--- title: "Is \"safety\" a barrier to safety buy-in?" description: If you want your people to get on board with buying-in to safety, then they need a very specific and clear picture and mission. image: https://www.kevburns.com/hubfs/Buy-in004.png --- Is "safety" a barrier to safety buy-in? [![KevBurns Learning: We teach industrial supervisors how to be really great leaders.](https://www.kevburns.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Kev-Burns-Learning-white.png?width=240&height=118&name=Kev-Burns-Learning-white.png "KevBurns Learning: We teach industrial supervisors how to be really great leaders.")](https://www.kevburns.com/) - [About](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) - [Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/supervisors) - [7 Reasons to Not Work With Us](https://www.kevburns.com/7-reasons-not-to-work-with-us) - [52 Benefits of Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/52-benefits) - [Hope Calculator](https://www.kevburns.com/calculator) - [Issues](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [People](https://www.kevburns.com/people-issues) - [Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [Escalations](https://www.kevburns.com/escalation-issues) - [Resources](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Books](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Newsletter](https://www.kevburns.com/newsletter) - [Downloads](https://www.kevburns.com/downloads) - [Case Study NBU](https://www.kevburns.com/nbu-case-study) - [Case Study WCC](https://www.kevburns.com/wcc-case-study-2026) - [ROI Videos](https://www.kevburns.com/videos) - [Speaking](https://www.kevburns.com/speaking) - [Media/Podcast](https://www.kevburns.com/media) - [Blog](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) - [Contact](https://www.kevburns.com/contact-us) - [About](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) - [Supervisor Academy](https://www.kevburns.com/supervisors) - [7 Reasons to Not Work With Us](https://www.kevburns.com/7-reasons-not-to-work-with-us) - [52 Benefits of Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/52-benefits) - [Hope Calculator](https://www.kevburns.com/calculator) - [Issues](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [People](https://www.kevburns.com/people-issues) - [Safety](https://www.kevburns.com/safety-issues) - [Escalations](https://www.kevburns.com/escalation-issues) - [Resources](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Books](https://www.kevburns.com/books) - [Newsletter](https://www.kevburns.com/newsletter) - [Downloads](https://www.kevburns.com/downloads) - [Case Study NBU](https://www.kevburns.com/nbu-case-study) - [Case Study WCC](https://www.kevburns.com/wcc-case-study-2026) - [ROI Videos](https://www.kevburns.com/videos) - [Speaking](https://www.kevburns.com/speaking) - [Media/Podcast](https://www.kevburns.com/media) - [Blog](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) - [Contact](https://www.kevburns.com/contact-us) # Kevin Burns Blog #### Improve safety culture. Build teamwork. Get employee buy-in. [Current Articles](https://www.kevburns.com/blog) [RSS](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/rss.xml) [Why Work With Kevin?](https://www.kevburns.com/about-kevin-burns) # Is "safety" a barrier to safety buy-in? Posted by [Kevin Burns](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/author/kevin-burns) on August 19, 2021 What happens when the word "safety" becomes a barrier to safety buy-in? It is happening with increasing frequency in all sectors and industries. And it's probably happening in your company too. Say the word safety to some of your people and their eyes roll back in their heads as they brace themselves for the safety lecture. The companies that I have facilitated through the Rally Your Team or [RYT Program](https://www.kevburns.com/marketing-for-employee-buy-in) have all identified the word safety as a barrier to safety buy-in. Ask ten crew members to describe what safety looks like to them and you will get ten different responses. If you want your people to get on board with buying-in to safety, then they need a very specific and clear picture and mission. [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/237929/5e4e6d65-bbcd-4376-a7a1-81155e1c2a38.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/237929/5e4e6d65-bbcd-4376-a7a1-81155e1c2a38) Franklin-Covey’s research into company goals revealed: - 85% of employees can’t identify one of their company’s top goals, - of the 15% that could name one of the top goals, only half were prepared to help the company achieve it, - 89% have no idea what to do to help the company achieve its goals. Perhaps that’s why the focus for so many years has been on safety compliance instead of buy-in. Compliance is simply easier to achieve through straight-up enforcement of safety rules. But that won’t help employees to care about where they work or help the company achieve its goals. [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/237929/14f8bd45-a0db-4090-9f68-ec4abf2a1762.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/237929/14f8bd45-a0db-4090-9f68-ec4abf2a1762) You won't get commitment to safety without clarity. In order for employees to become clear about company safety goals, they need a simple message of what you want them to think, do, and feel about safety. You need to create a vision and mission for safety. A clear and simple message of safety. You don't need more rules and reminders in safety. You need more of your employees to buy-in. And that takes a very different approach. Topics: [safety leadership](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/safety-leadership), [safety culture](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/safety-culture), [safety buy-in](https://www.kevburns.com/blog/topic/safety-buy-in) ### Subscribe today to Kevin's blog --- Kevin Burns' newest book, **The CareFull Supervisor**. 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