How to conquer the dangers of complacency in the workplace

Is there such thing as feeling too comfortable at work? Broadly, managers want their workers to feel comfy at work. Keeping workers comfortable (and by extension, happy) is key to employee retention, good team spirit and staying physically and mentally healthy and safe at work. But what happens when workers become complacent? Is it really so bad?

Understanding complacency in the workplace

Complacency can stem from a few things. It could be that workers are so comfortable with their roles, they may become over-confident and not feel the need to do basic safety processes. It could also stem from exhaustion, fatigue or a lack of motivation – these are employees who are maybe mentally checked out or perhaps even on the path to a burnout. Regardless of the reasons behind it, being complacent can have some serious consequences in the workplace.

The dangers of complacency in the workplace

There are a number of dangers that can occur if a worker is complacent (and if a workplace culture is encouraging complacency). Firstly, complacency may lead to more accidents in the workplace. While there are no specific statistics available (because really, how can one measure complacency?), many OHS professionals will tell you that complacency can be a killer.

And because of these unnecessary accidents, workplaces may experience lost production, while workers may experience such negative consequences as loss of mobility, loss of good health, long-term disability issues as a result of an injury and even death.

Signs that your workers may be complacent

This is why employers and safety professionals need to be on the lookout to make sure that workers are not falling prey to complacency. There are some telltale signs that may give an indication as to whether a worker is being complacent or is in “autopilot mode.” For example, they may seem disengaged from their tasks, and even neglecting their tasks. Even if they are doing their tasks, they could be making more frequent mistakes or taking shortcuts that can eventually lead to incredibly negative consequences.

Again, these are necessarily things that can be quantified or measured, which is why it is so important for safety professionals to have great communication skills.

What can you do as a safety officer to mitigate risks?

You can start by performing a risk assessment. Though complacency can be hard to measure, having a mention of it in your safety plan or program can go a long way in raising awareness and keeping the topic of complacency top of mind. With this in mind, it is essential to teach workers the value of self-awareness, and discuss the risks of complacency with them. If you’re complacent about complacency then they definitely will be! Keeping it top of mind will also help keep everyone in the loop and more accountable.

You can also do frequent internal inspections and audits, and ensure that all relevant safety training for workers is up-to-date. Lastly, because complacency can be tied to fatigue or exhaustion, make sure that you are checking in on your workers to keep on top of their mental health needs.