The Employee Safety Podcast

Today’s hybrid work environment has altered the traditional employee-manager relationship. Leaders can no longer rely on in-person interactions to know how their employees are feeling and performing in their roles. How are great safety leaders adapting to ensure a physically and psychologically safe work environment for their people? Michael Teape , Owner and Lead Training Consultant at  Teap...

Maintaining workplace safety is a challenge in its own right, but at the Dallas Zoo, wildlife adds an extra layer of complexity. What does it take to keep workers, guests, animals, and the 106-acre park safe and secure while still providing the fun, memorable experience the Dallas Zoo promises? Diana Worden , Director of Safety & Security at the  Dallas Zoo  explains: The unique chal...

As The Great Resignation continues, investing in your employees and their happiness is more important than ever. Jenn Lim , Co-Founder, CEO, and Chief Happiness Officer at  Delivering Happiness , believes that companies should build a workplace culture where employees can experience meaningful happiness, feel psychologically safe, and personally align with the company’s core values. When orga...

Workplace safety is more important than ever, yet employees’ perceptions and opinions are often missing from the conversation. To help change that,  AlertMedia  surveyed more than 2,000 American workers to uncover how safe employees feel at work and if their employers’ efforts to protect them are meeting their expectations. AlertMedia used the findings of this survey to create its inaugu...

The healthcare industry has been under constant pressure since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Lori Price, Emergency Management Coordinator at  Memorial Health System , has witnessed firsthand the challenges that healthcare facilities have faced over the past two years, from how to maintain daily patient care during a pandemic to crises like cyber attacks and severe weather. In this episode, Lor...

HR teams seek to empower employees with the tools and resources they need to be successful at their jobs while ensuring their safety and well-being. Saad Qureshi, Human Resources Manager at  Campbell Soup Company , believes that a one-size-fits-all approach to human resources is not effective. Instead, HR professionals should involve employees in the conversation to learn what works and what...

Emergency preparedness shouldn’t be viewed as an expense. It’s an investment in your ability to provide your customers with goods and services no matter what happens—and ultimately, that ability will lead to the growth of your business. Al Berman , President of  DRI Foundation , explains how organizations can experience the ROI of emergency preparedness through real money and hard savings. We...

Many organizations don’t realize that building safety codes were designed to ensure human survival and nothing more. They don’t guarantee that your building will be operable or even occupiable after a disaster. A building needs to go beyond that minimum safety standard to support business continuity. In this episode,  Tracy Kijewski-Correa , Structural Engineer and Associate Professor at the&...

A great safety leader possesses more than just business continuity, security, and risk mitigation skills. To be a well-rounded leader, individuals must also develop soft skills and a holistic mindset to help keep their employees and business safe. In this episode,  Rick Kelly , Senior Vice President of Global Safety, Security, and Business Continuity at  Chubb , explains why emotional in...

Journalists face increasing risks today. From civil unrest and military coups to stalking and online harassment, responding to and reporting on events can come with a lot of danger. That’s why  Ian Phillips , Vice President of International News for  The Associated Press , was tasked with launching a new initiative focused on the safety, security, and mental well-being of journalists. In...

Many protests and demonstrations are planned in advance, but civil unrest often occurs spontaneously, creating unique challenges for organizations nearby. In these situations, safety professionals have little time to identify potential threats and ensure employee safety. However, there are response and mitigation strategies that every organization can put in place to protect their people, maintain...

Brian Cooke , Corporate Security Manager of International Security Operations at  Marathon Petroleum , joins the show to explain how organizations can build a comprehensive travel safety program that protects traveling and dispersed workers, no matter where they are. We discuss: The excess of threats that could impact traveling workers How to educate employees about travel risks The start-to-...

Managing safety and security for the  Vegas Golden Knights  is a huge job. It involves safeguarding their NHL and AHL arenas, as well as the restaurants, coffee shops, and retail stores contained therein. Joanna Packard , the Golden Knights’ Director of Safety and Security, joins the show to explain what it’s like to secure these facilities and protect thousands of fans, guests, and empl...

