Safety Committees: Fun Meeting Ideas
Safety committees have been proven to increase safety in the workplace. When properly set up and maintained, safety committees can be a fun and integral part of your safety management. The problem with even the most well-planned and well-executed safety committee is that any committee can begin to fizzle after an extended period. As in any group, if the committee no longer enjoys the meetings and/or no longer perceives a benefit to meetings, the constructive nature of the committee will no longer be maintained, and the employees looking to the committee for guidance will in turn decrease safety procedures. Therefore, safety committees need to maintain a fun and informative atmosphere that will enable them to create the same fun, informative guidance to employees. The following are some fun safety committee ideas.
Throw a Party
Making safety committee meetings fun can be as simple as making the meeting more of a party atmosphere or holding the meeting in a different location. A theme party can often break the monotony of the “same old” safety meeting or employee safety campaign introduction. Try some of the following theme ideas:
- Tikki: Simple decorations, fun music and simple foods make this party a favorite. Put on a little Jimmy Buffet music, serve coconut shrimp, and decorate with inexpensive grass skirts and leis. Allow employees to have a few minutes of fun, snacks, and socializing, then get down to business. The meeting can be as simple as a potluck or as elaborate as a catered, 400-employee safety campaign party.
- Western: Another simple party with easy foods, music and decorations, a western theme party can inject a little fun into a meeting that has become hum-drum. Play country music, serve hamburgers, and decorate with leather, boots, and hats. Again, allow employees to enjoy a little party atmosphere before buckling down to business.
- Big Band: A big band party is also simple. Choose a few basic colors for table clothes and accents, play big band music and serve sandwiches, dips and vegetables. Enjoy a few minutes of fun and socialization to increase committee morale, and then introduce the safety plan.
Pick a Good Leader
Your safety committee leader can make or break your committee, but there are some ways to ensure you have a good leader. Try the following:
- Hold an election: Allowing employees to choose their committee leader can make the committee more effective. Employees will generally choose to follow someone they like and respect, someone who is fun and committed.
- Choose a leader yourself. If you wish to have a hand in choosing the leader, choose someone who is a dedicated worker and knows how to have fun. If those qualities are difficult to find, you may choose to guide your chosen leader through aspects of leadership in which they are unfamiliar.
In safety committees, it is very easy to lose momentum, which decreases safety numbers. To help your safety committee feel more connected to their peers, feel more involved in the committee, and feel more like safety is a fun and worthwhile campaign, sometimes injecting a little fun into the mix can help a struggling committee become a more cohesive, effective team.
