Getting to ‘why’
Every safety initiative has a purpose—but too often, that purpose gets lost. When workers don’t understand the ‘why’ — or rather, when we don’t explain it to them — safety becomes just another box to tick.
This month, we’re sharing five ways to make safety programs matter—so they stick, engage, and actually drive change. From making safety personal and framing it as a choice, to cutting through the noise with visuals and storytelling, we’ll show you how to reframe how your teams view—and participate in—safety.
Because people don’t connect with policies. They connect with why it matters to them.
But why? Making safety personal, practical and powerful
Every safety initiative—whether it’s a new campaign, updated procedures, or a major training rollout—comes with a purpose. The problem? That purpose often gets lost in translation.
Too often we see safety programs focus on what needs to be done rather than why it actually matters. And when workers don’t see the ‘why,’ we know for a fact engagement plummets. In these moments, safety becomes just another box to tick, another compliance task, another message that doesn’t quite land.
So what can be done?
We are pretty obsessed with finding new or different ways to make safety programs matter to the people they’re designed to protect. So this month we thought we’d share five different ways to make your next safety initiative connect.
Make it personal
No one is deeply moved by stats, corporate objectives, or compliance targets. What really sticks? When safety feels personal. When it’s about real people, real risks, and real lives.
Instead of: “We’ve introduced a new reporting tool to improve compliance and risk management.”
Try: “This tool makes it easier to report hazards so we can fix them before someone gets hurt.”
People don’t connect with processes. They connect with their mates, their families, their own experiences.
The more human your message, the more likely it is to stick. Aim for real and relatable messages that remind people of what’s at stake.
I want to be safe
People tend to push back against rules that feel forced. We’ve all got that little recalcitrant 14-year-old lurking inside somewhere. But most of us will step up when we’re empowered to make a meaningful choice.
Instead of: “You must follow these steps to comply with policy.”
Try: “Taking these steps protects you and your mates—it’s about looking out for each other.”
When we see safety as just another rule to follow, we’ll do the bare minimum. But when we understand why something matters, we take ownership. Framing things as a choice and showing how this safer choice might prevent injury is much more likely to land.
Let’s get sticky
Workers get hit with a ton of messages every day. If your safety program is just another email, another poster, another click-and-scroll training module… it’s probably getting tuned out.
So, how do you cut through the noise? Three of our favourite tips for extra stickiness are:
Make it visual
One impactful image can be more powerful than a wall of text, and humans process images infinitely faster than text.
Use storytelling
People remember stories, not policies.
Keep it simple
If it takes more than a few seconds to understand, you might lose them.
Example: Instead of a long-winded email or newsletter item about hydration during the summer months, try a bold, visual message: “Thirsty? Dehydration hits before thirst. Drink up.”
Democratise the message
Ultimately, every safety campaign's purpose, its 'why', is the people. So how do we get them to see and understand that? It's not enough to simply tell them, we need to get them invested. The best way to do that? Invite them into the conversation.
Ask for their input
Before rolling out a new initiative, involve workers in ideation, testing and feedback.
Use their language
If safety messages sound like a corporate memo, they won’t land. Speak how they speak.
Let them lead
Peer-led safety programs and worker-driven initiatives always have more impact than top-down messaging.
People listen to people like them. When safety feels owned by the workforce, not just enforced by ‘management’ or the ‘higher ups’, it becomes a shared responsibility—not just another rule to follow.
Reinforce the ‘why’ in different formats
One of the biggest reasons safety messages lose impact? Message fatigue. We’re not talking about your safety ‘brand’ — that absolutely needs to stay consistent.
When workers hear the same old “Safety is important” message over and over, it starts to blur into the background.
Stop: Repeating the same safety messages year after year.
Start: Finding new ways to tell the story.
You can do this by rotating perspectives. One month, focus on personal safety. The next, on protecting teammates. The next, on family.
It also helps to use different formats. Always use email? Try posters, videos or toolbox talks.
Above all else, keep it human – show faces, tell stories, make it real.
People before policies
If there’s one thing to take away, it’s this:
People don’t connect with safety because it’s required. They connect with safety because it matters to them and the ‘why’ is clear.
Every safety program, training, campaign, or initiative should answer one simple question: Why should people care?
When you start with that—when you make safety personal, meaningful, and engaging—you move beyond compliance to purpose.
Want to create safety campaigns or learning experiences that actually connects? Everyday Massive helps organisations craft safety programs that cut through the noise to inspire real change. Let’s talk.
