Responding is Buck Peavey, chair, Peavey Cos. Inc., Lenexa, KS.
Most safety incentive programs don’t collapse, they slowly fade. They launch with energy, leadership announces them, rewards are introduced and participation rises.
Then, somewhere along the way, attention drops, engagement softens, the program becomes routine and routine rarely changes behavior. The issue usually isn’t commitment to safety; it’s structure.
When the reward is the strategy
Too many safety incentive programs are built around a single idea: offer a reward and expect behavior to follow.
When budgets are tight, that reward is often modest. A small prize or occasional gift card might spark short-term interest, but it rarely drives sustained action week after week. Once employees figure out the value of the reward, motivation levels off.
The reward becomes the strategy – and that’s the mistake. High-performing programs, on the other hand, treat the reward as just one component of a larger campaign.
Break the goal into weekly behavior
Instead of waiting for a major milestone, effective programs recognize smaller, measurable leading behaviors on a consistent basis. Near-miss reporting, hazard identification, safety observations and demonstrated training comprehension are a great way to start.
We’ve learned that behavior change comes from repetition and frequency. Without a doubt, weekly reinforcement goes a lot further than quarterly recognition.
One unique structure that has proven effective uses weekly physical or digital gamecards tied directly to these leading behaviors. Each card carries redeemable value so that every participant receives a tangible award. This “everyone-wins” structure prevents the drop-off that often occurs when only a few people benefit.
Motivation isn’t one size fits all
Studies have shown that employees are motivated by different things. It makes sense – we’re all different, right?
Some respond best to smaller guaranteed rewards. Others are mostly energized by the opportunity or chance to win something larger. Our studies actually show it’s close to a 50/50 split. Programs that rely solely on only one approach are the ones that often lose steam and energy over time because they’re only truly motivating half of their audience. Using a properly structured, gamification-based program can target both audiences.
Whatever program you choose, make sure you use a fun point delivery system (gamecards, tickets or the like), and make sure to include some guaranteed rewards for those participating while also incorporating variable reward point amounts as well as entries toward larger drawings. Example? Part of the program might include employees accumulating drawing entries over time, which means their chances increase with time instead of fading. The psychology of it is simple: anticipation sustains attention.
Interaction changes everything
Another factor that prevents decline is interaction. When programs encourage collaboration, friendly competition or even trading mechanics, they create “talk” and “hype” internally. The campaign begins promoting itself. Safety becomes part of the everyday fabric – and discussed beyond scheduled safety meetings.
That social element is often what separates temporary initiatives from lasting safety culture change.
A real-world result
A major natural gas utility in the Pacific Northwest with 1,200 employees faced this very challenge. Its previous incentive effort generated early enthusiasm but struggled to maintain engagement.
The company restructured the program, including rewarding weekly gamecard for leading behaviors, while incorporating both guaranteed rewards and escalating drawing opportunities. Participation quickly strengthened and remained steady. Within the first year, the utility experienced a 41% reduction in recordable incidents. More importantly, the program didn’t fade after launch. Engagement remained strong and even expanded.
Closing thought
It’s true that safety incentive programs lose momentum when they depend solely on the size of a prize. They sustain momentum when they deliver frequent reinforcement, universal (everyone) wins, variable opportunity and increasing engagement over time.
When using safety incentives, the reward should support the strategy, not actually be it or replace it. In today’s world, we’re lucky to be able to use safety incentive systems that combine technology and gamification. Some offer automated tracking and rewarding, which keeps administration easy and even more effective. Gone are the days of recognition programs losing steam, fading out and collapsing quickly. In are the days of success and long-term workplace incident prevention. Now, go have fun with it and prevent incidents – and maybe save lives – at the same time!
Editor’s note: This article represents the independent views of the author and should not be considered a National Safety Council endorsement.
