Safety beyond systems: Hearts and minds matter

Not getting improvements in your safety leadership culture or safety statistics? It s highly likely your organisation has failed to engage your people at the hearts and minds level required to create and sustain a strong safety culture.

Creating a strong safety culture within an organisation requires more than just implementing systems and processes. It’s about engaging the hearts and minds of every individual, regardless of their role, in taking ownership of safety. While legal obligations and well-designed processes are crucial, the real challenge lies in shifting people’s behaviour to prioritise safety.

Research shows unsafe acts (behaviours) contribute to 80% of accidents or incidents, whilst unsafe conditions contribute to 20% of accidents or incidents (Hollnagel 1993, Reason 1990).

As behavioural specialists, we understand that unless individuals truly comprehend the potential harm their actions could cause, changing their behaviour remains an uphill battle.

In the realm of Learning and Development as well as Safety, there are four essential areas that demand attention to drive a shift in safety culture and successfully implement change.

These four areas are:

1. Values: These are the fundamental principles that guide an individual’s decisions and actions. Aligning safety practices with core values reinforces the significance of safety in all aspects of work.

2. Beliefs: Personal beliefs heavily influence behaviour. Recognising and challenging any misguided beliefs that undermine safety is essential for fostering a culture of vigilance.

3. Mindset: Mindset pertains to the attitude with which individuals approach their tasks. A safety-oriented mindset ensures that precautionary measures are always a priority.

4. Attitude: Attitude reflects the disposition individuals have towards safety measures. A positive attitude makes room for open communication about safety concerns and a willingness to address them promptly.

To establish a solid safety culture, these four areas must synergise to engage the hearts and minds of leaders, managers, supervisors and employees. Neglecting any of these aspects not only leads to recurring incidents but also generates frustration and fear within the workforce. In severe cases, it can result in injuries or even fatalities.

Consider the following statements do they stem from Values, Beliefs, Mindset, or Attitude?

• “It won’t happen to me.”
• “This shortcut will save time.”
• “I’ll face consequences if I pause.”
• “This is how it’s always been done.”
• “I need extra protection to do my job.”
• “Someone else will address what I’ve noticed.”
• “We narrowly avoided a disaster.”

If your organisation has implemented tools and systems without seeing improvements in safety culture or statistics, the missing link could be the integration of VBMA’s (Values, Beliefs, Mindset, Attitude). A critical aspect that complements these elements is role modelling. Leaders must exemplify the attributes they wish to see in their team members and consistently uphold their words with actions. Without this alignment, attempting to induce change in others becomes an exercise in futility.

Fortunately, transforming VBMA’s and thereby engaging Hearts and Minds doesn’t have to be an arduous endeavour. A well-structured safety training program can efficiently drive this transformation across your organisation.

Recognising the importance of this approach, LDN prioritises working with leaders to cultivate Hearts and Minds before implementing any safety leadership programme across the entire organisation. Our goal is to tailor Hearts and Minds programmes to the unique challenges and potential of each organisation, ensuring a bespoke approach that yields tangible results.