How to Engage Young Employees in Safety: Tips and Tools

In today's world, where technology is evolving at an incredible pace and workplace safety requirements are becoming increasingly strict, it is essential to involve young workers in ensuring safety. Young employees just starting their careers can bring a fresh perspective and new ideas to the fields of HSE, industrial safety, and fire safety. In this article, we will look at how to engage young workers in these matters.

Why are young workers important for safety?

Young workers are the future of any company. They possess new knowledge, skills, and experiences that can be useful for improving the safety system. Furthermore, young workers are often more open to new ideas and ready for change. This makes them valuable participants in the safety process.

However, young workers may also face several challenges along the way. For example, they may lack sufficient work experience in this field or sometimes fail to understand complex and convoluted processes. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies that will help attract young workers to safety management.

There are several tools that can be used to engage young workers in safety issues:

1. Education and training. Conducting educational programs and safety training can help young workers understand the importance of following rules and procedures. Training can include lectures, practical exercises, video materials, and other forms of learning. It is important to use tools relevant to this category of workers. I recommend refreshing your knowledge of the Theory of Generations. Using modern technologies such as mobile applications, online platforms, and social networks can make the process of learning and experience sharing more interesting and accessible for young workers.

2. Contests and competitions. Organizing safety contests and competitions can stimulate the interest of young workers and encourage their active participation. Contest winners can receive prizes and recognition, providing an additional incentive to participate.

3. Involvement in decision-making. Giving young workers the opportunity to participate in safety-related decision-making can increase their motivation and responsibility. For example, they can participate in developing new safety procedures and rules or suggest ideas for improving existing systems.

4. Creating communities. Establishing communities of young workers dedicated to safety issues can facilitate the exchange of experience and ideas among employees. Such communities can become a platform for discussing safety problems and finding solutions.

5. Recognition and rewards. Rewarding young workers for their contribution to safety can be a powerful incentive for their further participation and development. Recognizing their efforts and achievements can strengthen their motivation and self-confidence.

6. Feedback and evaluation. Regular feedback from management and colleagues can help young workers see the results of their work and understand how much their efforts are valued. Evaluating their contribution can also promote the development of professional skills and competencies.

An example of the successful implementation of these tools can be found at PJSC RusHydro, where there is a Young Workers Community with a "Safety" track. The company's young workers work on solving safety tasks, exchange experiences and ideas, and participate in contests and competitions. This approach not only improves the safety level within the company but also attracts young, talented specialists interested in developing their professional skills.

For instance, in 2023, members of the Young Workers Community developed the methodological guidelines "Organization of training on the practical use (application) of personal protective equipment." The result was a document highly praised by the jury of the Youth Day at the All-Russian Occupational Safety Week-2023 in the "Technological Projects" category, where the project took 4th place out of 11. The document was also presented as part of the Youth Day at the Russian Energy Week.

Thus, engaging young workers in safety issues is an important step toward creating a safe and efficient work environment. By using various tools and approaches, it is possible to involve young employees in the safety process and gain valuable ideas and suggestions from them.