It's important for leaders to be passionate about workplace safety because not only does it protect  your most precious business resource - your human capital, but it can also impact profitability. Passion doesn’t come from scare tactics or Lost Time Injury Frequency Rates (LTIFR) data. Passion comes from hearing stories – real stories about the business impact when safety is relegated to the back seat. Compliance-driven safety activities are necessary, but this isn’t where we need senior managers to focus. This should be a given.

We need to spark a passion so that they start asking the right questions. Managers need a refreshed view when they are in the field, one that focuses on the hazards that exist and their associated risk to employees and the business in general. We need them to spark a conversation about WHS with employees and other managers.

A senior manager in one of Australia’s largest companies once explained to me that his managers can only juggle a certain amount of balls. Add another, and one drops off. He was right. I have seen this happen in most companies that I have worked for. Safety will be a priority for a period and then something else comes along. Safety shouldn’t be a ball to juggle – it should be part of your core activities and central to your business culture.

Providing safety leadership training to business leaders is a really effective way to increase their awareness and knowledge. It doesn't need to be a lengthy program, just long enough and engaging enough to deliver the vital information that senior managers need to stay informed.

Recovery Partners have developed a WHS Leadership Training Program specifically for senior managers. It delivers the crucial information in an easy to absorb, commercially focused way.

If you would like more information, our WHS professionals are always happy to have a chat. Feel free to call us on 1300 OHS RTW (647 789).