Anglo-American Case Study – Stand up for Safety
Problem
Uniting over 95,000 people around the world in prioritising safety in mining
Action
Teams challenged to explore their strengths using gaming-themed personas and videos
Impact
Colleagues better able to play their part in making mining safer for all
OVERVIEW
While safety in mining is no game, using gamification to underpin a strategic comms approach can have powerful, life-saving impacts.
That’s because it’s scientifically proven to create an effective learning environment where people feel free to discuss important and difficult topics without feeling pressure or judgement.
So it was perfect approach for Anglo American, one of the world’s leading mining companies, in the latest phase of its annual global safety programme. A programme focused on teams exploring how to keep themselves – and others – safe at work.
Stand Up For Safety featured exciting, heart-pounding videos designed and filmed to replicate the look and feel of video games. It included activities for colleagues to identify their ‘player types’ – virtual personas that enabled them to explore their unique strengths and discuss ways to strengthen their team dynamic.
‘Our client put their trust in us – allowing us to really push the boundaries well beyond a typical safety programme. And the results speak for themselves – the best engagement they’ve had around this important topic.’
ACTION
Making it happen
Identify reasons for reluctance to speak out about safety risks.
Inspired by the gumboot dancing that originated in South Africa, we translated Anglo’s values into a global performance. It appealed to both logic and emotion. Took immersive experience to a new level. All staged simultaneously by employees worldwide – from the CEO to the frontline.
01
Identify reasons for reluctance to speak out about safety risks
Research into the obstacles preventing people from speaking up about safety concerns included frank discussions with team members. The process identified three actions that were vital in standing up for safety: Learn, Share, Challenge.
02
Build a programme around the core guiding principles of safety
A six-month programme with five phases promoted courage, curiosity and honesty around the topic of safety. the use of gamification encouraged people to challenge each other in a safe, non-confrontational way.
03
Empower colleagues to support each other in reporting safety risks
By exploring and challenging ideas of psychological safety, the activities helped to give colleagues the confidence and conviction to address competing demands and do the right, safe thing – even if that means stopping work.
How the programme worked
Following a teaser campaign and launch event, teams would progress through three levels of the ‘game’. Exploring themes of psychological safety, critical controls and their operating model and using workplace scenarios inspired by actual incident reports – the activities grew more complex with each level.
Crackling with drama and excitement, a cinematic style video at every level implored the employee to put themselves in the heart of the action – and to use their unique qualities to help their teams triumph in the quest for safety.
IMPACT
The outcome
Saving lives and preventing injury. Can outcomes be more meaningful than that?
For the first time ever, in 2023 South Africa’s mining industry recorded a fatality-free January, a notoriously dangerous month. A result that’s more sobering than celebratory. Yet it brought home how the cumulative impact of our programmes that encourage employees to have a voice can influence the industry as a whole and contribute to some of the most important outcomes imaginable.
95,000 employees watched the videos and took part in activities
Across 45 countries
In 3 languages
You might also be interested in
New structure. New strategy. A new future for 10,000 people. It was time to talk
Jardine International Motors
