Rules and Ideas
Introduction
Over the years, while driving down the long lonely back roads of Oregon to visit companies as an OR-OSHA Training Specialist, I decided to pass the time by coming up with some rules for effectively recognizing safety performance. To make it more of a challenge, each rule had to start with the letter "S." After a few years I finally developed 18 rules for recognition. (If you can think of more, please send it to me!)
If you apply each of the rules for recognizing co-workers, I think you'll have a dramatic positive impact on your relationship with others, the company's safety culture, and your company's long-term success. Give them a try. Steven Geigle, CET, CSHM, OSHAcademy
Rules for Recognition
It's important to understand that the primary message throughout these rules is that effective recognition is primarily a function of leadership, not management. Leadership is all about saying, and more importantly, doing things that develop positive working relationships that result in employees doing a good job for you because they want to. Otherwise, employees will do only what they have to do to stay out of trouble. So, let's take a look at these Rules for Recognition:
Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
- Security: Security is Maslow's second-most basic psychological need (See video). Employees want to feel secure in their job. To promote feelings of security, be sure to include safety recognition and rewards employees have received in their performance appraisals. If employees know safety is being addressed in their performance appraisals, they will believe management considers safety performance as important. Consequently, employees are more likely to perform up to and beyond established standards.
- Selection: If you're providing tangible rewards as part of your safety recognition program (e.g. money, pizza, mugs, gifts, etc.), it's a good idea to let employees choose from a selection of gifts. Do not assume everyone places the same value on any given tangible reward. The old saying, "one man's trash is another man's treasure," is certainly true. For instance, one employee might value a gift card while another person might consider a card as having little value, but would prefer a day off work. Give employees the ability to choose tangible rewards because they will naturally pick the reward that is most valuable to them.
- Selflessness: You should be motivated to recognize employees for the right reasons. The purpose of the recognition is to highlight the great performance of your employee. Leaders should not be motivated by an self-serving attempt to show others how wonderful you and the organization are. Recognition that's motivated by selfish reasons will be perceived as disingenuous. Recognition is all about the employee, not you.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-1. Which of the following "Rules for Recognition" apply when employees are allowed to choose from among a variety of rewards?
You forgot to answer the question!