Q - Wouldn’t it be better if we did it ourselves, rather than hire a company to do it?

A – It actually sends a message to your employees that their safety really is important to you, because you care enough about their safety to spend the money to bring in a great program for them. Here is another thing to consider: who will run your meetings, and can s/he entertain the employees? It’s hard to be a boss and have fun at the same time. Our team is free to be funny and entertaining, all the while rewarding your workers’ for being safe.

Q - I've tried Safety Bingo. Why would your program work any better than that did?

A - There is little or no interaction with safety bingo - no chance to boost morale, or talk about injuries. It is simply a gimmick, and if it works at all, it only works for a short time.

Q - Not all Safety Incentive Programs work. Why?

A - There are 4 significant components to consider when establishing a safety incentive program. If all 4 are in place, the program will work. Miss any of them, and it will be less effective.

• No games or gimmicks. Employees recognize gimmicks, and even if they work for a little while, they do nothing to establish a safety culture in the long term. A program needs to be all about safety, not bingo, with no other qualifications.
• Frequency. The program thrives on visibility, so we hold the meetings every month without fail. If it is really a priority, you need to demonstrate it by meeting frequently.
• Positive peer pressure is a key, but peer pressure only happens if there is a desirable incentive. Pizza parties are nice, but they don’t change behavior.  There must be a strong potential reward, without breaking the budget.
• Accountability means discussing any injury that occurs. We let the employees suggest how it could have been prevented. We don’t embarrass anyone, but we don’t let injuries go unnoticed, either.
  
  

Q - I already have a program that is Employee of the Month. Is it the same thing?

A - Programs like employee of the month, or others like it, recognize excellent employees. That's great. But do they change the behavior of the employees that represent the greatest risk?

The key here is understanding that there is a huge difference between a "reward" and an "incentive". A reward is after-the-fact; like employee of the month, or a holiday bonus. An incentive influences behavior, and changes the way people act in order to generate a desired result. Our program is definitely an incentive.

Q - I don't believe in rewarding people for being safe. They should do this anyway!

A - Yes they should, and in fact, most employees do. But not all of them. With our program, your most loyal and conscientious employees will be encouraging others to act more safely, for the benefit of everyone.

Q - What if top management doesn't support your program?

A - The program will be less effective if senior management is not behind it. The message is most effectively delivered when employees believe that everyone in the company cares about their safety. If we know that a company's management team is not supportive, we must respectfully decline the assignment. We are dedicated to the same thing you are: absolute maximum results in the reduction of injuries and claims.

Q - I understand that getting employees to focus on safety could reduce legitimate injuries, but what about frivolous or fraudulent claims? How can you reduce these?

A - Fraudulent claims are more responsible for breaking the system than legitimate injuries. Accountability means discussing every injury. When an injury that is not legitimate is discussed, it tends to shine a light of truth on the dishonest party. Our program encourages honesty, rewards conscientious behavior, and improves morale: all of which help to reduce frivolous and fraudulent claims. While it is not possible to measure exactly, the impression of many of our clients is that they saw their greatest reduction in the area of fraud.

Q - We have already tried our own internal safety incentive program, and it didn't do all that much. Why would yours be more effective?

A - Implementing any kind of a safety incentive program is a good idea, but there are lots of components to consider to get the best program.

How often do you hold meetings?

How much should you budget for the awards? Cash or prizes?

Disqualifications- teams departments, or individuals?

Should everyone win something?

When do you change the awards?

What do you change if you have 2 or 3 bad months in a row?

Who is the best person to lead the meetings?

Your time and money are too valuable to take a chance. You are experts in your business. This is ours.

Q - How do I know it will work?

A - You don't. It's possible that your situation is so unique, that it is the one environment that won't respond to our program. But that hasn't happened yet. How sure are we that it will work?  We offer a pricing proposal that provides a guaranty of claim reduction.

Q - Will a safety incentive program discourage an injured worker from reporting a serious injury?

A - All our programs deliver the same message at the kick-off, and at the beginning of every meeting: “The purpose of the program is to get all of you thinking about safety, about doing your jobs safely, about making safe decisions, and looking out for each other. It is NOT to cover up injuries.” Further, one of our rules is a disqualification of any team or department that we find out has not reported an injury immediately.

The other key is the size of the awards: there is a “sweet spot” where the awards are meaningful enough to motivate, but not so large as to encourage hiding injuries. We understand the difference, and advise you on a reasonable budget.