Business leaders have a pivotal role to play in influencing attitudes, behaviours and overall performance related to workplace health, safety and wellbeing, according to new guidance by the British Safety Council (BSC).

The guidance, which is aimed at directors and managers, sets out practical steps they can take to lead health and safety effectively in their organisations.

Research into organisational climate and culture shows that the way a leader acts and talks about health, safety and wellbeing “broadcasts a distinct signal, which, in turn, informs employees’ attitudes and behaviours” to workplace health and safety, according to the document.

Business leaders are responsible for many aspects of health and safety management. Adequate management of workloads, supervision of staff, legal compliance, incident investigation and health, safety and wellbeing communication should be their key duties, according to the new guidance.

In addition to a large body of legal and regulatory requirements for employers in the area of workplace health and safety, there is also a growing financial imperative for business leaders to act on health and safety, as the cost of poor health or injuries of workers is significant.

Statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Labour Force Survey show the estimated annual cost of new cases of workplace injuries and new cases of work-related ill health in Great Britain in 2021-22 was around £20.7 billion, and 35.2 million working days were lost due to health issues and injuries in 2022-23. The estimated total annual cost of poor mental health to UK employers was even higher, reaching £53-56 billion in 2020-21.

Supervisors, middle and senior managers all have a role to play in creating a culture of compliance, with the new guidance emphasising that health and safety should be placed on an equal footing with other business parameters, such as quality, productivity and cost.

The new guidance highlights that effective health and safety leaders are those who focus on significant risks, demonstrate commitment by their actions, shape the ethos of the organisation, win the hearts and minds of workers, are held accountable, recognise the workforce when they get it right, and are trusted.

Guidance produced by the HSE and the Institute of Directors on effective leadership of workplace health and safety is also highlighted. This guidance stresses that effective workplace health and safety performance comes from the top, and that board members have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety.

The document sets out a four-point agenda for directors and board members to lead health and safety effectively. It follows the “Plan, Do, Check, Act” management approach and includes a checklist of key questions for leaders based on this method.

As underscored by the BSC guide, unless there is an appropriate and suitable focus on managing work-related health, safety and wellbeing risks at all levels within a business, even the most effective measures will fall short of the mark. Health, safety and wellbeing messages must be reinforced and supported from the top down and the ground up if they are to be successful.