Your team is pushing back on new safety protocols. How can you overcome their resistance?

Involve your team in the discussions of any new safety, health or other rules. Your team knows what the potential issues are and they have thought of ways to protect themselves, so let them be an active part of the team writing the new safety protocols. This will give you buy in from the start.

Few helpful tips to address the concerns and successfully implement the new safety protocols are;- 1. Understand the concerns 2. Communicate the benefits 3. Involve the team in the process 4. Make it a collaborative effort 5. Provide training and support 6. Lead by example 7. Recognize and reward compliance 8. Make it a part of company culture 9. Address resistance with empathy 10. Monitor progress and adjust Remember that overcoming resistance to change is an ongoing process that requires patience, empathy, and effective communication

A saúde e seguran?a no trabalho é tema de grande relevancia porque, além de abranger três direitos sociais na mesma express?o, axiologicamente traz consigo a importancia da luta contra os acidentes de trabalho ou doen?as ocupacionais a eles equiparadas pela legisla??o previdenciária. Possui, ademais, o objetivo de possibilitar uma vida digna, sadia e incólume ao empregado, próspera à empresa e ecologicamente equilibrada à toda sociedade, que n?o tem que arcar com as externalidades negativas da atividade empresarial.

I will communicate with my team to understand their concern, two way communication is very important to take a better decision and make them understand benefits of new safety protocols as per different work or activities begins. I will make a proper strategy about new protocols and discuss it my team.

To overcome resistance to new safety protocols, engage the team to understand their concerns and clearly communicate the benefits with supporting evidence. Involve them in the implementation process and provide thorough training. Lead by example and recognize compliance to set a positive standard. Be flexible and open to feedback, making adjustments as needed to address practical challenges.

Key Points to Communicate a New Safety Protocols > Beneficial > Productivity > Safety In a Workplace the workers will only follow and obey protocols if they will Benefit on it. They have to be aware if not followed they will lose their job. Situation leading to this is government fines the company (Meaning Less pay to workers) or shutdown due to Non-Compliance of Safety Protocols and worse a worker got injured or killed. Productivity can be measured for Manhours work and no single injury or stoppage of work when safety protocols is at placed. Safety of the worker is top priority, No loss of limb, or Life. Workers can get back to their Family whole and well. The Financial Future is brighter for workers if Safety Protocols is followed.

If you have included them in the review process and development of said plans, the benefit is simple. They will already understand that the new protocols are being put into place to ensure they get home to the people they love. If you don't utilize the knowledge of the people doing the work, you are already behind, and it will be an uphill climb. Collaboration at all levels changes everything.

To effectively introduce new safety protocols to your team, transparent and persuasive communication is key. Clearly articulate the benefits of the protocols, emphasizing how they align with legal requirements and contribute to their personal safety and well-being. Highlighting these benefits—such as reduced accidents, minimized downtime, and enhanced job satisfaction—can resonate with team members, illustrating the positive impact on both individual and collective outcomes. When employees understand that these protocols are designed not only to meet regulatory standards but also to protect their health and improve overall workplace conditions, they are more likely to support and adopt them willingly.

I always deal with "Root Causes" Why do we have Safety Protocols? Because, we failed to listen, hear, and understand our job descriptions and or method statements or procedures for tasks, safety protocols had to be drafted. We have Speed Humps, why? Because we do not want to follow road signs "Speed Limits" If Safety was a State Of Mind, we would not be experiencing "Road Rage" Let me ask a question, when is safety a State of Mind? Tip of an Ice burg, unhappy, disrespected, unappreciated, overworked, unequal treated employees, can their State of Mind be as Safe? Askies. Most employees does not know what "Safety is a State of Mind" mean.

Clearly articulate the benefits of the new protocols. Highlight how they enhance safety, reduce risks, and contribute to a healthier work environment.

Make it short , clear and simple. Try your best to make the training session short that you do not lose employees attention. They must understand clearly why is it important and how to follow the new protocol. Simple which is not hard to do.

Effective implementation of new safety protocols hinges on comprehensive and engaging training sessions. These sessions should not only impart knowledge but also foster understanding and confidence among team members in applying the new procedures. By offering interactive training opportunities where employees can ask questions and practice the protocols hands-on, you create a supportive environment conducive to learning and skill development. This approach not only addresses any initial uncertainties or concerns but also reinforces the importance of the protocols in enhancing workplace safety.

Para lograr encausar al equipo lo mejor y la herramienta primordial es la capacitación constante. No solo de manera obligatoria, sino hacer participe al personal de que es lo que cambiaría en la empresa para poder continuar con los objetivos planteados en Seguridad. De ahí surgirán diferentes capacitaciones a los que los participantes estarán dichosos de participar. Hacer participe en las decisiones de la empresa, forma parte de la cultura empresarial.

