Having a company culture that values safety is a common trait among successful motor carriers. Culture defines an organization, and typically, motor carriers that value safety experience lower employee turnover, higher productivity, improved customer service, and decreased vehicle accidents and work-related injuries.
Selecting and retaining the right workers is one critical component to building this culture because safety-minded individuals practice safety and set a strong example for others. Here are five more tips for creating a safety-minded workforce.
GIVE SELECTION DUE DILIGENCE
Evaluate how candidates “show up” to work during the selection process. Specifically, do they approach every task with safety in mind? Pre-trip inspections and road testing are two hands-on ways to observe candidates. Also, asking safety and compliance-related questions during interviews and conducting background checks may provide a pretty good idea of how well a candidate will fit into your culture.
PROVIDE SAFETY TRAINING
Culture is not what you do but how you do it. Consider providing safety training in new employee orientation, this can help you create the expectation up front that employees are responsible for performing safely and reporting unsafe conditions to management. This training can be followed up during onboarding when new employees receive job-specific training. Mentoring and ongoing safety training are additional ways to keep safety at the forefront of all employees’ minds.