“Take Leadership – Demonstrate Commitment”
The Golden Rule No. 1 of the VISION ZERO strategy is particularly important in small businesses: the entrepreneur has to take care of everything in the business: the responsibility of managing safety, health and well-being is part of the job.
What are the challenges in SMEs?
A limited number of employees, and thereby close relationships; the boss has great influence to privacy, attitudes and behavior, including the relationship to safety and health. The mindset of the employer influences the mindset of the employees much more than in bigger companies. He acts as a role model. This closeness is also the strength and the resource. If safety and health becomes a “business case”, it will be successfull.
The employer has to fulfill all functions of a manager, which are divided to different specialists in bigger companies. He is multifunctional and has to handle different tasks at one time.
The family business encourages social control, but can also cause generation gaps, especially in follow-ups. Roles of business members are undefined, family and business connections are entangled.
High financial ties, economic changes, pressure of competition, globalisation and regulatory burden cause high demands.
Most SMEs are organized in associations which give them support and have great influence.
Therefore offers to SMEs must be available without the challenge to invest a lot of time and money: The “costs” for prevention have to be low.