Gaining Credibility with Employees
Effective communication is key to establishing expert and position power.
When employees provide information or make suggestions, they expect action and timely feedback. They naturally want to see action. If safety committee representatives take the information to the committee but fail to provide feedback to management and employees, what will management think about the safety committee?
To gain credibility with managers and employees, communicate regularly and frequently with them. If a hazard can't be fixed immediately, let employees know the 'what' and 'why' behind the delay. They will appreciate it, even if it's not the answer they want to hear. In this way, the safety committee has done its job.
Another good idea is to appropriately "brag" about safety committee accomplishments. This doesn't mean that committee members should go out and literally boast about how great they are. Just let employees know about safety committee accomplishments and do so with some excitement and pride.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-3. What is necessary for safety committees to gain credibility with employees?
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