Most Significant Contributing Factor: Perceived Value

August 22 2022
By: Shawn M. Galloway

Not getting the results you want with safety improvement efforts? Likely because people don't see the value in what you are doing or focusing on.

Your energy follows when you turn your attention to what you perceive as valuable. But you don't do more than what is necessary until the perceived value of doing so is greater than the effort required. Meaning you'll put in the effort if you foresee a reasonable payoff. Leaders and workers are no different. What is the value perception within your organization with regards to improving safety? Is being just okay with your safety performance of enough value to stop there? What about being the best in safety performance and culture? Is that valuable enough to invest the necessary resources and attention to achieve this result? What about that new safety program, policy, procedure or checklist? Does the workforce see enough value in using it whenever and wherever needed, even if no one is watching or holding them accountable? Do you have a culture of want to or have to?

Whenever I find a lack of engagement from the workforce, or a lack of sufficient time, cost, resources, and energy applied by leaders to improve safety, I almost always find it comes from not seeing the value in doing more than what is current in place. Perceived value is the most significant contributing factor to success or failure when working to improve performance and culture. Because why put effort on something that won't perform or provide a ROI? Being strategic means focusing on the right thing and working to ensure the perception of the value among participants or investors of your efforts. How strategic are your improvement efforts?

"Attention is the beginning of devotion." — Mary Oliver

"The greatest gift you can give anyone is your undivided attention..." — Will Schwalbe