How to Nurture a Culture of Health and Safety

Published on : 4/25/22

By: Stuart Winters, CEO Sodexo Healthcare U.S.

At Sodexo, we maintain a “zero harm mindset,” where all employees are responsible for and have a right to have a safe working environment. In recognition of World Safety Day, here are some tips for cultivating safety and health at work:

Foster open communication. Have open communication and dialogue, built on trust and mutual respect. When we say everyone in our organization is responsible for creating a safe workplace, we mean it. It’s empowering. Regardless of titles or seniority, we each have a responsibility to express concerns and call out at-risk behaviors.
Be engaged to continuous improvement of safety and health at work. You cannot manage what you don’t measure. Tracking incidents and improvements reinforces the constant focus that must be maintained on safety. And when significant improvements are made, recognition of personnel is important to show how valuable these actions are for the team and the organization.
Feel comfortable raising concerns about possible risks or hazards. A slippery floor will not distinguish between an executive leader and a frontline employee. We are all responsible to make our workplace safe for ourselves and our colleagues. We are all acting together to make a safer place to work.
Be proactive in collaborating to find appropriate, effective and sustainable solutions. An ounce of prevention... Get ahead of risks before they present accidents or incidents. Keeping abreast of trends in workplace safety, sustainable solutions, and environmental services will serve your organization and pay dividends in preventable costs.

This year’s theme for the International Labor Organization’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work is “ACT Together.” This means we are empowered at all levels to be responsible for safety. Through strong teamwork and proper leadership, your organization can exemplify a safety and health culture.