Identifying the Right Safety Incentives

Using incentives in safety training and culture is important, but an expert explains that it requires understanding which are the best incentives for your organization.

• By David Kopf
• Aug 01, 2024

Incentives play an important role in safety training and promoting a robust safety culture, though their effectiveness heavily depends on their design and implementation. That said, the use of incentives in those efforts has been on a learning curve. 

Clare Epstein, General Manager, Commercial, at Vector Solutions sat down with Occupational Health & Safety to discuss finding the right fit for incentives. Epstein brings more than 20 years of leadership experience working with safety training and technology, enabling employees to be safer, smarter and better. She joined Vector when it acquired IndustrySafe (now VectorEHS), a provider of EHS software, where she previously served as chief operating officer.

Over the past few years, there has been some debate regarding incentives because of the drawbacks of misapplication. For instance, some incentives, such as rewarding employees with cash bonuses or similar awards for going a certain number of days without an incident or injury, might inadvertently discourage the reporting of injuries or illnesses. Basically, employees might fear jeopardizing the bonus for themselves or their team, leading to underreporting and undermining the true spirit of safety. 

Therefore, it’s essential to approach incentives with some perspective in terms of the interplay between incentives and culture. In a strong safety culture, the primary incentive for safety training and adherence to safety protocols should be the fundamental goal of remaining injury-free and ensuring everyone’s well-being at the end of each day, Epstein explains.

“I think the best incentive is to create a strong safety culture where you provide resources for safety; workers don’t have to work extra-long hours; they feel that the equipment is up to date; they feel that safety is important,” she says. “And, if you look at the recent study that we just conducted, almost all of the workers in the industrial manufacturing space are working long hours. About a third of them feel that equipment wasn’t maintained and up to date. So, I would say if you take care of the basic tenants of safety culture, I don’t know how much of the incentives you might need.”

From that point of view, incentives that make employees feel valued and recognized, such as safety awards, can significantly impact the training approach. These incentives help employees understand that safety training and certifications not only ensure their safety—which is the top priority—but also contribute to their career growth and potential for increased pay, Epstein advises. Essentially, tying incentives directly to the employees’ personal and professional development proves to be a powerful motivator, fostering both safety and engagement in the workplace.

Transitory Workforces

Of course, there are work environments where workers come and go because of the nature of the work. How do incentives work in industries with those kinds of transitory workforces? 

Here again, Epstein advises the foundation remains creating a strong safety culture and safety awareness. Incentives play a role, but it is crucial to ensure that employees in these transient settings are adequately compensated for their time spent on training. 

Also, the training should be provided in a manner that is easy to understand and accessible, potentially in their native language, is also essential. These measures are likely to be more effective in reinforcing safety practices and ensuring comprehensive safety training than traditional incentives alone.

Careful readers will note that Epstein considers getting paid to take training a fundamental incentive. Does that remain a useful incentive with transitory workforces as well?

“I sometimes think of incentives in the typical way of ‘we’ll have a pizza party,’ or ‘we’ll give you a hundred dollars cash bonus,’” she explains. “I think those types of things might be less effective for a transitory workforce than paying them to take the training, having strong training, building that strong safety culture.” 

Paying workers to participate in training, coupled with delivering robust, accessible training programs, contributes significantly to building a strong safety culture. This approach ensures that safety training is prioritized and valued, ultimately fostering a safer work environment even if those workers aren’t there for the long haul.

Cultures Where Incentives Work

“If we’re looking at creating that buy-in and safety culture, we’re looking at making sure you have a commitment from the top down,” Epstein explains. “So leadership needs to be committed to it.”

So, employees should feel confident in reporting hazards, incidents, or safety concerns without fear of reprisal or blame, knowing that this information will be used to enhance safety measures. Recognizing employees for their contributions to safety is also crucial. 

Additionally, it’s vital to allocate sufficient resources to safety initiatives. This means not only talking about the importance of safety but also providing the necessary tools and support, whether it’s for equipment maintenance, appropriate working hours, or fair compensation. So, these elements become incentives of a kind and are part of the broader resource allocation necessary to sustain a robust safety culture.

Incentives and Technology

How does technology factor into using incentives? Can gamification on training apps and similar appeals improve training and safety culture? Are those considered incentives in the classic sense of the word?

“I think you can consider those incentives,” Epstein says. “It can work when you get awards or you are on the leaderboard when you successfully complete safety training or any type of training.”

Gamification can serve as an incentive by offering rewards or placing employees on leaderboards when they successfully complete safety training or other courses. This approach can be effective for some individuals, akin to a classroom setting where a few students are motivated by being at the top. However, it may not engage everyone, as those who realize they won’t be at the top might lose interest.

But again, Epstein underscores that while gamification and badges can motivate certain employees, the greater incentive lies in the tangible benefits these achievements offer. If employees understand that their training accomplishments can lead to career progression, better employment opportunities, higher pay, and increased safety, they are more likely to be engaged.

Can artificial intelligence reinforce this? One emerging concept that’s gaining traction, especially with the advent of AI and larger data sets, is the ability to understand the broader value of safety skills and training, Epstein notes. This technology allows for a more comprehensive view, linking safety skills to opportunities across various industries. Rather than just seeing how safety training benefits a current role, AI can analyze larger data sets and recognize the market value of their safety certificates and skills. 

“Now, with AI, you can have these systems look at data across multiple employees and multiple employers, across government sites and job sites such as LinkedIn or Indeed, and see what safety skills or safety training is important,” Epstein explains. “Then you can maybe relay that back to an individual to say, ‘Hey, you have this skill, and if you get this additional skill, you can apply for this type of job, and there’s X amount of these types of jobs available and it will pay you X amount.’ I think that’s a trend we might see more of.”

Besides coming home safely each day, gaining valuable insights into how their safety training could enhance their career prospects might just be one of the best incentives of all.

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2024 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.