Canadian Occupational Safety

www.thesafetymag.com/ca 35 S P O N S O R E D S P E C I A L F E A T U R E SAFELY LEADING THE WAY New WSPS survey reveals startling insights into the benefits reaped by companies that have a strong leadership focused on health and safety week with staff to monitor their health and well-being and all staff are encouraged to speak up and report any discomfort." Senior leadership as a driver for progress Senior leadership was one of the top three drivers for improving organizational health and safety, according to respondents. And, in fact, for the companies describing themselves as "proactive" and "leading" with regards to health and safety, senior leadership played a larger role as a driver among these more developed organizations. Sixty nine per cent of "leading" companies said that senior leadership drove the conversation for improving health and safety (up 10 per cent compared to 2019), while 56 per cent of "proactive" organizations said the same thing (up nine per cent compared to 2019). The benefits of strong leadership A stronger focus on health and safety can lead to a number of benefits for companies. A recent survey* by Workplace Safety and Prevention Services (WSPS) has revealed key findings on health and safety leadership during these unprecedented times. As one can imagine, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on businesses, with half of the survey respondents reporting that the global pandemic was their biggest challenge (50 per cent). Nevertheless, the pandemic is not the only thing that safety professionals need to keep in mind. Indeed, avoiding injuries in the workplace remains a top concern for organizations (41 per cent). Increased focus on health and safety There has been a noticeable positive growth between 2019 and 2020 for organizations that identify as having a strong focus on health and safety. Thirty eight per cent of those surveyed described themselves as "proactive" — a 10-point increase from 2019. These organizations proudly host active board discussions and support aimed at enhancing management of health and safety. Even more exciting, 17 per cent of those surveyed described themselves as "leading" — a five-point increase from the previous year. "Leading" organizations have made health and safety a strategic priority, with board decisions taking into account the impact on the health and safety of employees. Said one of our leading respondents: "Health and safety is consistently the first item on our leadership meeting agendas and in our all staff town halls. Management checks in several times a Only six per cent of those at the start of their health and safety journey reported that they saw reduced injuries and costs. These are companies that are only starting to understand what health and safety involves. Twenty two per cent of companies describing themselves as "reactive" — that focus on addressing incidents as they arise — report reduced injuries and costs. For companies "managing" health and safety risks, this figure goes up to 34 per cent. Unsurprisingly, organizations boasting strong health and safety leadership reap the highest rewards. A whopping 48 per cent of "proactive" companies responding to the survey reported reduced injuries and costs, with this number going up to 50 per cent for "leading" organizations. These are concrete and measurable ways of looking at the benefits of strong leadership. Placing employee safety at the centre of business decisions reduces injuries, a huge step forward, but it also reduces costs for the organization. "This survey, quite unintentionally, has revealed just how devastating it can be when businesses are not This survey, quite unintentionally, has revealed just how devastating it can be when businesses are not committed to health and safety." Lynn Brownell, WSPS Brought to you by

• Cover