Honestly speaking, there is no adequate time resource allocated for training in most companies and management seems to prioritize production over SHERQ training. Culture change is imperative.

Offer comprehensive training sessions that not only explain the new protocols but also demonstrate their practical application. Hands-on training can significantly reduce anxiety and build confidence in the new processes.

Visible Commitment: Senior management at ABC Manufacturing strictly adhered to new safety protocols, including always wearing PPE on the shop floor. -Active Participation: Managers joined safety drills, showing that the protocols applied to everyone equally, regardless of position. - Regular Checks: Management conducted regular safety checks and audits, engaging with employees to discuss and improve safety practices. - Open Dialogue: Leaders encouraged open dialogue about safety concerns and suggestions, fostering a culture where safety was a shared responsibility and everyone’s input was valued. --- This concise description emphasizes how leading by example can effectively reinforce new safety protocols.

Safety protocols must be followed and encouraged starting from the top management level-MD,CEO etc. - otherwise all these points are useless. Why do I say that? For example , if your team and you worked so hard for a year to develop a safety culture in one of our construction projects, by providing training, reporting any unsafe conditions/act/near-miss , monitoring on daily basis and encouraging employees and visitors to follow our safety policies and procedures. One day your CEO came to the site, without informing anyone he went on the site without any PPE and everyone saw him and said if this is the top man in the company with all the knowledge and resources he has, he did not follow the safety policies and procedures, WHY SHOULD I?

In most cases management teams are Bosses and Not Leaders. Move away from the culture of them and us. we Must be one team. Your subordinates must not perceive you an outsider. as one team, subordinates are free to confront each other anytime without fear and deliberate on SHERQ matters.

Leaders should be the first to adopt and adhere to the new protocols. This sets a positive example and demonstrates a commitment to safety at all levels of the organization.

Sans exemple de la supervision, il n'y aura pas d'adoption par les travailleurs. La supervision doit absolument s'engager dans la mise en place de la solution, afin non seulement d'illustrer la bonne pratique à mettre en place, mais également d'asseoir sa crédibilité dans l'hypothèse où un travailleur serait récalcitrant. En effet, comment un superviseur peut-il être légitime à reprendre un travailleur si lui-même n'applique pas les règles?

Respect, recognition and encouragement will enhance the culture of safety within the team. members will always be alert of hazards and be willing to rectify to prevent the risks.

Encourage a culture where safety is a shared value. This includes recognizing and rewarding adherence to safety protocols and promoting open communication about safety issues.

Continuous feedback is essential for effectively implementing and maintaining new safety protocols. Establish regular feedback channels like surveys, suggestion boxes, and one-on-one meetings to gather input from team members. Use technology to streamline this process and ensure feedback is collected in real-time. Analyze the feedback to identify areas for improvement, make necessary adjustments, and communicate these changes to the team. Regularly monitor the implementation through observations and performance metrics, treating feedback as part of a continuous improvement process.

Establish channels for ongoing feedback where team members can share their experiences, suggestions, and concerns about the new protocols.

The idea that we may have tried to implement something without firstly understanding the context of the people who ultimately will use whatever protocols we are trying to implement or may not involved them in the change process means that it will never work whether it’s a safety protocol or not. I think if our people understand why something needs to change and are part of creating the solution and can contextualise it to their works means it will be successful. The other part of this is, if it is direct contradiction with operational goals it will never be embedded successfully. Sometimes it might make sense from a safety perspective but it will make their lives harder we may have to look outside of safety to influence change.

Alot of times employees will push back on new safety policies because they are not educated with the reasoning behind the new policy or change to an existing policy. I like to call this the "WHY" factor. Explaining why policies are being implemented or revised will help employees understand and jump on board with the new changes.

Para cualquier cambio, siempre el contexto, la incertidumbre y el tiempo disponible, determina uno de los dilemas de cambiar, es entre la instrucción o la consulta. Si optas por el primero dedicas tiempo en explicar y justificar el cambio, pero en todo caso debe haber una explicación postmortem; con los participativo dedicas el mayor tiempo en consultar y construir desde lo colectivo; pero se ahorra esfuerzo en convencer. En lo personal siempre que sea posible, optó por la segunda opción, sin descartar que las circunstancias tienden a promover el convencimiento reactivo sobre el cambio.

ABC Manufacturing faced resistance to new safety protocols, including mandatory PPE and stricter guidelines. Employees found the changes cumbersome and unnecessary. **Steps Taken:** 1. **Effective Communication:** Management explained the rise in workplace injuries and benefits of new measures in a town hall meeting. 2. **Involve the Team:** A safety committee with employee representatives was formed for input. 3. **Education and Training:** Comprehensive sessions ensured understanding. 4. **Lead by Example:** Senior management strictly followed new protocols. 5. **Provide Support:** The company provided easy access to PPE and a help desk. **Results:** Workplace injuries dropped by 30% in the first year, boosting morale and productivity.