How connected communication improves safety culture

Culture and communication are deeply entwined at all levels of society. In companies, safety culture differs from broader sets of behaviours and routines in its intentionality. Edgar H. Shien’s book Organisational Culture and Leadership notes that company rituals soon become detached from their original motivations. Workers continue mimicking the practices of long-since departed managers, simply because that’s what they have always done.

Safety requires consistent, deliberate two-way communication, which demands greater mindfulness in how attitudes and behaviours are fostered beyond one-off memos and seminars. So, how can organisations establish this ongoing dialogue surrounding risk and expectations to foster accountability? And, how and why does it result in such measurable impacts on performance, engagement and incident reduction?

What is connected communication?
In a typical office setting, information flows from the top down. The task is done; the sales staff have read (or at least know about) a notice on fire hazards in the breakroom, and so the book is closed on this particular instance of communication.

However, the alternative argument is that information is best understood and translated into practice when exchanged, not given. Communication becomes connected when workers, safety reps and leaders establish a back-and-forth, turning a box-ticking exercise into a mutable engagement that involves questions, suggestions and deeper explanations.

In practical terms, this can take many forms, such as:

• Toolbox talks
• Safety meetings
• Digital sessions and training exercises
• Intranet
• Surveys.

Connected communication smartly packages and expands on what already exists to build a greater sense of shared understanding. Interaction and collaboration take safety from something you learn to something you do. 

Why communication sits at the heart of safety culture
Research across the board points to communication as an essential component of a positive safety culture. The UK’s Health and Safety Executive lists connected communication as part of the planning, execution and continuation of safety practices, including the need for clear channels for employees to voice concerns and report breaches. A study published in the Open Journal of Safety Science and Technology found that organisations practising effective safety communication reported lower accident rates and greater worker engagement.

More broadly, two-way communication allows staff to feel heard and opens the possibility of commendation. A Gallup poll on employee engagement demonstrates how impactful recognition from superiors and peers is in reinforcing good behaviour and renewing their drive to grow. When workers know their feedback is genuinely appreciated and not met with a generic template response, they’re more likely to report hazards and near misses, which are often poorly understood by leaders and are strong indicators of overall safety performance.

The absence of effective, connected communication has likewise been the subject of rigorous study. An HSE report on human error lists poor communication as a contributor to workplace accidents, and proposes involving workers in the design of tasks and procedures as a possible remedy. Similarly, the International Labour Organization points out that failures in communication and coordination are common underlying causes of safety incidents, particularly in complex environments.

Leadership visibility and joined-up messaging
What leaders say and do sets the standard for the rest of the workforce. For their signals to catch, upper management must take on a more active and visible role, creating opportunities for direct engagement and effective two-way communication. Not only does this give workers a chance to voice concerns, but it also provides leaders with a better idea of the operational realities of their teams.

Safety tours and walk-arounds open the door for:

• Open questions and discussions surrounding risk
• Feedback on existing procedures and possible adjustments.

Leaders who adopt a more proactive and socially driven approach to safety culture become more directly accountable for mixed messaging. If communication splits between an emphasis on safety and getting the job done, workers may feel pressured to work through valid concerns or hesitate when the situation calls for a decisive stop.

Joined-up messaging is a call for unified focus. When all communication promotes the same ideas and standards, it’s easier for staff to trust what they see and hear from higher-ups regarding safety.

Building a speak-up, listening environment
Being singled out in any group setting, be it professional or educational, demands a degree of humility and vulnerability that most are uncomfortable with. This is both supported by research and anecdotally true to most adults’ experiences. Safety culture requires leadership to address this psychological pattern by fostering an environment where workers feel empowered to voice their concerns freely.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is an advocate of the “speak up” approach to workplace communication. They emphasise that policy should champion employees identifying wrongdoing, which can be promoted through the presence of reporting channels for various issues, such as:

• Near misses
•  Anonymised channels for serious concerns
• Direct channels to safety representatives and committees
• Suggestion schemes. 

Central to the CIPD’s framework for speak-up workplaces is the idea of ‘closing the loop’. If employees see that their reports are addressed, they are more likely to continue participating in the system. Organisations should celebrate cases where wrongdoing was successfully identified and stopped, and use them as springboards for learning, rather than drilling down on blame.

Using data, feedback, stories and technology to reinforce culture
For most businesses, data is already abundant; the issue arises when trying to translate that abstract information into actionable insight.

The Campbell Institute at the USA National Safety Council shows that organisations with strong safety cultures are more effective at turning data into meaningful, accessible messages that support decision-making. This comes through matching key trends and repeated concerns with definitive strategic steps workers can take to mitigate risk.

Lending data a human face, such as through shared stories of near misses or errors that resulted in harm, helps make risks feel tangible and reinforces the real-world impact of safety procedures.

AI tools have given organisations a much easier, more timely way to collect and visualise data that both workers and leaders can interact with, though automation is no substitute for face-to-face conversations and human trust-building opportunities. AI presents the findings in a digestible way, but digital literacy still poses a barrier to entry that post-report briefings can help smooth over.

Digital technologies that aid workers in operational settings, such as two-way radio communication, reinforce a culture of safety and accountability through regular on-duty interactions. They allow teams to report safety concerns and coordinate responses in situations requiring immediate attention by linking the reporting process to a tool always within arm’s reach.

Practical steps to strengthen connected communication
Building a culture of connected communication involves focusing on the consistency of information and its delivery. Some practical ways of achieving this include:

1. Map your communication channels:
   Identify where information flows begin and end. Ensure access to the system is as easy as possible for workers, and identify any gaps or obstacles that prevent important reports from receiving the attention they require.
2. Train managers and supervisors:
   As managers are key to establishing a safety culture, they will need the same training as workers to answer questions and address concerns with confidence. On top of this, training in effective communication and active listening will help them play a more active role within their team’s development.
3. Introduce regular safety conversations:
   These can be short and informal, but instil in workers the sense that they’re encouraged to slow down and assess risks, even if it comes at the momentary cost of productivity.
4. Feedback loops:
   Reports lead to discussion and investigation, which lead to action. This should be built into all reporting systems, both digital and in-person.
5. Simplify communication:
   Safety campaign materials and communications should be succinct and easy to understand to avoid information overload. For example, posters that focus on a single measure, such as the proper PPE for a specific environment, are easier to retain than a multi-page report with the same details.

Conclusion
Culture is, in large part, organic. Leaders plant the seeds through policy and encouragement, which then bear fruit when safety and knowledge sharing become a regular topic of discussion among peers. Connected communication creates a sturdy foundation and guides growth by establishing a baseline understanding of risks across all levels of the organisation.

Constructing that base can be done one step at a time. Improving one or two aspects of communication, such as circling back with employees who report safety concerns or encouraging conversations of near misses, can get the ball rolling toward a larger, more meaningful change.

About the author
Charlie Burgess is a freelance writer and researcher for publications in the security and tech field. Specialising in physical security, his work has appeared in publications from around the world, including Business Insider Africa, ASIS International and Security Journal UK.