By | Devin Caldwell
Ensuring the safety of your employees while they are on the job is a top priority of any business. Providing a clean and secure working environment lets your employees feel safe and able to concentrate on their work. Here are few tips to help you manage your business and put good practices into place.
Implement Safety Policies
One of the first things to do to keep a safe working environment is to make a safety plan. Create a policy of expectations that are clear and easy to understand. Give your employees a firm set of rules to follow regarding their behavior and handling of office equipment. Make these available to all of your workers and consider having a meeting to go over the most important points.
Appoint a Committee
Sometimes a worker will notice a potential safety issue within the office, but is uncomfortable bringing it to the attention of management. You can provide a place for everyone to bring concerns to by establishing a committee of their peers that oversee any issues. A safety committee made up of workers gives them a voice in what is happening in the office so they feel more in control of their safety. Involving your employees is a good idea because they often have more insight and experience into the intricacies and condition of the facilities, so they are more likely to notice problems or concerns.
Encourage Safe Travel
If travel is a part of your business, then do everything to make it as safe as possible. Company cars should be serviced on a regular basis and prepared for the possibility of bad weather. You could consider adding fleet GPS tracking devices to your vehicles to monitor the driving of your employees to ensure they are being safe while on the road.
Have Security Personnel
A business that involves sensitive information or processing valuable products may benefit from on-site security personnel. Security guards bring an added layer of security to a building beyond typical locks, key pads and ID’s.
Keep Your Office Clean
Cleanliness is a big part of office and employee safety. It’s vital that you have your office space cleaned on a regular basis to eliminate dust and other irritants. Cleaning will address any clutter that could pose a hazard or contribute to an accident. It’s also an effective way to limit the number of germs in the air and on surfaces and reduce the spread of any illness.
Do Regular Building and Grounds Maintenance
The structure of your building and grounds is key to office safety. You need to check that the ventilation system is working well, that there is no mold growing around windows or in damp places and that all machinery is functioning well. Inspect the outside as well to be sure that sidewalks and parking lots are not crumbling. Loose materials pose a fall risk and could cause damage to vehicles.
Foster Good Employee Culture
Being physically safe is necessary for any work environment, but equally important is emotional safety. Unite your team and foster good relations so your employees work well together and get along. Bullying and harassment in the workplace is, unfortunately, fairly common, so do your part to prevent this. Have employee behavior monitored and encourage anyone who has been made uncomfortable to report the incident so it can be stopped and the problem addressed.
Secure Files
Another area of employee safety is personal information. Your company likely handles sensitive information. This could be the nature of your work, or from employee personal and financial records. Keep your files safe by making sure paper records are locked and secured at all times. You should also have protection for online files such as firewalls, antivirus software and adequate storage and access.
Employees that are treated well and have their needs well taken care of feel safer. When your workers feel safe and secure at work, they do a better job and are more likely to stay with your company longer. This is a benefit for everyone, so take a look at your business and see if there are any areas that need to be improved
