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ITD takes another big employee-safety step with Challenge Coins

ITD’s focus on employee safety is about to take another major step forward — and little coins will set the pace as we head into this new future. The initiative was created by employees, for employees.

Until just a few years ago, ITD employees earned belt buckles, Leatherman knives, heavy-duty flashlights, or other trinkets to commemorate each major five-year increment of continued safety. When that was disallowed under the state’s new compensation rules, an idea was borrowed from the military.

The idea of Challenge Coins — rewarding employees for positive safety practices — caught on with the military years ago, and we are set to adapt that same idea here.

It continues the shift from a fault-finding, finger-pointing culture to one where the right behaviors are rewarded and used as examples for others department-wide.

Teams will award coins to employees each time an employee receives a coin for being "caught" exhibiting a safe behavior in action or word. There are coins for different divisions - Highways, Aeronautics, and DMV. These are meant to be collectible, and are limited in number.

Gold coins will be awarded by the ITD executive team. Silver coins will be handed out by division administrators and district engineers. A bronze coin will be passed out by foreman, supervisors, and engineers. Each district’s safety and compliance officer or the ITD Safety team will distribute the coins.

A Challenge Coin can be awarded to an employee in his/her own district or division, or outside of the area in which the giver works. For example, a Highways leader could award a coin to an employee in Aero they see exhibiting safe behaviors, or a District Engineer could award a coin to a DMV employee, if that person is seen demonstrating safe practices.

In addition, employees achieving safety milestones – 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years – will also be awarded coins. District Safety Compliance Officers will distribute these medallions to employees in their areas, and Headquarters’ Safety office will distribute medallions to supervisors so they can give them to employees in their areas.

“This initiative is about ITD caring for employees,” explained Challenge Coin team member Nancy Casperson, from District 5 and the Inkom Port of Entry. “We are encouraging safety by recognizing and rewarding repeatable behaviors that set an example for other employees."

Team members Diana Magstadt and Andy Lambrecht explained that the team found significant savings as they developed the program - shaving the original program budget of $20,000 down to less than $10,000. There also will be personnel savings of about 200 hours per year compared to the previous recognition program.