Any organization can benefit from operating at a high level of readiness. Besides supporting employee safety and business continuity, it’s also critical for ensuring the resilience of the surrounding community. In this episode,  Justin McInnis , President and Elected CEO at  Texas Search and Rescue (TEXSAR) , explains how his team achieves and maintains a constant state of readiness thro...

Business resilience is not about bouncing back. It’s about bouncing forward. This is exactly what  Michele L. Turner , Author and Head of Global Business Resiliency at  Amazon,  realized and channeled into her book,  Lessons Learned: Short Stories of Continuity and Resilience . In this conversation, Michele shares concepts and anecdotes that can help business continuity practit...

A paradigm shift is taking place. As younger generations enter the workforce, employees desire better integration of life and work—and if they don’t receive it at their current job, they aren’t afraid to leave. As a result, companies are becoming more aware of the emotional and psychological well-being of their people. David Hassell  and  Shane Metcalf , Co-Founders of  15Five &nbsp...

Creating a strong emergency management program starts with people, not planning. Vincent B. Davis , Founder and President of  Preparedness Matters , is committed to helping organizations improve their emergency preparedness and response programs by encouraging them to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the process. After all, diversity is not just about racial disparities, it’s...

Many companies struggle with crisis communication because they don’t have tools in place to manage it. Communication expert  Jeff Hahn  recognized this barrier to entry and set out to demystify the field of crisis communications with his book,  Breaking Bad News: 12 Essential Crisis Communication Tools . In this episode, Jeff shares a framework that can help companies successfully n...

Sometimes businesses need to look back to move forward. Guest host  Sara Pratley , Vice President of Global Intelligence at  AlertMedia , joins us for a special bonus episode to reflect on the threats organizations faced in 2021 and how they can help companies prepare for 2022. She discusses: Physical and economic threats that are on the rise Extreme weather event predictions The increas...

With the rise of remote work and mounting ransomware attacks, securing your organization against cyber threats has never been more crucial. In this episode,  Dax Streater , Director of Cybersecurity at  LCRA , shares essential cybersecurity and risk mitigation strategies that every organization should consider to protect their people, data, and assets. We discuss: Potential ripple effect...

Many organizations operate under the assumption that the future will look fairly similar to the present. The reality is—that’s not often the case. With disasters increasing in size and frequency, it’s critical to consider how disruptive changes in the broader environment can impact your people, mission, and operations. David Kaufman , Vice President and Director for Safety and Security at  CN...

The workforce has evolved. Studies show that many workers don’t want to return to a traditional work environment. Some say the nature of work changed, but according to today’s guest, what actually changed is the values of today’s workers. They want to be seen, heard, and appreciated at their jobs. Bonnie Canal , Founder and Managing Partner at  The Resiliency Institute , joins the show to exp...

Indio, California, is known as the “City of Festivals.” It is home to major music festivals like Coachella and Stagecoach as well as numerous other arts, food, and sporting events. When one of these events takes place, the population of Indio doubles, making it vital to have an adequate emergency plan in place. Dennis Day , Emergency Operations Center Manager for the  City of Indio , shares h...

It’s not easy to secure huge campuses, multiple buildings, and hundreds of employees and visitors. Emergency communications can be a complicated challenge for organizations with a large geographic footprint and a steady flow of people coming in and out of their facilities. David Markley , Director of Operations at  Grace Covenant Church , joins the show to share the tools and strategies he us...

FEMA has supported businesses and communities before, during, and after disasters for more than 40 years. It provides emergency assistance that includes ongoing coordination, integration, planning, and training exercises to improve organizational resilience. Robert Glenn , Director, Office of Business, Industry, and Infrastructure Integration at  FEMA , explains how businesses can receive dis...