CWA Blog Archive-Producing A Culture Of Safety In Indoor Climbing Part 2

Producing A Culture Of Safety In Indoor Climbing Part 2

Pdf Summary

This second installment digs into how gyms can use behavioral competencies in hiring to build both a culture of safety and a stronger candidate pool, responding to a challenging hiring market and a desire to remove barriers to employment in climbing. Part 1 introduced using behavioral competencies to lay groundwork for a safety culture, and Part 2 focuses specifically on applying them to hiring. The article reviews the key distinction. Technical competencies, which gyms already use in hiring and assessment, are specific job-related skills like a technical certificate or climbing ability. Behavioral competencies are the behaviors and attitudes desirable in job seekers, things like conscientiousness, communication, or safety-mindedness. The core argument is that by focusing on behavioral competencies in addition to technical ones, gyms gain an opportunity to expand their pool of potential candidates while meeting risk management and mission-aligned goals. This matters because the current hiring climate is difficult, finding people with the right skills is hard at the best of times, and a strategy incorporating mission-aligned behavioral competencies helps both the business and the culture thrive. The article notes that research from other industries is clear that behavioral competencies are better predictors for staff development and outcomes. The throughline is that hiring for behavior, not just technical skill, serves multiple goals at once. It widens the candidate pool by not screening solely on existing technical certifications, which removes barriers to entry, while simultaneously strengthening the gym's safety culture by selecting for the attitudes that make people careful, communicative, and mission-aligned. For operators struggling to hire, the piece reframes the challenge: rather than competing for the shrinking pool of already-technically-qualified candidates, gyms can identify people with the right behavioral traits and train the technical skills, building a safer, more mission-aligned team while opening employment to a broader range of applicants.

Asset Caption

Part 2 of building a safety culture focuses on hiring for behavioral competencies, the attitudes like safety-mindedness and communication, alongside technical skills. This widens the candidate pool in a tough hiring market while strengthening safety culture. Research shows behavioral competencies better predict staff development, letting gyms train technical skills and select for the right traits.