Your workplace has one or more safety risks, just like any other working environment, no matter the industry you’re in. However, promoting safety and health at the workplace is a well-known factor for attracting and retaining top employees. Especially since the onset of Covid-19 pandemics, employees have become much franker about their workplace priorities. Flexible work has become one of the top benefits an employer can offer.
Besides providing this benefit wherever it seems possible, improving your workspace to keep your employees safe and promote health should be among your priorities. Here are six great ways for creating safe and healthy work environments that will attract, recruit, and keep top talent.
Have the right policy in place
Having the proper health and safety policy is necessary for ensuring that your employees are on the same page regarding safety in the workplace. This is also the way for you to ensure legal compliance and have all the requested internal documents. It is also an excellent idea to add safety policies in employee handbooks and display safety posters throughout the workplace. This way, you will constantly remind your employees about your company’s safety priorities and procedures.
Identify potential hazards
Be proactive and take time to identify potential hazards and react before any real problems occur. Proactive steps involve regular walk-throughs and inspections of the working environment to identify potential threats. Be on the lookout for malfunctioning equipment, damaged wires, uneven or slippery floors. If you notice anything that could increase the risk of your employees getting injured or that may be hazardous to their health, find ways to minimize the risk.
Consider establishing an in-house team that would conduct daily health and safety inspections. This way, your workplace will always be in top shape, and even if an accident happens, it will probably be a minor one. However, the type of equipment your employees need will depend on the nature of their work. Besides having your HR staff checking the requirements, and the company complying with them, it’s always good to keep open doors to hearing your employees’ feedback.
Develop a culture of safety
Establishing a culture of safety, where employees prioritize and feel responsible for maintaining a safe workplace, is a key to a safe work environment. Such a culture can minimize risks and lower the possibility of an employee getting injured or sick at work.
To help develop a culture of safety, team leaders and managers should communicate safety guidelines and goals to all the employees. It is also essential for management to follow the guidelines and, by doing so, model the behavior they ask from their staff. Without the culture of safety in your company, the odds are high that some of your employees will start cutting corners, and accidents will more likely occur.
Use the top safety equipment
To prevent injuries and promote the health of your employees at the workplace, you need to ensure the top equipment. This is especially important in many advanced countries and regions, such as Australia, where stringent laws and regulations exist against hazardous and unhealthy working conditions.
In high-risk work areas, such as construction sites or warehouses, the safety workwear should have may include helmets, luminescent vests, gloves, knee pads, and the proper footwear Fortunately, company owners can acquire some of the most refined men’s workwear in Australia from well-known brands that match the latest standards and adhere to safety laws and regulations.
Go above and beyond
When it comes to safety and health at the workplace, companies nowadays must appeal to employee values in different, more engaging ways to attract and retain the top talent. In a modern definition, health goes far above preventing injury and illness – as a state of physical, mental, and social well-being.
Try to include policies at your workplace that will emphasize aspects of health other than physical. Going green and using eco-friendly cleaning products will bring many incredible benefits to your company. Besides a more healthy and environmentally friendly workplace, you will promote more socially responsible behavior that your future employees can easily identify with.
Adopting some new policies, such as bringing your pet to work, can create a more personal and extra-friendly work environment and improve your employees’ well-being. It brings benefits such as higher morale, less loneliness, reduced blood pressure, increased productivity, and more physical activity during the day.
Educate and train
Remember that having written policies and putting up safety signs and posters are not enough to keep your employees out of harm’s way. It is necessary to review safety procedures as part of your employee onboarding training and provide regular refresher sessions for all employees to keep those policies top of mind. If the workplace environment is considered high-risk, think about organizing short weekly safety sessions to review essential procedures for specific positions.
By following the tips above, you will ensure to attract and retain top employees to your workplace, keep them safe and enhance their wellbeing.
