Construction jobsites can be fast-paced and challenging environments, where workers face various physical and mental demands. To cultivate a positive work culture and prioritize the mental health and wellbeing of workers, implementing company values signs can have a profound impact. These signs serve as visual reminders of the shared principles and expectations, creating a supportive and inclusive environment. By utilizing company values signs on construction jobsites, employers can foster a sense of belonging, purpose, and overall wellbeing among workers.
Implementation Tactics:
Clear communication: Place company values signs prominently at strategic locations on the jobsite, such as break areas, entrance gates, and common areas. Ensure that the signs are easily visible, legible, and reflect the core values of the organization. Regularly communicate the meaning and significance of these values to workers through team meetings, orientations, and toolbox talks.
Employee involvement: Involve workers in the creation or refinement of the company values signs. Encourage their input and feedback, ensuring that the signs resonate with their experiences and aspirations. This collaborative approach fosters a sense of ownership and promotes a shared commitment to the values.
Integration into daily operations: Reinforce the company values through everyday practices and behaviors. Incorporate them into performance evaluations, safety briefings, and project planning sessions. Encourage supervisors and managers to lead by example, consistently embodying the values and recognizing workers who align with them.
Behavioral Science Principles:
Social identity: The company values signs tap into the social identity theory, which suggests that individuals derive a sense of belonging and purpose from their association with a particular group or organization. By prominently displaying the shared values, workers develop a stronger connection to the company and their colleagues, positively impacting their mental health and overall wellbeing.
Normative influence: Displaying company values signs creates a normative influence, shaping workers’ behavior and attitudes. When the values are consistently emphasized and reinforced, it sets clear expectations for how individuals should interact and support one another, fostering a more positive and supportive work environment.
Psychological safety: Company values signs contribute to a psychologically safe work environment, where workers feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas. This promotes open communication, reduces stress, and enhances overall mental wellbeing.
Sources:
Harvard Business Review. (2019). High-Performing Teams Need Psychological Safety. Here’s How to Create It. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2019/08/high-performing-teams-need-psychological-safety-heres-how-to-create-it
Society for Human Resource Management. (2018). How Values-Based Organizations Inspire Employees. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/1018/Pages/how-values-based-organizations-inspire-employees.aspx
Forbes. (2019). Psychological Safety: The Key to High-Performing Teams. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carleysime/2019/02/10/psychological-safety-the-key-to-high-performing-teams/?sh=12553c564e5b
Harvard Business Review. (2020). Research: Creating a Culture of Quality. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2020/07/research-creating-a-culture-of-quality
Construction Executive. (2020). How Company Culture Impacts Safety Performance. Retrieved from https://www.constructionexec.com/article/how-company-culture-impacts-safety-performance
