Complacency impacts workplaces and employees in varying degrees, often manifesting as a false sense of security that results in decreased awareness of one's environment. Even if you believe you are unaffected, it can be as subtle as lowering your guard, losing concentration or neglecting to observe hazards regularly. Depending on your position, this behavior can pose significant risks for both you and your colleagues. While no one intends to fall into complacency, vigilance is crucial, and staying actively engaged in your work can mitigate this tendency.
Risks of Complacency
Employees who are content and attentive usually focus on the present, immersing themselves in their tasks and surroundings. On the other hand, complacent workers might act on autopilot, simply going through the motions without engaging in critical thinking. This mindset can increase the chances of risks and injuries, regardless of age or experience. Whether it arises from task familiarity or routine, together, we can work toward preventing the hazards linked with complacency.
Signs of Complacency
No one understands you better than yourself, but becoming too comfortable can blind you to potential risks. To ensure your safety, it's crucial to recognize signs of complacency within yourself:
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Feeling dissatisfied with your work or lacking motivation
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Skipping steps in work processes
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Experiencing frequent near-misses or incidents
Because identifying these signs in oneself can be challenging, it's valuable to also be able to recognize them in your colleagues. Learning to detect these signs in others can help you notice them in yourself more easily. Apart from the mentioned signs, watch out for:
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Changes in attitude
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Significant increase or decrease in communication
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Being consistently late for meetings or shifts
Complacency can arise not only from losing focus on tasks but also from set expectations, which can lead to overlooking signs of complacency in co-workers who may not consistently meet performance standards.
Employee Engagement
If complacency is a rut that many employees find themselves in, then boosting employee engagement can be the solution. To enhance focus and prioritize safety, consider these steps:
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Set yourself up for success by consciously concentrating on your tasks. Acknowledge and eliminate distractions as they arise.
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Seek ways to enhance your routine or task approach.
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Consider altering parts of your daily schedule to maintain focus and avoid falling into autopilot mode.
Besides engaging yourself, strive to involve your colleagues in working safely:
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Integrate safety discussions and inspections into your routine with co-workers.
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Encourage discussing task steps with colleagues, regardless of your experience working together.
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Offer assistance with tasks and highlight any potential risks to prevent oversights.
Be vigilant about signs of complacency in yourself and speak up if you notice them in your colleagues. Everyone is vulnerable to these risks, and sometimes an external perspective is needed to recognize behavioral changes.
Safety Engagement Quiz
Not seeing the dangers right in front of you often means you are engaged with safety.
A. True
B. False
______________ can be the key to getting out of the rut of complacency.
A. Employee engagement
B. Personal protective equipment
C. Workplace housekeeping
D. None of the above
Examples of not being engaged with safety can be as simple as:
A. Letting your guard down
B. Losing focus
C. Not looking for hazards as often as you should
D. All of the above
Expecting the same performance can create risk if it causes you to overlook the signs of complacency in your co-workers.
A. True
B. False
Steps to regaining focus and investing in safety at work do NOT include:
A. Setting yourself up for success at work by consciously focusing on your tasks
B. Recognizing and dismissing distractions when they come up
C. Falling into auto-pilot mode when doing your tasks
D. Offering to help your co-worker with a task, and pointing out any apparent risks so they aren’t overlooked
Contact Risk Management and Safety for questions about this or other safety-related topics at 574-631-5037 or riskman@nd.edu.
Originally published by at ndworks.nd.edu on June 03, 2024.