminders

Much has been written about the effectiveness of photos, diagrams and graphics in promoting workplace safety. They are a good reminder of the importance of safe behavior, but when long-term employees see them on a daily basis, they can blend into the surroundings and become invisible. It's important to test and assess their effectiveness as well as reinforce with training.

Read the full article here