Job site safety is a highly important component of managing a construction firm. A common cause of safety lapses is burnout, which is the result of someone’s attempt to cope with overwhelming and prolonged stress or discontentment.
Given our current world situation, stress levels are, arguably, at an all-time high. People at all levels are worried about their health and their family’s health, their personal finances, the global economy, and more…
The impact of this heightened stress can be devastating on both employees and employers.
Common side effects include increases in job site accidents and injuries, greater absenteeism, dips in employee morale, a variety of health problems, and two major forms of burnout: job burnout and safety burnout, which are closely related.
If an employee is burned out with their job it will affect most every aspect of their work and those around them. Vital areas such as safety can even become compromised.
Consequently, it has become increasingly important for Superintendents and Project Managers to heighten their ability to recognize these forms of burnout and to take action to address them.
Here are some of the most common warning signs:
- Complacency is a significant indicator of safety burnout and an injury or accident could be imminent. Do employees ever say, “We’ve always done it this way” or “That’s close enough?”
- Breaking the rules is another sign to watch out for. Do people often say, “The boss isn’t around to see” or “We were just kidding around”? If so, management must reinforce the fact that rules need to be followed all the time (no matter who is/isn’t around); management must also take corrective actions in response to safety infractions.
- Employees’ moods and attitudes can be a big indicator of burnout, so attention should be paid to them both. Do certain team members seem disengaged, unmotivated or express a negative and critical attitude at work? Have other employees complained about certain co-workers or voiced concerns?
An employer can also prevent both job and safety burnout among employees in several ways:
- Conducting regular meetings to promote inclusiveness and awareness
- Encourage employees to speak out about concerns or problems
- Maintain visibility so team members know you are accessible
- Review workloads and job responsibilities regularly to ensure proper balance
- Recognize good performance and desirable behaviors publicly