Almost half of American workers would consider taking a pay cut to work for an employer with a better safety culture, according to the 2024 Workplace Safety Culture Report from DuraPlas. Using third-party survey platform Pollfish, DuraPlas surveyed 1,000 U.S. workers 18 years of age or older to find out whether they are incorporating safety culture into their evaluation of a new job.
After self-identifying as either a blue-collar worker or a white-collar worker, participants were asked:
- If they’d be willing to take a pay cut to move to an employer with a better culture of safety.
- Whether or not safety culture is a factor when considering a new job opportunity.
- Whether or not they’ve ever turned down a job because of concerns over workplace safety.
Based on the survey results, it seems American workers would be willing to make less money to work for an employer that embraces a culture of safety.
Key findings from the survey include:
- 34% of blue-collar job candidates are very likely to inquire about safety practices during an interview, while only 26% of white-collar candidates express the same likelihood.
- For both blue-collar and white-collar workers, nearly half (48%) of respondents would consider a pay cut for a job with a better safety culture.
- There is a notable gender difference: 56% of men surveyed are more likely to take a pay cut compared to 42% of women.
- The majority of workers say a job where there’s a strong culture of safety is more satisfying (82%) and they feel more productive (79%).
- Just 39% of respondents who said safety was a factor in accepting a new position have actually turned down a job over safety concerns.
Clearly, prospective employees want to be sure they’ll be safe at their new job. If hiring companies and organizations aren’t making it clear that they value safety, they need to do so, advises DuraPlas President Paul Phillips.
“Culture is something communicated through actions as much as it is through words,” commented Phillips. “So if you’re an organization that has a true culture of safety, it’s going to come through in more than posters hung in a breakroom or a days-safe countdown whiteboard on a production floor. It’s going to be communicated through the trainings you offer and the maintenance you do and the equipment you provide your workers.
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“With this survey, we learned that employees are paying attention to these things, asking about them in the job-hunting process, and they are willing to sacrifice pay for a place that puts a priority on their safety,” Phillips added.
You can read the full report here.
