This is achieved through reduced workers’ compensation claims, less wasted time, increased efficiency, savings in legal costs, etc. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to effectively communicate and deal with your employees about safety conditions at work. Simply put, this means that you must send job security messages to employees.

How to write a security message?

When creating safety messages for your employees, the following points will help guide you:

• Keep your messages short. Long messages may not be read completely.
• Simplify information. If you overcomplicate your messages or use jargon, people won’t understand what you need them to understand.
• Keep information relevant. If your employees work in an office and don’t operate heavy machinery, there’s no point in giving advice on handling heavy machinery! Promote situational awareness and encourage your employees to be aware of specific and relevant risks.
• Make your messages memorable. You can be creative and play with words and expressions in a way that employees remember. This can include metaphors, puns, or other interesting writing methods.
• Use positive language. Focus on the type of behavior you want to see in the workplace safety-wise, don’t dwell on the negative.
• Use visuals when possible. If you can accompany your safety messages to employees with visual images, your words will have a greater impact.

How to motivate employees to work safely

Companies often find it difficult to keep employees motivated when it comes to safety and security in the company. Here are some key ways to engage your employees on this issue and make them want to take action:

• Create slogans. Catchy, short phrases that help define your goals will likely resonate and stick in employees’ minds.
• Create visual displays. People react better to information when it is presented visually and are more likely to retain it.
• Offer encouragement to do the right thing. Employees are more likely to react favorably to positive reinforcement such as praise, rewards, and recognition. Work practices such as discipline do not motivate people and can seriously affect morale.
• Involve your employees in the process. When you include employees in the process of improving workplace safety, you allow them to feel connected to the project and its results. Let them participate in the purchase of protective equipment, participate in committees, contribute suggestions and ideas.
• Change things up. Keep safety in everyone’s mind by sending safety messages regularly, for example, daily safety messages that appear on computer login screens, such as “a safety message for today.”

Examples of types of safety messages you can create for employees

A generic safety message to employees like “stay safe” or “be careful when walking” or “pay attention to your surroundings” on paper may seem like a good way to communicate with employees, but they’re actually so simple that they often go unnoticed. By taking a more creative approach, whether it’s using witty words, humor, or inspirational quotes about safety, your messages will be more interactive and more likely to achieve the impact you’re looking for.

Here are some security message ideas to try in your company:

1. “There are no silly questions, but there are a lot of silly mistakes. If you’re not sure, ask!”
2. “Safety provides first aid to the uninjured.” – F.S. Hughes
3. “Safety is not an accident.”
4. “Safety is the seam that binds the fabric of life together. Don’t let loose threads undo it.”
5. “Prudence costs nothing. Negligence could cost you your life.”
6. “His first mistake could also be his last.”
7. “Wearing a mask is better than wearing a respirator.” (COVID-19)
8. “Safety is something that happens between your ears, not something you hold in your hands.” – Jeff Cooper
9. “Shortcuts could shorten his life.”
10. “Luck runs out, but security is good for life.” – unknown author
11. “Spills and slips could lead to trips to the hospital.”
12. “Cover your face and give people space.” (COVID Safety Message)
13. “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” – Sun Tsu
14. “When you’re not aware of safety, you could end up unconscious.”
15. “Security: what you forget can lead you to repentance.”

CEO Employee Safety Messages

With any important cultural value you want to instill in your organization, it’s essential to have the support of leaders and that they model appropriate behaviors as well. Health and safety in the workplace are no exception to this rule. Your management team should lead by example as well as speak up.

Some of the safety messages you deliver to employees should come directly from your company’s CEO. This gives them some authority and shows that their company is serious about protecting themselves on the job, and that the manager is personally committed to ensuring that workers are safe.

The CEO’s employee safety messages should be relevant to your organization: for example, if your company is in construction, workplace safety topics could include risks when working at heights, or for freight and logistics companies, you may want to highlight risks about driver fatigue.

Your employees want to feel safe in the workplace and look to management, including the manager, to see if there is evidence that safety is being given importance in your company. But while words are important in this process, so are actions. In addition to sending safety messages, the CEO should also be visible and come to where workers are, such as participating in visits and safety inspections. This will help make it clear to your staff that the director is truly interested in and committed to people’s safety.

You can send CEO workplace safety messages in virtually any format imaginable, from emails and intranet content to videos and corporate social media messages.

How to deliver your security messages

Internal communication best practices dictate that a multi-channel approach should be taken to distributing information in order to ensure the best possible reach for your messages.

This means that you should send safety messages to your employees using a variety of creative means that will capture their attention.

These may include:

• Visual campaigns using formats such as posters, business screensavers, digital signage, and corporate wallpapers.
• Brochures and flyers.
• Content on the intranet.
• Videos and podcasts.
• Send pop-up alerts or notifications in the form of a desktop ticker.
• Send reminders to employees through apps.
• Conduct questionnaires to your employees to assess their security knowledge.
• Include regular safety tips in your internal newsletters.
• Having safety tips as a recurring topic in team meetings.
• Discuss security in online chat rooms or forums.

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Workplace safety is important to every employee in your company, from the CEO to the lowest levels. Promoting awareness of specific hazards and threats that could compromise security is critical, and should be done in an easy-to-understand and accessible manner. Maintaining constant communication with employees, such as sending them daily safety message ideas, can motivate them about safety and can help reduce injuries and fatalities, as well as make your workplace a thriving environment.