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Some Workers Will Take Pay Cut for Better Safety Culture

Some Workers Will Take Pay Cut for Better Safety Culture

Feb. 21, 2024
A new survey says 17% would sacrifice pay for safety.

Wanting to understand how important safety is to both current and potential employees, DuraPlas asked 1,000 US workers for their views for the 2024 Workplace Safety Culture Report. 

Here are the results:

Q: Would you be willing to take a pay cut for a job with a better safety culture?

  • 31%  Maybe
  • 24%  Unlikely
  • 19%  No
  • 17%  Yes
  •   9%  Unsure

There was a gender difference as  33% of men said maybe and 23% said yes. While women 93% said maybe and 12% said yes. 

Q: How important is a strong safety culture in your decision to accept a new job?

Blue Collar

    • Very important --54%
    • Important -- 29%

White Collar

    • Very important -- 43%
    • Important --32%

Q: Have you ever declined a job because of safety concerns?

  • No -- 61%
  • Yes -- 39%

Q: How well do you think companies communicate their safety practices during the hiring process?

  • Well -- 30%
  • Adequately -- 29%
  • Very well -- 20%
  • Poorly -- 16%
  • Very poorly --4%

Q: How likely are you to ask about safety practices in a job interview?

  • Very likely -- 29%
  • Likely -- 27%
  • Somewhat likely -- 22%
  • Unlikely -- 16%
  • Very unlikely -- 5%

Q: What is your reaction to this statement? "A strong safety culture contributes to overall job satisfaction."

  • Agree -- 43%
  • Strongly agree -- 40%
  • Neutral --11%
  • Disagree -- 4%
  • Strongly disagree --2%

“Culture is something communicated through actions as much as it is through words,” DuraPlas President Paul Phillips said, in a statement. “So, if you’re an organization that has a true culture of safety, it’s going to come through in more than posters hung in a breakroom or a days-safe countdown whiteboard on a production floor. It’s going to be communicated through the trainings you offer and the maintenance you do and the equipment you provide your workers. With this survey, we learned that employees are paying attention to these things, asking about them in the job-hunting process, and they are willing to sacrifice pay for a place that puts a priority on their safety.”

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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