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5 ways to make visual communication more effective


Much has changed in the area of safety communications. Gone are the days when wordy messages printed on paper with a burst of color sufficed. The channels for communication are many, including email, signage, bulletin boards, intranet, tool talks, meetings, apps, videos and so on. Furthermore, workers from different generations have different communication preferences. So it's understandable that employers struggle to simplify their workplace communication and keep it relevant.

Here are 5 suggestions:

  1. Messaging

    Safety communications must resonate with workers or they will be forgotten or ignored. Know your takeaway and keep it simple. Focusing on real-life incidents with the use of visuals and a few powerful words that engage emotions is most impactful. Not only are they remembered longer, they are more visible from a further distance and reach a multi-language workforce. This contrast in messaging was shown in a recent webinar by The Marlin Company.

  2. Keep it fresh and repeat

    Even the best messaging gets stale. A cardinal rule in advertising known as the Rule of Seven says that a prospect needs to see or hear your marketing message at least seven times before they take action and buy from you. Using different channels can help convey a consistent message in different ways, but not all workers have access to email and their smartphones during working hours. Signage is often a solution.

    Yet over time, static signage can have a wallpaper effect - present but unseen. Digital signage offers great opportunities here. It is easily changed, software updates can be done for multiple locations, and employers aren't dependent on personnel physically rotating signs. Multiple screens enable employers to target groups of workers and display unique content for the area in which they work. Messaging for call center personnel can differ from those in production.

  3. Placement

    While proper placement seems like a no brainer, employers commonly get it wrong. Signs that are too far from a hazard aren't effective because employees may not be able to see the hazard, making it easy to ignore. If a sign is too close to a hazard, employees may not have enough time to take precautions. And they need to be at eye level and not obscured.

  4. Be strategic

    • Too much communication can send mixed messages and be confusing. Workers can ignore all of it because it's just too much to take in at one time, or simply not really see it because something else caught their attention.
    • Keep it short. Unless there is a captive audience, videos should be less than a minute. Think of them as a commercial. Emails and texts should be concise and clear.
    • If there is a captive audience and a PowerPoint is used, put one topic or idea on each slide with appropriate graphics, then talk about it in plain language. Don't read from the slides.
    • Be selective about the messaging you use in places where employees gather -breakrooms, cafeterias or time clock areas. Promoting health and wellness programs, recognizing employees, information on company events, and appropriate humor can be appropriate here.
  5. Have workers contribute content

    Tap experts on staff and use them in your messaging. It's often been said that Millennials are the selfie generation and that the sweet spot to reach Millennials is a 30 - 60-second video, particularly if they are in it. But workers of all ages value recognition even though most are reluctant to step forward and volunteering to participate is not human nature. Invite workers to share stories from their own work histories about how following a safety practice protected them or a co-worker - or near misses or mistakes that could have been prevented. Stories are memorable.

Case study:

An article in the March issue of Risk and Insurance told the story of the Vermont School Board Insurance Trust (VSBIT) challenges of frequency and costs of claims related to snowy weather and icy paths. Shoveling and salting sidewalks were only as effective as the staff involved and the commitment of leadership to safety.

After exploring solutions, they embarked on a pilot program at 10 schools, placing signage at every entrance and exit, alerting passersby of icy conditions. A small mechanism would change colors - from silver to blue - when temperatures dropped below 37 degrees (car warning start at 37 degrees because icy conditions are not always obvious).

These schools had 39 losses that cost almost $240,000 the prior 5 years. After implementation, the same schools had only one slip and fall in total. The feedback from member schools was all positive and the program is expanding.