bchulett said:
I'm not sure what's implied in your comment ... I don't recall saying they invented such a program. The fact is this applies pressure to new unsuspecting employees. And when employees really do get injured, more pressure is applied through peers NOT to report an injury due to month-end goals and cash payouts.
My employees work with heavy machinery that can take your arm off in a split second. I wouldn't offer cash to get the message across their health and wellbeing comes first ... it's part of the responsibility. More appropriately, we engage in continuous improvement, safe-work practices and ergonomics which leads to increased morale, quality and productivity---a more respectable ROI.
And yes, in a mundane job or even the most skilled and exciting job where your mind wanders or task blindness is present ... that's when serious injuries can occur.
No offense to you or your employer .. but offering Wall-Mart gift cards in trade for safety is not an incentive in my book. At least allow the employees to choose where they want to shop.
In addition, using new upcoming distribution centers as an example to articulate the "state of the industry" is not a fair assessment. For every new modern building or hub there are hundreds of old buildings that were never meant to be DC's---including frozen foods. I've been in them also.
Take care.
I think I misarticulated the point I was trying to make. This type of thing is very common in the warehouse industry.
The Wally World gift cards are a way to avoid paying income taxes on the incentive payments.(Illinois tax codes would require us to take income taxes from the bonus payments)
Your correct, peer pressure is a factor in these plans. Whoever was responsible for this type of system certainly had intended that.
Offering a bonus for safe days worked, or no reported accidents does not relieve anyone from the responsibilty of a safe work enviorment. It is merely inteded as extra for the employees who do work safely.
You say your employees work with heavy machinery. I'm going to guess that your staff is experienced, and highly trained, and fairly compensated as such.
For a good portion of the warehouse industry it simply isn't that way. Under-skilled, under-payed employees, many are transient-type employees doing a job for a company and they may not even know what they are moving. Alot of 'rental' type employees, with questionable skills, and a extremely low motivational level. Line supervisors who were promoted last week, given a clip board and sent on their way. This doesn't create an enviroment of people minding safety for the sake of safety. You have to prod them somehow.
Some of the places I have visited, I have seen extra vacation days, free lunches, drawings for prizes, safety games, awards, and other assorted things like that.
Would it be absolutley fantastic if all employees everywhere worked as safely and as efficently as possible, just because they can? Yes, is it going to happen? No.
and that there is still a place for some cheap one time use stuff 
