Deconstruction with VCC: Field Safety Leadership and Behavior Change Management
“Behavior change occurs when workers do the safe and right things without having to think about it.”
Changing the behavior or mindsets of employees is one of the most challenging aspects of any workplace. That’s even more so in construction because a failure to change can lead to unsafe conditions and even injury. So, how can field safety leaders invoke change so that it sticks? VCC Safety Director Scott Anders shared his wisdom on the topic with host Tyler Kern on Deconstruction with VCC.
Anders set the conversation by describing behavior change. “In construction, accidents happen because of human behavior. So, I want to know what causes it. Behavior change occurs when workers do the safe and right things without having to think about it.”
What can drive a person to take a shortcut on a job? They may believe if they complete it faster, they’ll receive praise. However, if the result is injury, they cost the project time and money.
Changing mindsets is a process that happens over time, and the best way to support it is positively. “Finding fault in what the person did isn’t going to change it. Understanding why they thought it was okay to do it gets at the root of the problem, which you can address,” Anders explained.
While change is inevitable and usually for the best, the most significant challenge is making the change itself. “People do not like it. It’s a big hurdle, and the best approach is to be a positive influence on those I work with to take that big step,” Anders noted.
Latest
Biden Nears Win as Japan, Dutch Back China Chip Controls
For more on the West’s race to implement China chip controls, read Bloomberg’s explainer on the computer chip “arms race.” (Bloomberg) — Japan and the Netherlands are poised to join the US in limiting China’s access to advanced semiconductor machinery, forging a powerful alliance that will undercut Beijing’s ambitions to build its own domestic […]
NYSE Mayhem Traced to a Staffer Who Left a Backup System Running
(Bloomberg) — More than 700 miles from Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange’s backup data center on Cermak Road in Chicago is supposed to safeguard US markets, standing by at all hours in case disaster ever strikes the world’s largest venue for trading shares. When markets are closed, it participates in a well-worn routine, […]
California Storms Have Farmers Rushing to Avoid Crop Shortfall
(Bloomberg) — California farmers are facing costly damages from weeks of severe California storms that may trigger more expensive US fruits and vegetables in a time of massive food inflation. “The numbers are going to be somewhere in the hundreds of millions and perhaps in the billions,” Dave Puglia, head of the trade group Western […]
