Episode 186 emphasizes that employee feedback is one of the most powerful tools in safety, but only when leaders actively seek it out, listen to it, and respond to it. Feedback isn’t a “nice-to-have” — it’s a frontline hazard‑detection system and a trust‑building mechanism.
Most organizations say employees can speak up, but that’s passive. Dr. Ayers stresses that leaders must:
Ask for input directly
Create structured opportunities for feedback
Make it clear that speaking up is expected, not optional
When leaders don’t ask, employees assume their voice isn’t wanted.
Workers:
Know the shortcuts people take
Understand the real workflow, not the documented one
Spot hazards long before they become incidents
Feedback is how leaders access this hidden layer of operational reality.
The episode highlights practical strategies:
Use open‑ended questions (“What’s getting in your way out here?”)
Ask about barriers, not just hazards
Avoid leading questions that push people toward a “safe” answer
Ask in the field, not from the office
The goal is to make feedback feel natural, not like an interrogation.
Employees often hesitate because they fear:
Being blamed
Being labeled a complainer
Creating more work for themselves
Nothing will change anyway
Leaders must reduce these fears through consistent, respectful responses.
A major theme: If leaders ask for feedback but don’t act on it, trust collapses.
Effective follow‑up includes:
Acknowledging the concern
Explaining what will happen next
Providing updates
Closing the loop
This ties directly into Episode 187 (“Always Follow Up”).
When leaders regularly solicit feedback:
Reporting increases
Hazards surface earlier
Engagement rises
Psychological safety strengthens
Teams feel ownership of safety outcomes
It becomes a cultural norm rather than a special event.
Episode 186 reinforces that soliciting employee feedback is a leadership skill, not a suggestion box. When leaders ask, listen, and follow up, they unlock the insights that make safety systems stronger and workplaces safer.
