By Joshua Tienken, M.S., W.E. Beaty, Inc.
Safety professionals tend to wear a lot of hats throughout their career. From risk management and compliance to conducting training and holding meetings at all levels of their establishment. While we spend a lot of time on various tasks, we can all agree that the core focus of our profession is our people. We strive for participation and engagement in our programs and we find ourselves constantly fostering a positive culture through our daily communication.
When I entered the construction field, I knew that I would face some hurdles. Coming from general industry, I spent a considerable amount of time learning the ins and outs of the concrete construction world. Faced with learning a new industry while developing a safety program suited to address issues and plan for a reputable future seemed like a daunting but welcomed challenge. Along the way, I quickly learned that there was a void that I would need to fill. With this void came a language barrier with a large percentage of employees.
My first task at hand in my safety professional role was to establish solid relationships with all levels of employees. I spent time in the field not only learning the industry but building those relationships and strengthening our culture. In doing so, I was able to gain good traction and gain trust at all levels in our company. However, I still had a good percentage of Spanish speaking employees that I was not able to develop that desired working relationship with. For over a year, I utilized as many resources as possible to ensure that everyone was getting the same message. I utilized ASCC’s Toolbox talks as they were available in both English and Spanish. I made sure the training videos I choose were in both English and Spanish. Even in the field, I leaned on Google Translate with little success. I am sure that those who have used a translator app like that knows it is not as effective as we would like. As I started listening to Spanish lessons on my commute, I was able to occasionally lean on some bilingual employees, but they were not always available.
Over time, everyone was coming together and our safety culture was strengthening. I, however, was still not able to make that personal connection with everyone. Eventually, I was introduced to a translation technology that I was unaware existed. Before I move forward, I would like to preface that this is not an advertisement, sponsorship, or paid promotion. I am a safety professional and feel that we should all share best practices to help each other. When I found this tool and spent some time utilizing it, I knew I wanted to share this with others. A family member recommended that I investigate a company called Timekettle. After scouring through the products and all their reviews, I decided on a pair of earbuds that promised almost zero-lag live translation. What is not to like about that sales pitch?
I ordered a pair and as soon as they arrived, I downloaded the app, set up the earbuds and headed off to the jobsite. One of the first employees I ran into was one who has tried to communicate with me via Google translate. We tried numerous times over the course of several months to talk about a few things but that proved difficult. After a few moments of getting used to the technology, it was clear just how impactful this may prove for the business. In a span of about twenty minutes, I learned an incredible amount of information. I was finally able to connect on a much more personal level with this employee. I learned about his background, his family, his hobbies, and all about his newborn daughter! We even had the opportunity to discuss his professional goals, and what he wanted to do with his career. The entire conversation was also more natural than any other attempt to communicate with each other. While there was a slight delay, being able to converse naturally was a huge win.
The next step we took was to evaluate this technology amongst the other members of management and their teams. The success stories were on par with mine; they were able to communicate and connect at a whole new level. We even utilized them in our weekly foreman meeting to ensure the success in a team discussion environment. The success at every stage and level proved that this was a worthwhile investment, which led to the company purchasing a pair for each member in management.
As we continued to integrate this technology into our daily work, its impact became apparent. In addition to facilitating communication with individuals, it also offered a broader application in meetings, training sessions, toolbox talks and job site visits. With the ability to provide real time handsfree translation, discussions became more inclusive, ensuring that now all team members could actively participate and contribute to discussions. This has not only enhanced our safety initiatives but also fostered a strong sense of unity within our culture.
The adoption of technology such as this shows the evolving nature of safety practices in the modern workplace. As safety professionals, it is imperative that we remain open to embracing advancements that not only improve efficiency, but also enhance the overall wellbeing of our workforce. By leveraging tools like this, we demonstrate our commitment to overcoming hurdles and promoting a culture where every employee feels valued, understood, and empowered. In doing so, we not only strengthen our safety culture but also pave the way for continued innovation and excellence in the world of safety.