August 12 2018
By: Terry L. Mathis
Several of my client organizations are bleeding skills and experience. They have a workforce with high average tenure that is retiring and being replaced with much less tenured workers. When I ask them how this is going to impact their levels of skill, they look at me with deer-in-the-headlights eyes. Organizations would be ashamed if they could not readily access metrics on their sales, receivables, bank balances and inventory levels. They often state that their people are their greatest assets, but don't have a metric on the skill levels of their people.
Organizations with excellent performance view falling skill levels as a serious red flag. National safety statistics continually show a correlation between low tenure and high accident rates. Tenure is not a perfect measurement of skill but most organizations already have that information. Measuring skill levels can be done several different ways and none are as complicated as it might seem. I am constantly asked to suggest leading indicators for safety. This is one! If your organization does not have this critical metric, consider developing it.
Terry Mathis, Founder and retired CEO of ProAct Safety, has served as a consultant and advisor for top organizations the world over. A respected strategist and thought leader, Terry has authored five books, numerous articles, videos and blogs, and is known for his dynamic and engaging presentations. EHS Today has named him one of the '50 People Who Most Influenced EHS' four consecutive times. Business leaders and safety professionals seek Terry's practical insight and unique ability to introduce new perspectives that lead to real change.
