Safety-first culture: Encouraging behavioural safety in the workplace

THE FM SERVICES PROVIDER’S VIEW
JAMES BRADLEY,
CEO AT CHURCHILL GROUP

We’re an industry of people-led services for people, so to excel at workplace safety we must ensure the delivery and consumption of services is safe and healthy. A behavioural approach where everyone takes personal responsibility for safety is the winning formula.

Behavioural safety relies on a personal dedication to keeping oneself and others safe. While rules and procedures create structure, a safety-first culture takes shape when individuals internalise those expectations as values. This is illustrated by the Dupont Bradley curve, which demonstrates the four stages of occupational H&S.

FMs can help bridge the gap between obligation and ownership by making safety relevant to everyday actions and encouraging personal reflection on its importance. As behavioural safety improves, so do the impact of binary safety measures.

We have developed our Vision Zero framework to embed this mindset across our teams. Vision Zero is not a fixed target, but a cultural shift that integrates safety, health, wellbeing, and environmental objectives. It provides a structured yet flexible set of principles that can be adapted to any workplace.

It asks leaders to take visible action, identify hazards, and invest in people – motivating through participation and developing competence at every level. By focusing on ownership, communication, and continuous learning, Vision Zero helps shift safety from something employees must do, to something they want to do.

FMs have a huge role to play in this. Behavioural safety thrives in organisations where psychological safety is prioritised – where employees feel empowered to speak up and report issues without fear of blame. By creating space for open dialogue, and acting on feedback consistently, FMs can build a culture where safety becomes a shared value.

Equally important is the need for effective training and induction that goes beyond procedure and explores the why behind safe behaviour. When employees understand the real-world impact of their actions, and feel that their input has tangible outcomes, they are more likely to act in the interests of the wider team.

As we continue our Vision Zero journey, we’re also exploring how technology can support our ambitions. While still in its early stages, AI is showing real promise in breaking down some of the traditional barriers to safety engagement, particularly around communication.

For example, we’ve trialled an AI-powered reporting system that allows frontline operatives to log near misses using voice notes and photos in their own language. The system transcribes and categorises reports, helping managers respond quickly and spot deeper trends. We’re also testing multilingual bite-sized audio updates, enabling site managers to distribute key safety messages in more than 50 languages, making briefings more accessible to diverse teams and reinforcing safety as a shared responsibility.

These tools aren’t a replacement for human connection – they’re a way to strengthen it. By meeting people where they are, and making it easier to communicate and be heard, we’re helping progress the Vision Zero culture and encouraging greater ownership at all levels.

The goal is simple: to move beyond compliance and build a workplace where everyone looks out for one another. Vision Zero gives us the framework. Behavioural engagement gives us the momentum and emerging technologies, used responsibly, can help us reach that future faster.