Name Search
CTRL+K
speakers inc
SAFETY NET
speakers inc

THE SAFETY NET NEEDED

  • Author: Ryan Jenkins
  • Atlanta, GA, USA

How much could your team accomplish if they felt safe they couldn’t fail with a SAFETY NET? In San Francisco on January 5th 1933 construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge. The chief engineer assigned to the project was Joseph Strauss. Bridge building was extremely dangerous back then and the industry norm was one construction […]

How much could your team accomplish if they felt safe they couldn’t fail with a SAFETY NET?
In San Francisco on January 5th 1933 construction began on the Golden Gate Bridge. The chief engineer assigned to the project was Joseph Strauss. Bridge building was extremely dangerous back then and the industry norm was one construction worker would die for every million dollars spent on the project. Considering the high price tag of $35 million to build the Golden Gate Bridge, Strauss was committed to radically reducing the potential loss of life.
Even with immense pressure to finish the project on time and under budget, Strauss invested what would be $2,779,480 in today’s dollars to install a safety net. At that time, it was the most elaborate and expense safety device conceived for a major construction site. The net was strung underneath the entire length of the bridge and extended ten feet on each side of the workspace so that it protected everyone. It resembled the safety nets underneath acrobats that you see today.
“On the Golden Gate Bridge, we had the idea we could cheat death by providing every known safety device for workers,” Strauss wrote in 1937 for The Saturday Evening Post.
On April 28th 1937, Strauss and his team completed the construction of the tallest and longest suspension bridge in the world. They completed the project ahead of schedule, the safety net was said to have increased productivity by 25%, and the construction of the bridge cables was done at a rate four times faster than had been considered possible.
During construction, 19 men accidentally fell into the safety net, collected themselves and then got back to the work. Because of the safety net, workers weren’t focused on their safety but rather their success. Thus productivity and performance soared.
Today’s healthiest organizations find a way to have concurrent commitments to human dignity and performance. They don’t sacrifice the well-being of employees for high performance. They also don’t sacrifice performance to bend to every need of their employees. They strike a balance like Strauss did.
Strauss was a safety pioneer. His efforts set new standards for workers physical safety. The strides made since 1930s to keep workers physically safe has been remarkable. The next safety frontier for leaders to consider is the psychological safety of their team.
Your team likely doesn’t fear death when they arrive at work, but they do fear failure, rejection, burnout, isolation, and other invisible threats.
The brain is always searching and seeking safety. No matter if workers are scaling tall bridges or preparing expense reports, in their gut, down their spinal column and in the deepest recesses of their mind lingers the most fundamental question of humanity. It’s the question the brain is asking five times per second of every day beyond our conscious awareness. The question is, “Am I safe?”
Much like how the Golden Gate Bridge workers experienced more success when they felt safe, when your team feels safe their freed to focus on loftier goals. The unconscious safety alarm in their head is quieted and they can finally show up fully to work not focused on survival but success.
What does safety look like for your team?
One invisible aliment that today’s workers need a safety net for is loneliness. According to my research of over 2,000 global workers, 55% of workers say they experience loneliness at least weekly; with 72% saying at least monthly.
Loneliness not only hinders worker’s health but their performance as well. Lonely workers are 7x more likely to be disengaged at work, 5x more likely to miss work, and 2x more likely to think about quitting. Currently lonely workers have no safety net. They are falling further and further into isolation.
Humans are social creatures. We have a deep desire to be accepted, cared for and involved in meaningful community. These desires were (and continue to be) essential for our survival. Our ancestors who roamed the plains, lived in tribes where becoming separated or banished from the tribe made survival unlikely.  Our brains still function the same way at work, when we feel excluded, we become vulnerable and feel unsafe.
Loneliness is invisible, and there is no tangible safety net you can install to catch team members descending into isolation. The safety net comes in the form of psychological safety and creating a connectable culture where people feel comfortable to connect with each other.
The mental health resource workers want most is a more open and accepting culture. Essentially they want psychological safety… a place where they feel that one’s voice is welcome with bad news, questions, concerns, half-baked ideas, and even mistakes.
Teams can be lonely places. People can feel vulnerable and exposed if they believe their teammates don’t support their ideas or appreciate their work. These interpersonal struggles intensify for remote workers who lack the support of a nodding ally across the table in a meeting.

