Having a safe workplace is the goal of many companies, especially since injuries to employees while on the job can lead to lawsuits. Small businesses may find these costs particularly prohibitive. Ensuring your workplace is safe and healthy prevents these consequences and can help your employees be more engaged. All companies should have good risk management practices in place.
Consider the Available Training and Consulting Resources
You may have limited resources on hand, which means you might not have access to in-house training personnel. However, there are plenty of external resources that might help you focus on safety. If you have a fleet, it becomes even more important to ensure drivers are protected while on the road. You can review a guide on how to create a video safety program to save money by reducing accidents.
Pay Attention to Mental Health
Depending on how stressful the job environment is, mental health could suffer, and mental health is just as important as physical wellbeing. Take steps to drive change in the workplace and ensure your team is doing well mentally as well. You might consider offering more flexible hours so they can more easily balance personal responsibilities with work. You may educate them about mental wellbeing as well. These things can help your employees stay productive and maintain a better work-life balance.
Ensure Employees Follow the Rules
Depending on your state, county, or state, you may have to follow certain safety procedures. Make sure you implement these procedures and then follow through. If you have a worker who is not following protocols, such as not using equipment the right way or not wearing the right protective equipment, send them home. Have clearly outlined consequences for not following the rules you have set in place. Being stringent about these rules ensures everyone follows them.
Employees who are just trying to get their work done may not have safety at the front of their minds, so it’s a good idea to engage with them regularly about how to follow these procedures. With regular engagement, you can create a culture were responding to a situation safely is everyone’s first response. You can have regular meetings or send out newsletters to keep this at the front of everyone’s minds. Remind your workers that the leadership cares about their well-being. This can help you grab their attention.
Give Each Team Responsibilities
When it comes to risk management, everyone has a responsibility. Employees need to follow safety protocol, but leadership needs to ensure the working environment is risk-free. It’s a good idea to offer options that allow others to engage in a way that satisfies everyone. Just because something works for you now does not mean it always will, so it’s a good idea to stay open to new options. Consider creating a task force in charge of risk management. Management will need to listen to the team’s needs on a daily basis. You may consider implementing a reporting process as well. You might even consider creating a task force, which can be in charge of reviewing reports about safety concerns or incidents.
