Safety Ranks Among The Top Five Topics This Election

Safety is a topic that is on the minds of many Americans this year. When I catch the evening news, I feel hard-pressed to find a happy story, as it is often riddled with stories of violence and sadness. In fact, as the presidential election begins to ramp up towards debate season, my thought is that talks of public safety will continue to escalate based on a piece of data pulled from our newest piece of research, “Employment Background Checks: Survey of American Citizens.”

If you’re unfamiliar with this research, this survey explores how Americans feel about employment background checks and the impact they have on their professional and personal lives. It was conducted earlier this year and includes more than 1,000 respondents who are statistically representative of the national population.

The statistic I want to highlight is that public safety ranked among the top five topics this election cycle. Not only is this important for the candidates themselves, but it’s significant in the world of corporate America as it implies nearly one-half (48%) of Americans are concerned about their safety. In fact, with terrorism being marked as the number one response at 73%, I would argue that is it safe to assume Americans are regularly thinking about their safety, and the safety of their loved ones.

As an employer, it is crucial to think about the safety of your employees. Not only is this a good strategy for recruitment and retention, but will help to provide peace of mind to your employees. Here are some quick tips when it comes to ensuring a safer work environment:

• Be transparent – When it comes to your safety protocols, be transparent. This includes everything from your policy on pre-employment background screening to bullying, harassment and use of company facilities. By clearly laying out each policy, it leaves no room for surprises and ensures everyone is on the same page to help alleviate any safety issues that might otherwise arise.
• Be honest – Despite our best efforts, sometimes a safety or security breach happens. Be honest with your employees and do your best to state exactly what happened and the plan in place for remediation. Clearly explaining a situation shows your employees you value their safety and have put a plan in place to ensure their safety is protected.
• Be Approachable – Your employees are your greatest asset. It’s important you can remain approachable and open to new ideas to improve your security standards. Don’t be afraid to send out surveys to get a true understanding of how safe employees feel and suggestions on how to improve safety protocols.

For more information on how Americans feel about safety, I encourage you to download our latest report which highlights safety in the workplace, privacy vs. safety and employment deal-breakers. It’s a great start to creating a safer work environment for everyone.