Hiring For A Safe Workplace

Service industry businesses, such as auto repair shops, salons, and hotels, are starting to rebound from the COVID-19 downturn. With that recovery, comes a need to hire additional staff, which is turning out to be more difficult than imagined. Hiring the right person for the job is more than just finding someone who meets minimum qualifications and can work the required shifts. A candidate should have the right attitude about many job aspects, including safety. Thinking proactively, reacting appropriately, and prioritizing customer and coworker safety are important qualities for an applicant. Below are some questions to consider adding to your interview process to help evaluate a candidate's attitude about safety.

• We always encourage everyone to report safety hazards to their manager immediately. Did your last employer have a safety hazard reporting process? Did you ever report anything? 
• We never want to see our customers or employees in unsafe situations. Have you ever had to stop a customer or coworker from doing something unsafe or dangerous?
• What type of PPE did you wear at your last job when doing ______?

While there isn't one right answer to any of the above questions, an applicant's answers can help you evaluate their attitude toward safety. If you have two qualified applicants and only one opening, their attitudes about safety may be the deciding factor. If you develop other questions to help evaluate safety attitude, remember that you cannot ask questions prohibited by the EEOC. For a list of those questions, click here.