The same important role has been included for everyone in the GO! compass. 

“I engage with colleagues if I see them working (un)safely and appreciate it if others engage with me too”. 

(Link to the GO! compass: www.geenongevallen.nl/kompas)

Sounds great, but how do you do this? In the following chapters, we will provide an explanation and exercises that you can conduct with your team.

When, why and how do you actually engage with someone? Only when there is a problem, or also when things are going well?

You might engage with someone for positive as well as negative reasons. A person can be engaged with in all sorts of situations. If you are really pleased about something, then you would speak to the person and give them a compliment.  Try to do that more often, even if it seems like part of the job. Everyone will have a good day when they receive a compliment, which oddly enough is also called a “reward”.

Of course you may also notice a situation that you feel is unsafe. And naturally this would make you feel concerned for the safety of your colleague. Try not to be judgmental, start a conversation with the colleague(s) in question and discuss what you see and ask whether they have noticed this too. Normally, you will find that a good chat about the unsafe situation will yield results.

Sometimes a conversation will be unproductive or unpleasant, in which case you should check with those involved why they are responding in this way. Perhaps some emotions need to be discussed first, before you can move on to the actual topic and find a solution together.

The following exercise is a great tool to learn how to engage with someone or start a conversation. You can perform this exercise yourself, or ask someone to support you in this. Check within your own organisation about who could support you with this.

1. Discuss the following question in the group:

• What is the reason for engaging with someone?

2. Form pairs to discuss the following question: 

• Have you ever engaged with someone about their unsafe behaviour?
  • Yes - Why did you do that? And how did it go? 
  • No - Why didn’t you do that?
• Check with the entire group - ask one or two colleagues to share what they discussed in pairs.

3. discuss statements with the group:

• Explain that they will see two statements. 
• Hand raised signifies YES. Hand lowered signifies NO. 
• All answers are acceptable.

Statement 1: I appreciate it when someone engages with me about unsafe working practices.

• Ask a few colleagues to explain their answer.

Statement 2: I will occasionally give a colleague a compliment

• Ask a few colleagues to explain their answer.

4. Summarise what has been discussed (across all 3 tasks)

5. And thank everyone for the frank conversation! 

6. Optional > Watch this video together. (156) SAFETY |SPEAK UP - YouTube ​​​​​​​

Here are several tips to use when you want to start a conversation:

Imagine that you see someone working unsafely…

• Don’t be too quick to judge. There can be many reasons for the behaviour that you are observing.
• Discuss what you see or feel. And ask whether the other person feels the same way.
  For example: “I see that you...” OR “To me this feels unsafe, because...”
  And not: “You are doing it wrong”
• Does the other person feel caught out or uncomfortable? This can happen and it is a normal response. Try to remain calm. You could point out your good intentions.
• Ask whether he/she could find a way to do things differently/more safely.

Warning - Yellow or red card

If you notice that someone continues to work in an unsafe manner and engaging with them does not help, then you have no other option but to issue a warning. This is a task for the manager.. Get the manager involved to discuss the unsafe situation and decide whether a yellow or red card (= an official warning) needs to be issued.

Social safety

Do you feel unsafe about speaking up? Report this to your manager or go to Integrity & Code of Conduct - Introduction page (sharepoint.com) for information about our confidential advisors.

OR check the toolbox Social safety