Every June, National Safety Month gives organizations a timely opportunity to step back and evaluate how they’re protecting their people. While safety should be a year-round priority, this month serves as a focused reminder that workplace safety is not just about compliance—it’s about culture. When workplace safety becomes part of everyone’s everyday mindset, workplaces see fewer injuries, stronger morale, and a more productive workforce.

Workplace safety is important for many reasons. First and foremost, it protects employees from harm. But beyond that, it also helps businesses avoid costly disruptions, reduce workers’ compensation claims, and maintain a positive reputation.

One of the most effective ways to build and sustain a strong safety culture is through positive reinforcement. Incentives can play a powerful role in encouraging safe behavior. They help reinforce good habits, break risky patterns, and keep safety top-of-mind. Incentives are especially helpful in safety because, let’s face it, good workplace safety can often feel annoying or disruptive. Slowing down, double-checking equipment, running through safety protocols, and walking the long way around a production floor can all feel tedious and unnecessary in high-pressure moments, under deadlines, or at the end of a long shift. That’s why incentives can help motivate and encourage good practices: incentives help employees focus on the positive aspects of safety standards.

Small gestures and meaningful rewards are all part of building a culture of safety. Whether that means recognizing someone for consistently wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) or rewarding a team for going a month without incidents, these small gestures can lead to meaningful, long-term improvements in workplace safety.

Why National Safety Month matters

National Safety Month is more than just a calendar event—it’s a call to action. It encourages organizations to take a proactive approach to workplace safety by reviewing their current safety practices and identifying areas for improvement. Here are a few key actions companies can take during National Safety Month:

1. Review safety and health protocols

Over time, even the best safety protocols can become outdated or overlooked. National Safety Month is a great time to conduct a comprehensive review of your organization’s safety procedures. Are there any new hazards that have emerged? Are current protocols still effective? Are employees following their safety trainings consistently? This review should include input from employees at all levels, as they often have firsthand insight into what’s working and what’s not.

2. Update safety training procedures

Training is the foundation of any strong safety program. But if your training materials haven’t been updated in a while, they may not reflect current best practices or regulatory requirements. Use this month to refresh your training content, incorporate real-world examples, and make sure it’s accessible to everyone—new hires and seasoned employees.

3. Communicate safety policies clearly

Even the best policies won’t be effective if employees don’t understand them. Clear, consistent communication is key. Consider using multiple channels—like team meetings, posters, emails, and digital platforms—to reinforce your safety messages. Make sure employees know where to find safety information and who to contact with questions or concerns.

4. Promote safety across the organization

Safety should be a shared responsibility, not just something managed by HR or a safety officer. Encourage leaders at all levels to model safe behavior and talk openly about the importance of safety. Recognize employees who go above and beyond to keep their coworkers safe. The more visible and valued safety becomes, the more likely it is to stick.

How to make safety a bigger priority for employees

Getting employees to fully engage with safety protocols can be a challenge. People are busy, and safety practices can sometimes feel irritating and unnecessary—just another task on the to-do list. But when employees feel personally invested in safety, they’re more likely to take it seriously.

How do you make safety feel relevant and important? Start by making it personal. Help employees understand how safety impacts them and their coworkers. Share real stories of incidents that could have been prevented. Encourage open conversations about near-misses and lessons learned. And most importantly, create an environment where employees feel safe speaking up about hazards they identify.

Another powerful tool? Recognition. When employees see that safe behavior is noticed and appreciated, they’re more likely to repeat it. That’s where incentives come in.

Using employee rewards to encourage safe behavior

Incentives and rewards don’t have to be expensive or elaborate to be effective. What matters most is that rewards are meaningful and tied directly to the behaviors you want to encourage. Here are a few ideas to get started:

1. Reward participation in safety activities

Recognize employees who attend safety meetings, complete training programs, or volunteer for safety committees. These activities show a commitment to safety and help build a stronger safety culture.

2. Make safety fun with quizzes and games

Create a short quiz based on your latest safety policies and offer a reward for high scores. A reward not only reinforces key information but the competition also makes the learning process more engaging.

3. Recognize strong safety inspection results

If a team performs well during a safety inspection, celebrate their success. This could be as simple as a shout-out in a team meeting or a small reward like a coffee gift card.

4. Celebrate accident-free milestones

Set goals for accident-free days, weeks, or months, and lay out incentives that teams can expect if they meet those goals. A clearly stated incentive and a goal helps keep safety at the top of everyone’s minds and gives employees a shared goal to work toward.

5. Encourage innovation and feedback

Invite employees to submit ideas for improving workplace safety. If an idea is implemented, recognize the contributor with a reward. This not only improves safety but also empowers employees to take ownership of their environment.

These types of programs can help shift the focus from reactive to proactive. Instead of only responding to incidents, you’re encouraging behaviors that prevent them in the first place.

Want to learn more?

Tango, a division of BHN, can help you establish an employee rewards program that can help nudge your team towards any business goal. This can work to motivate sales teams, reward employees for upselling certain items, and encourage longevity and reduce staff turnover. Employee rewards and incentives are especially powerful for encouraging workplace safety. That’s why Tango is proud to help our partners celebrate National Safety Month and reward employees for keeping everyone safe.

To find out how to get started, contact or call us 925.738.3100 to speak to one of our employee rewards experts.