{"id":127981,"date":"2025-10-21T02:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T02:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content-stg-talogy.pantheonsite.io\/?p=127981"},"modified":"2025-11-27T17:28:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T17:28:07","slug":"why-leaders-struggle-with-safety-accountability-and-how-to-fix-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/talogy.com\/en\/blog\/why-leaders-struggle-with-safety-accountability-and-how-to-fix-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Why leaders struggle with safety accountability and how to fix it"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cSafety is our top priority.<\/em>\u201d Sound familiar? And while I feel that most companies genuinely mean that, sometimes holding employees accountable for safe work practices is easier said than done. For instance, consider these examples below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEmployees are not supposed to be on their cell phones when they\u2019re out on the floor\u2026but they do it anyway. We constantly see them pulling their phone out.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt depends on the supervisor \u2013 some of them enforce the safety policy, but some of them don\u2019t. It depends on who\u2019s in charge on that shift.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDrivers not maintaining a safe distance\u2026 pedestrians just walking wherever they want\u2026 We\u2019re at a dead end with our PIV [powered industrial vehicles] safety \u2013 what else can we do??\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These examples highlight three different global organizations in three entirely different industries who are all experiencing the same challenge: first-line leaders struggling to hold their employees accountable for safety. So, what steps can organizations take to overcome this issue and strengthen their commitment to safety<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The difficulty of enforcing safety accountability practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Accountability in terms of workplace safety has been a recurring theme for many of the organizations we work with here at Talogy. During calls with EHS experts or workshops with leaders, it appears to be the most common safety struggle. As one of our contacts stated, \u201cIt seems to be a lack of managerial courage.<\/em>\u201d But why is safety leadership \u2013 particularly enforcing safety policies \u2013 so challenging and ensuring safe behaviors so hard to enforce?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many variables lead to the creation of this dynamic, including systemic, technical, and human factors. It\u2019s not as easy as just telling an employee to wear their safety glasses or put away their phone \u2013 there is much more to it than that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, the conditions of the workspace itself (e.g., layout, ergonomics, temperature, etc.) make it difficult for employees to follow certain safety rules. In these cases, employees are placed in an impossible situation where they must choose between safety and doing their job. In other spaces, it can be tough to enforce safety accountability practices out on the floor because senior leaders and executives are not held to the same standards. Regardless of the situation, employees not following safety policies and leaders being unable to enforce these rules can lead to dangerous and even deadly consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of training can lead to poor safety practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The reality is that first-time managers<\/a> often lack the skills needed for proper safety accountability. This is more and more common as companies are forced to promote younger and less experienced hourly employees into leadership roles too quickly due to external factors such as growing retirement waves and a competitive labor market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hourly employees who excelled as operators or technicians might know the job and the equipment from a technical standpoint, but it does not mean they are ready to lead and manage teams. In fact, one of the most common themes we find in consulting with companies across industrial sectors is that first-line leaders are ill-equipped to become first-time managers. Rather than lead, they tend to approach their new position the way they always did \u2013 as an operator or technician. Without the training and development needed to excel in their first leadership role, they eventually struggle and become a bottleneck to the implementation of effective safety initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is why it is critical to have a process in place to identify high potential<\/a> hourly employees with the intent to promote these individuals into leadership roles. It\u2019s also important to have structured programs to develop their leadership skills, particularly in safety critical environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 reasons leaders fail at safety accountability<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Given that so many supervisors struggle to hold their team members accountable for safe behavior, it is important to look at this as a specific safety leadership skill that can be developed. Here are some of the most common reasons and behavioral gaps we see in first-line leaders in industries such as manufacturing<\/a>, energy<\/a>, construction, and utilities<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Setting unclear or vague expectations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One of the most common themes I hear from supervisors is the realization that they are not clear or specific enough in their safety expectations to employees. Saying \u201cBe careful\u201d or \u201cLet\u2019s be safe out there today!\u201d does not constitute clear guidance on how to perform a task safely. Team members need to know from the beginning what work they are expected to perform, what that work looks like, and details on how to perform it safely. Without this, team members are left to interpret these things on their own, which sets them up immediately for unsafe work practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Not communicating the \u2018why\u2019 behind safety rules<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Too often, employees are told to follow a safety policy without a proper understanding of why these rules exist. Supervisors may say, \u201cBecause it\u2019s our policy\u201d or \u201cI don\u2019t make the rules,\u201d which further demotivates the employee to adhere to guidelines. In many cases, employees simply do not know the potential risks involved or what the machinery or equipment can do to them under certain conditions. Taking the time to explain how a process works as well as the associated hazards is essential for leaders to instill safety commitment in their employees \u2013 particularly when they have little or no industrial work experience, an increasing trend in today\u2019s workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Lack of self-awareness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Holding team members accountable for safe and successful job performance can be hard. It is especially challenging when you have low empathy, poor credibility, or engage in behaviors that alienate others, yet you have no clue that people see you in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Low emotional intelligence<\/a> can often result in this type of dynamic. Team members and colleagues are unlikely to give the leader feedback on these behaviors, and thus, the leader persists with certain ineffective behaviors which makes it hard for them to enforce safety policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Insufficient or ineffective feedback on safety behaviors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

After training and coaching thousands of first-line leaders and middle managers on safety leadership practices<\/a>, I can confidently say that the most frequent skills gap in safety accountability practices relates to feedback skills. Feedback is of paramount importance in cultivating a strong safety culture. But too often, supervisors miss golden opportunities to shape safety behaviors because they provide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n