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Steps for Employers and Employees to Promote a Safer Workplace

A safer workplace is a better workplace, but how do you achieve that? Well, there are a number of ways to do so – take a look below.

Employers

There is a cultural canvas that awaits those who are employers. Every employer has the unique opportunity of creating the type of environment that they want for their employees. I am sure that everyone has at least once experienced being in a store where every employee’s attitude was awful. After meeting the manager who is even grumpier, we realize that the apple certainly does not fall far from the tree. The kind of employer that you are will determine the kind of employees that are hired and who stay on.

Here are three steps that an employer can take to guarantee a safer and more productive workplace:

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1- Create an Environment that is Safe and Not Based Off of Fear

If there is a workplace that has a regime based off of fear, secrets are lurking. The perfect metaphor for this can be found in parenting; it is quite easy to believe that by spanking a child we will bring about a change in their behavior. Although this may bring about a short term result, the long term consequences can be devastating. This is the exact same scenario in a workplace. If everyone feels as if they have to walk on eggshells, any concerns that employees may have are kept well hidden, the risk of sudden explosion is increased when this is the scenario. Here are some good tips.

2- Promote Check-Ins

It is important to make sure that the managers regularly check in with their employees. Steve Hanson who is a restaurateur has employees fill out daily forms in which they gauge how they felt that day. If a waiter generally rates his day a three, than there are two consecutive days in which he or she rated their day a two, a manager steps in to speak with them and find out what is bothering them. Employee morale should not be seen as an option, it should be treated as your business.

3- When Hiring, Go the Extra Mile

Although we would all love to believe in our gut instinct, studies have shown that when it comes to people, even the best executives are known to make terrible hiring decisions. Background checks as well as references are very important to rely on while making your hiring decisions. While checking references, do not only inquire about the abilities of the candidate to reach established sales goals, ask about how they interact and help colleagues, in what instance did they make a decision lacking in better judgment. When hiring, character should be just as important as skill set.

Additionally, ensuring people are trained to the best health and safety standards makes all the difference. Health and safety is important and ensuring you invest in it matters a lot.

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Employees

Here are three steps that employees can take to guarantee a safer and more productive workplace:

 

1- Do Not Keep Silent, Speak Up

If you observe erratic behaviour from a fellow employee, saying something to a manager is part of your duties. An executive in a high position is not always aware of what actually happens. If you have not made it to the C-suite yet, chances are that throughout the day you interact with a variety of people from different departments. A story about a domestic violence scare was told by Paul Viollis after his speech to a Fortune 500 company on workplace security. While on a break outside of the building, a woman overheard her colleague speaking fearfully with her boyfriend, she heard the woman beg her boyfriend to not show up at her workplace. The colleague went to Human Resources and reported the incident after which the called the police. The police showed up only minutes before the armed boyfriend appeared. The colleague had saved the day simply by speaking up.

 

2- Your Battles Should Not Be Fought Alone

If you are being harassed or made to feel uncomfortable in any way by a coworker, report them immediately. Not only can you endanger yourself but also you colleagues by taking on the perpetrator alone.

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3- Take Care of Your mental Well Being

You can set boundaries in your work life with simple things such as be consistent with your arrival and departure schedules. This should not be something you expect your company to keep up with for you. If you are performing your best and getting your work done, you should be able to set these parameters. By doing so you will be predictable not only to your coworkers but also your family. When you get home, all tech devices should be shut off. There have been studies that link excessive technology to depression, mental health problems and sleep disorders. There should be at least one hundred and twenty minutes out of your day that are tech free, it will be healthy for you and those you love. Let your colleagues know that for example from six to eight p.m. you will be with your family, if there were an emergency you can be contacted at your home phone line.

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