In this episode, Dr. Ayers shares emphasizes that while friendships are natural, they must never interfere with enforcing safety expectations.
We naturally connect with certain employees—shared interests, personalities, or history make it easy to become close.
Hazards, unsafe behaviors, and policy violations must be addressed consistently, regardless of personal relationships.
Even if a leader believes they are being fair, employees may still perceive favoritism, which erodes trust and credibility.
Safety leaders must apply rules evenly, document decisions, and avoid giving friends “the benefit of the doubt.”
Being friendly is fine—being biased is not. Safety leaders must ensure that every employee is held to the same standard, no exceptions.
