Inspiring Words Lead to Safety Commitment

Words are incredibly powerful in the workplace. They have the power to inspire, motivate, and persuade, or discourage, dismiss, and negatively change attitudes. Some even believe that they are the most powerful drug used by mankind. If that’s true, inspiring words have the ability to engage workers.

In a Forbes article, The Importance of Words in the Workplace, Jacquelyn Smith express how whatever business you’re in, it’s important to choose your words wisely because they expose the number one ingredient for success – attitude.

“Words announce to the world how you feel and what you think about important workplace values like respect, commitment, accountability, gratitude, initiative, service, and excellence,” says Darlene Price.

When you notice something positive in the workplace, recognize it

Employee engagement empowers an organization to create a culture of safety.  When employees are committed to the organization and its goals, they’re engaged to make safer choices because they actually care about what they’re doing. A paycheck or promotion isn’t their only motivation. Sure, the success of the company is important. An engaged worker is working towards your bottom line – and safety is top of mind.

All workers want to feel important. They want to know they’re valued and encouragement is one of the strongest forms of authentic leadership.

If you want to create a safer more successful workplace, the words you use, whether spoken or posted around your building can motivate the change you need to see.

Oftentimes workplaces have this backward. For instance, during performance reviews, managers are known to routinely spend about 80% of the time on negative things like weaknesses and areas for improvement. Most of the time only 20% of the time is spent on strengths and positive aspects.

In studies conducted by Queens School of Business and the Gallup Organization, disengaged workers have 37 percent higher absenteeism, 49 percent more accidents, and 60 percent more errors and defects. Organizations with low employee engagement scores experienced lower productivity, profitability, and job growth.

Engaged workers are fully committed to their work and the success of the company. They put in more effort, have a higher quality work product, go out of their way to assist others, have fewer accidents and are willing to provide feedback and suggestions on ways to increase efficiencies and improve the work environment.

So, are the words you use encouraging? Do you motivate your workers to be the best they can? Are you positively encouraging your workplace with brightly colored graphics, posters, banners or success signs?

Use motivational posters to create positive attitudes committed to safety.