Corporate

WSPS.CA | 2022 HEALTH & SAFETY LEADERSHIP SURVEY WHITE PAPER 13 INTRODUCTION In year one, pre-COVID, respondents were most focused on preventing injuries and reducing costs. Year two results revealed that having a health and safety program, even in its most basic form, was essential to survival. That year, and again this year, results showed that organizations with a robust culture of health and safety had fewer incidents of COVID and fared better through the crisis, overall. This year, the story the numbers tell is that priorities and expectations have changed. We aren't making decisions about where to invest our talent and time the same way we did before the pandemic. There are more opportunities available, remote employees can compete for jobs around the world and remain in the comfort of their own home. And, when they do choose an employer, they choose one who will protect their health, safety and wellbeing. Attracting and retaining staff catapulted to the top of the list of challenges businesses are facing. There was universal agreement that ensuring employees' safety and wellbeing is key to attracting and retaining talent. And, this year, caring for employees wellbeing was ranked as the number two driver for improving health and safety performance. The 2022 Edelman Trust Barometer also captured this shift, but from a slightly different angle. Their current research shows that 40% of employers rank employees as the most important stakeholder. In their January 2020 report, the numbers were much different. At that time, 40% of business leaders indicated customers were their most important stakeholders, and 37% said employees. 2 Despite widespread recognition that a culture of health and safety is a key differentiator when it comes to the battle for talent and organizational success, there has been a slight drop in some key leadership numbers since 2019. The number of respondents who say their leaders are actively involved in health and safety dropped 9 percentage points to 82%, and those who indicate that leaders understand the link between health and safety and business performance dropped from 97% to 82%. These results were consistent across industries, but among Leading and Proactive companies, the results were better at 99% and 92% respectively. The first year we reported on the Health & Safety Leadership Survey was 2020 when the pandemic broke. Now, with the survey in its third year, we find ourselves feeling empowered by vaccines and on the cusp of re-entry to some sort of new normal. The timing of this research presents a unique vantage point, and the results tell a very compelling story of the trajectory of health and safety in organizations through the crisis.

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