The Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) studies show that 70% of American Workers are disengaged and only 13% report being actively engaged in their work. Only 1 in 3 employees feel valued on the job. This reality is very sad, but when you think about this from a safety perspective, this reality is downright frightening. Our loved ones work in construction, manufacturing, transportation, health care, and others and we all drive, which statistically is one of the most dangerous tasks we perform. A lack of engagement at work, while driving, or even working on a ladder from home results in life altering or deadly incidents every day.

There are various definitions for engagement. When focusing on safety, I define engagement as a person being focused on the task at hand, performing the task safely, doing what is expected or maybe even performing above expectations.

On a scale of 1 – 10 (10 being Fully Engaged), how would you rate your workplace engagement in Safety? If you scored your safety engagement a 9 or 10, congratulations, you must have been very intentional and persistent to be at this level. If you are an 8 or lower, I am sure you want to improve this. Before we move forward, how do you really know the true engagement rating? How did you decide your rating? Would you like to know for sure, daily?

So how do we create sustainable engagement? Accountability developed the right way. In an earlier blog we made accountability simple for everyone to understand with these 3 elements:

• Define: Make it crystal clear what is most vital and expected.
• Measure: Regularly and consistently.
• Reward: Recognize when expectations are exceeded, met, or come up short.

Most companies attempt to create safety accountability from the Top of the organization and push it Down to the people doing the work, with very limited and short-term success. Creating a list of rules, regulations, and telling people what to do or not to do is what I call command and control.

A highly effective method is Empowering your people. Giving them the guidance, resources, support and authority to make decisions and take ownership of their behavior and work. But where do you begin?

Lead with Care. Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” You can tell someone you care, but people learn how much you care through your behaviors and actions. Consistent behavior is the accelerator to demonstrating you truly care

Below are the key ingredients I have found to create sustainable engagement:

1. Care – Humans crave social connection.  Invest time to get to know people and really engage with them.  Actively listen.  Do what you say you will do, every time.  Employees follow leaders who care about them and they will follow them in your company or to another company.  

2. Effective Onboarding – Employees who have positive onboarding experience will feel set up for success, supported, and perform well.

3. Provide Feedback, Often – Feedback helps team members learn, grow, and improve.  Positive and immediate feedback demonstrates you see the work they are performing and appreciate the person.  Challenge yourself daily to say “Thank You” to people one more time than the day before.  Be specific about what you are thanking them for so they can repeat it.

4. Engage Internal Team – Identify, select, and facilitate your team of experts.  We call this a Design Team.  All the answers to working safely are within.  Consider using us as your guide and coach to bring out this greatness.

5. Scorecard – What would a sporting event be like if there was no scorekeeping?  Create a colorful scorecard that shows who is exceeding expectations, meeting expectations, or falling short of expectations.  Offer support to those not meeting expectations.  Share the scorecard at a minimum weekly, same day of week, like clockwork.  

6. Recognition and Rewards – Your Design Team will define how you will recognize Top Performers.  Low-cost, tangible rewards (not money) shape repeatable behavior.  Creating an experience with larger recognition (i.e. engages the family).

7. Provide Leaders with Development – A Gallup study found that 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores can be attributed to managers.  I find it interesting they used the word Manager.  To create strong leaders, you need to be intentional in their development.  A mentor, coach, and peer group are all key ingredients.  To move from a Manager to a Leader, you need to create followers.  To create followers, you need to create Trust & Inspire, which is a game-changing book to read and apply, by Stephen M.R. Covey. 

8. Obtain and Act on Employee Feedback – Employees want to know that their voices are being heard and to feel heard, be sure to close the loop on all issues and ideas they bring to light.  Encourage their ideas and if it is something that will not be implemented let them know why.  Capture all the ideas you implement over time and share them at your quarterly staff communication sessions.

Become intentional and demonstrate you care about someone every day.
Ask the recently onboarded employees how the onboarding made them feel. After their first sentence, ask “please tell me more”. Ask what would make it better? Share these ideas with your onboarding team.
Utilize the 8 Ingredients. Recruit and form your own Design Team. Provide specific feedback and thank you to people who are working safely. See how many times you can say Thank You today, then beat that # tomorrow, and each day that follows.

Next Week, We Will Explore: The Power of Three

Are you aware of the psychology of the number “Three”? We will:

• Discover the psychology and power of three
• Explore how this power can create the culture and performance you crave
• Learn how to sustain the high engagement levels you have created

Make it a great day!

In 1995, my wife and I packed up and moved west in pursuit of opportunity and the dream of building a future for our family. Today, 29 years later, our twins—our greatest pride—are beginning their own journeys at rival colleges in Arizona. They are my “Why,” the driving force behind everything I do, including my passion for workplace safety and accountability.

Over the past 30 years, I’ve worked across multiple industries as a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), leading efforts to create safer, more accountable work environments. From commercial insurance companies to some of the largest construction firms in the country, I’ve seen how accountability—or the lack of it—can make or break an organization. In 2012, my partners and I founded a safety consulting firm, built from scratch, with a shared mission to improve workplace safety.

Through it all, one thing has remained clear: a culture of accountability is the bedrock of highly successful businesses. But it’s not just about policies and procedures—it’s about engaging and empowering people to take ownership of their work and safety. It’s about showing that you genuinely care about your people. In this blog series, I’ll explore how leaders can foster this culture and, in turn, create engaged, safer, and more resilient organizations.

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