It’s important to realize the leading reason for people leaving their job is, “They don’t like their supervisor or their boss.”
Now consider that safety pros understand how meaningful their job is, and thus are more likely than others to put up with a non-supportive boss. Others quit their job. More safety pros stick with their meaningful work in spite of a “bad” boss than do other workers.
Of course safety pros face challenges, including: 1) Safety from the perceptive of too many bosses is all about top-down enforcement or punishment and negative reinforcement, and thus they do not know how to recognize achievement when it comes to safety;
2) Unlike productivity, there are often limited indicators of success, unless an effective BBS process is in place, and thus the safety pro gets limited recognition for his or her effectiveness;
3) The boss sees the action and value of a safety pro when there is an injury, but this situation is negative and unpleasant. Thus, the negativity of the event generalizes to the boss’s perception and interaction with the safety pro.
In spite of all this negativity, the safety pros hang in there because they understand the value of their work, and they likely do get positive recognition from the wage workers. More safety pros than other professionals are likely to tolerate resistance, lack of recognition, and management foibles. Other professionals who dislike their boss are more likely to quit and look for another job.
