Don’t Let “normalization” Cause Simple Mistakes in Your Next Project
Some jobs, activities or tasks involve a certain amount of risk. When we first start working, we are very well aware of this risk, so we are wary of it. But over time, we calm down and forget about the dangers associated with the task. Mistakes and accidents often happen.
This is called “normalization”. This can cause accidents in the workplace; this can lead you to miss the project and make a simple mistake. Harvard Business Review explains:
In everything from small home improvement jobs to mega public infrastructure projects, injuries and deaths tend to occur late in the job, when confidence is high and tolerance for delays is particularly low. This stems from a phenomenon known as normalization, which often allows people to adopt lower standards in the name of greater speed. The more people do something without a bad outcome, the more difficult it becomes for them to understand the risks associated with such behavior. The most obvious example of this in everyday life is texting while driving.
Writer Neil Swidi says he noticed this behavior while studying a book on commercial diving. In his research, he hypothesized that most accidents will occur on the first day of work, as workers become accustomed to their new environment. But he found that it was actually the other way around. Fatal accidents happened towards the end of a project, when managers made questionable decisions that put workers at risk. Their confidence overshadowed their better judgment of the dangers of work.
The more we do something without facing any problems, the more we forget that these problems can happen. Of course, you don’t want to be paranoid all the time that something bad could happen. But you also don’t want to be mindful of protecting yourself from any potential dangers or problems.
Check out the full publication for more details.
Why workplace accidents tend to happen at the end of a project | Harvard Business Review