Safety is a high-priority issue. Working in physical jobs, like construction or factory work, obviously requires detailed safety procedures to prevent injury and maintain the workflow. But even in an office environment, safety should always be a priority. There should be carefully laid out plans in case of emergencies and easily accessible first aid kits throughout the office.

But despite the obvious necessity of safety in the workplace, sometimes it falls by the wayside in favor of doing something more quickly or gets forgotten amidst the myriad of other priorities that demand our attention throughout the day. But in the long run, ignoring safety will cost your company time and money. This is where a safety incentive program comes in.

Safety incentive programs serve many purposes that can benefit every company. The most obvious benefit is that better safety practices save money and time by keeping workers at work. But incentive programs also help to keep workers thinking about safety. And when the issue is tied to a reward, it’s more likely to be on the minds of your workers, and simply having it on their minds can prevent a lot of careless mistakes. It also invites participating employees to look at the current safety protocol and make appropriate changes inside the system.

Once you’ve determined whether an incentive or recognition program is for you, there are a few things to keep in mind to get the most out of it. Namely, what sort of long-term goals do you hope to accomplish? Map out your intentions and make them available for all to see so that the program doesn’t begin to feel aimless. In conjunction with that, consider creating a Facebook or Twitter page for your program. Invite employees to join and read organizers' updates and add their own comments. Constant feedback and a sense of community can bolster any program.

When it comes time to reward or motivate your workforce for meeting safety goals, consider something small and meaningful, like a lapel pin. A safety lapel pin is something that can be worn with pride while, at the same time, it serves as a constant reminder of the importance of safety. Best of all, lapel pins are a cost-effective means of recognition and motivation.

Another great reason to go with lapel pins is the many ways you can customize them to reflect either period of time without accidents or to denote which particular goals have been met. Your organization name or logo can also be included in the design for great brand awareness. Keeping the program going and continuing to alter the pins to suit new goals creates continued incentive: not only will the next goal be framed by the prospect of reward, but the reward itself turns into a goal, a “collecting the whole set” mentality.

Finally, consider having the award recipients be chosen by a group of peers instead of putting that responsibility into the hands of individuals who aren’t directly affected by the program. By having co-workers in the role of decision-makers, the playing field is evened out, and employees tender a sense of mutual respect when they’re recognized by their peers.