Almost Half of American Workers Would Consider Swapping Pay For Safety, Study Finds

Survey from Duraplas reveals safety is a critical factor for workers deciding on a workplace

ADDISON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Duraplas, a leading provider of innovative plastic solutions in the agriculture industry, today released findings from its 2024 Workplace Safety Culture Report. The report shows that American workers would consider taking a pay cut for a job with a better culture of safety and view safety as a critical factor at a workplace, contributing to overall job satisfaction and increased productivity.

Duraplas surveyed 1,000 U.S. workers at least 18 years of age, asking them to self-identify as either blue-collar or white-collar workers via the third-party platform Pollfish. The goal was to understand if workers consider safety culture a factor when evaluating a new job opportunity and whether they have ever changed or turned down a job because of workplace safety concerns.

Key findings from the survey include:

• More than 48% of both blue-collar and white-collar workers surveyed said they would at least consider a pay cut for a job with a better safety culture. There was a significant difference between genders, with 56% of men being more likely to take a pay cut compared to 42% of women.
• Almost 80% of American workers say a strong safety culture is either important or very important when deciding to accept a new job—a critical factor both for blue-collar and white-collar workers. However, very few of the respondents have declined a job because of safety concerns.
• Roughly 80% said they were likely to ask about safety in a job interview, something half of those surveyed said employers don't do a good enough job of communicating during the hiring process. The results show that someone interviewing for a blue-collar position was slightly more likely to ask about safety practices than white-collar.
• Over 82% of respondents said a strong safety culture contributed to overall job satisfaction. Workers also indicated that a safe work environment makes them feel more productive.

“Culture is something communicated through actions as much as it is through words,” said Paul Phillips, President at Duraplas. “So if you’re an organization that has a true culture of safety, it’s going to come through in more than posters hung in a breakroom or a days-safe countdown whiteboard on a production floor. It’s going to be communicated through the training you offer and the maintenance you do and the equipment you provide your workers. With this survey, we learned that employees are paying attention to these things, asking about them in the job-hunting process, and they are willing to sacrifice pay for a place that puts a priority on their safety.”

For complete survey results, visit the [2024 Duraplas Workplace Safety Culture Report].

About Duraplas

For more than 50 years, DuraPlas has upheld a rich legacy of pioneering innovative plastic solutions for industries worldwide. With a well-established reputation for excellence and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, the company takes pride in its ability to deliver products that not only meet the highest quality standards but also uphold responsible business practices. Utilizing state-of-the-art injection molding equipment, DuraPlas meticulously manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of industry-specific products – from the newly launched condenser mounting pad for the HVAC industry to egg transport systems in agriculture. The company's expansive 200,000-square-foot headquarters in Addison, Texas, also includes specialized divisions for custom metal fabrication and custom plastic fabrication, enabling DuraPlas to meet the diverse needs of its global clientele, including some of the largest brands in the world. To learn more, please visit https://duraplasinc.com/.