It’s challenging for leaders to create psychological safety because by virtue of their role they have power, and power is a barrier to psychological safety. In order to counterbalance the weight of their powerful role, leaders have to go out of their way to intentionally and strategically build psychological safety. Luckily this safety won’t cost you $2,779,480 like it did Strauss.

When workers feel psychologically secure and protected, their need for belonging is fulfilled and thus loneliness is lessened.  Leaders who create psychological safety among a team also reap benefits much like Strauss:
  • 12% increase in productivity
  • 27% reduction in turnover
  • 40% reduction in safety incidents

Just like the 19 bridge workers who bounced back from their falls, lonely workers can rebound out of isolation when the psychological safety net is in place.

Want help creating a more connected workforce? Check out Ryan’s latest Wall Street Journal Bestselling book: Connectable. 

Contact us at Speakers Inc and follow us on Twitter

THE SAFETY NET NEEDED belongs to these Categories

Generational News

4 Articles

Further articles you may like:

  • 2 views
speakers inc

3 Strategies to Reach Post-COVID Customers

The pandemic may be easing up in many parts of the world, but its effects will forever shape how we live, work and shop so here are 3 Strategies to Reach Post-COVID Customers The past two years have brought unbelievable challenges and changes. Throughout the uncertainty, people have evaluated their priorities and lifestyles. A full 50% […]

  • United States
  • 2 views
speakers inc

7 Emotional Management Practices

In this article you will discover 7 emotional management techniques . A person with poor emotional management in the workplace, or even in personal life, can have consequences such as being fired or failing to maintain a stable relationship. At work, those who do not have an awareness of their emotions are often someone who has difficulty appreciating and being appreciated […]

  • Portugal
  • 11 views
speakers inc

Top Military Speakers 2024

Inspiring Leadership: A Deep Dive into the Top Military Speakers in North America Top Military Speakers possess a unique ability to captivate audiences with their stories of leadership, resilience, and dedication to a greater cause. In North America, a diverse array of military leaders, veterans, and experts take the stage to share their insights, experiences, […]

  • United States
  • 8 views
speakers inc

Women's Month Las Vegas 2024

Celebrating Women’s Month Las Vegas 2024 Introduction: March is not just a month on the calendar; it is a celebration of the strength, resilience, and achievements of women worldwide. Women’s Month is a time to honor the contributions of women in various fields, and Las Vegas is gearing up for an extraordinary celebration in 2024. […]

  • United States
  • 7 views
speakers inc

The Most Important Skills For Becoming A Resilient Leader

Practice These Skills to Become a Great Resilient Leader When my friend Petra was diagnosed with cancer, not once, but twice, life gave her no choice but to be strong. When she went into remission for the second time, she decided she was going to wake people up to the precious gift of time. Through […]

  • United States
  • 2 views
speakers inc

Leadership Effectiveness: 6 Reasons To Measure It

I have worked with corporate teams that measure Leadership Effectiveness and what seems like everything. My concern with these teams isn’t what they are measuring, but rather what they are not measuring – leadership effectiveness. Teams measure on-time delivery, sales call per day, employee engagement, and so many more useful metrics. I’ve even seen a […]

  • United States
  • 3 views
speakers inc

Keynote Speakers Las Vegas

Keynote Speakers Las Vegas: Elevate Your Event with Premier Talent Las Vegas, renowned as the Entertainment Capital of the World, is not just about glittering casinos and dazzling shows; it’s also a hub for top-tier talent that can elevate any conference or special event. When it comes to booking Keynote Speakers Las Vegas, conference emcees, […]

  • United States
  • 5 views
speakers inc

Be a Force for Good

In the wake of some of the recent Force for Good events in the world and in light of so much of what we’ve all been through the past few years, I’ve been finding it challenging to focus on the good stuff and Be a Force for Good, even though this is at the core […]

  • United States

Our Mission

We are your partner creating memorable and engaging experiences that go beyond the event itself.
Prospective Speakers
FIND YOUR NEXT:
CONTACT US:
Facebook Linkedin Instagram Youtube Twitter Pinterest Spotify
Explore
Account

© All rights reserved 2024. Speakers Inc