2025 Community of Human and Organizational Learning 31st Annual Conference

Modern safety initiatives such as Human and Organizational Performance (HOP), Safety Differently, and Systems Thinking are reshaping workplace safety by shifting from compliance-driven models to adaptive, human-centered approaches. Yet, a key question remains: Do these initiatives sustain long-term, or do they fade once the driving force—the change agent—leaves?

This PhD research examines the lifecycle of modern safety initiatives, identifying the factors that determine whether they become embedded in organizational culture or gradually disappear. Through 30+ in-depth interviews with safety professionals and change agents worldwide, early insights reveal two dominant themes: the role of micro-experimentation and the necessity of senior leadership buy-in. Organizations that adopted small, iterative changes—allowing frontline workers to test and refine safety practices—saw higher adoption rates, as these micro-experiments built credibility and momentum. Conversely, initiatives lacking sustained leadership engagement often stalled or regressed, reinforcing the need for leaders to move beyond endorsement and embed modern safety principles into strategy and operations.

These early findings provide valuable lessons for organizations aiming to create lasting safety culture change, ensuring initiatives outlive their initial champions. However, this research is ongoing. As my PhD progresses, further investigations will explore additional success and failure patterns, offering deeper insights into how organizations can future-proof modern safety initiatives. This presentation will share these initial learnings, sparking discussions on what it truly takes to sustain transformative safety approaches over time.