Shifting the Narrative: How changing the language around health, safety and wellbeing can change business success

As discussed at a recent Tribe panel debate, Crystal Danbury, Director of Safety, Insurance & Occupational Wellbeing at a FTSE 100 company, raised how the language used in the industry can have a significant impact on how health, safety and wellbeing is perceived and prioritised within organisations.

Breaking it down to ‘harm’ and ‘care’

Crystal says, “Safety is not about accidents, or zero anything. It’s about how people are harmed and how we understand those mechanisms of harm to prevent what is within our control.

“By changing language, we can stop talking jargon in our echo chambers and start talking to everyone else about how harm occurs, where it occurs, why it occurs, and make change.”

Crystal highlighted the challenge of the typical ‘compliance’ framing in health and safety: “The problem with the compliance-centric approach is that it can often feel impersonal, bureaucratic and disconnected from the real human experiences and needs of the workforce.”

She said, "Everybody is a health and safety junkie. The language has become so specialised and insular that it fails to resonate with the very people it is meant to serve. This is why it’s so important to talk about care.”

Health, safety and wellbeing as a business enabler

By fostering a culture of care and genuine concern for the wellbeing of employees, organisations can unlock tangible business benefits, such as improved operational reliability, productivity and overall performance.

Mark Ormond, Managing Director at Tribe Culture Change, highlighted a critical disconnect in how organisations view the relationship between safety performance and business performance. He noted that "only 14 countries in the world have ever explored this link as an enabler."

Even more concerning, Mark shared that organisations are often willing to discuss health and safety as a "cost of failure" or the problems it causes, but there seems to be a "worldwide mental block" about recognising its potential as a business enabler.

Overcoming this mental block is crucial if organisations want to truly unlock the value that a strong safety culture and focus on employee wellbeing can bring. It requires a fundamental shift in mindset, as well as a change in the language and framing used to discuss these critical topics.

Mark suggested the need for safety professionals and leaders to re-examine their assumptions and biases, and to actively work to reposition health, safety and wellbeing as strategic enablers of business success, rather than just a necessary cost of doing business.

Create a common language

The key, as highlighted by the panel, is to move away from the traditional ‘target language’ and instead create a ‘common language’ that resonates with people on a more human level.

This might involve sharing personal stories, using more accessible and empathetic communication styles, and actively involving employees in the process of creating a caring, safety-conscious culture.

Ultimately, the change in language is not just about semantics. It's about shifting the entire narrative around health, safety and wellbeing. By focusing on care, rather than just compliance, organisations can unlock new levels of engagement, commitment and ultimately, business success.