Workplace Happiness as a Leading Indicator?

 

In safety management, leading indicators are highly valuable predictors of future losses to people, property, process and the environment.

They are early warning signs of potential safety management system failures and give organizations the opportunity to identify and control deficiencies before they result in incidents.

Typical examples of leading indicators include: hazard and near-miss reporting; the amount of time it takes management to respond to incident reports (indicating management commitment to workplace safety); and the frequency and findings of workplace inspections.

As our understanding of neuroscience evolves, how we manage workplace safety and health must also evolve. 

Let’s take workplace attitudes or “happiness” as an example.  When we better understand the chemistry of human emotions and their effects on the brain and nervous system, it becomes clear that workplace happiness, or lack thereof, it is indeed a leading indicator of incidents and overall safety performance.

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To read all of Theo’s articles in OHS Magazine:https://www.ohscanada.com/author/theoheineman/