The release of "The New Values-Based Safety: Using Behavioral Science to Improve Your Safety Culture" offers organizations a comprehensive approach to transforming workplace safety through behavioral psychology and clearly defined organizational values. Authored by internationally recognized behavioral safety expert Terry McSween, PhD, and learning adviser Adam Hockman, the book expands on McSween's original Values-Based Safety (VBS) methodology, which aligns organizational behaviors with values like honesty, respect, and concern for employee well-being.
The book provides practical guidelines for implementing VBS processes from design through execution and maintenance, including two new chapters on establishing cultural and leadership foundations for safety improvement efforts. According to McSween, the mission is to help organizations rethink their approach to safety by creating compassionate cultures where safety values align with both employee and leader behaviors. "A culture of safety often starts with what leaders say and do," McSween explains. "Leaders who are clear on their values around safety can help shape the safety values of their organization."
Published by KeyPress Publishing, the 308-page trade paperback includes real-world case studies and addresses special considerations for small companies and industries where employees work in isolation. The authors emphasize that the behavioral science approach creates cultures built on compassion and encouragement rather than discipline and enforcement. "The discussion and clarification of values in VBS helps ensure that your process creates a culture of caring and concern," McSween notes.
Industry experts have praised the approach, with Julie M. Smith, PhD, CEO of Performance Ally, calling it "the most successful and practical safety book available" and noting that "the new edition will have a lasting impact on how leaders go about creating and sustaining their safety cultures." E. Scott Geller, PhD, commented on previous editions that the book provides "straightforward, practical, and effective guidelines for developing company-wide action plans."
The importance of this approach extends beyond compliance to creating sustainable safety cultures that protect both employee well-being and organizational performance. As workplace safety continues to evolve beyond traditional behavior-based safety programs, this values-based framework offers organizations a scientifically grounded method for building safety into their cultural foundation rather than treating it as a separate compliance function.
