With employees starting to work in the office again, businesses should make sure the workplace is safe. They should implement measures to protect their employees from the virus and accidents in the workplace.
But accidents will happen even if businesses implement safety measures, especially if an employee finds these measures confining. In these cases, businesses should work to encourage their employees to follow safety measures. Here are some ways for businesses to motivate their employees to follow safety protocols in the workplace
Make Safety a Part of Work Culture
The culture of the workplace has a significant effect on the behavior of employees. Businesses with a strong workplace culture will see employees behaving the way management wants them to act. With this, businesses should work to make safety a part of the culture of the workplace.
To achieve this, businesses should remind their employees about the importance of safety. It should also incorporate this value in the interview process so that potential employees become aware of it even before they start working with the business.
The training and onboarding process should include a section highlighting the importance of safety. And the business should post reminders all over the workplace encouraging the employees to always prioritize safety in their work. Incorporating safety in the workplace culture keeps employees safe and prevents severe injuries while at work.
If an employee suffers an injury that makes them unable to work in any capacity, they should seek disability benefits for physical impairments. It’s challenging for individuals to claim the benefits from Social Security Disability Insurance. So the business should help employees work with an attorney who has the experience and knowledge in dealing with these situations.
Provide Proper Training
Preventing accidents that result in injuries is essential to keep employees safe. And this requires extensive health and safety training to ensure all employees are aware of the safety protocols in the office. Businesses should also conduct refresher training courses every year to remind the employees of these safety protocols.
Access and clear training programs can reduce accidents and make the workplace safe for employees. The business should also provide techniques to the employees to facilitate efficient work without sacrificing safety. This is essential at this point since the pandemic is not yet over.
Keep the Workplace Safe
Aside from training the employees, businesses should also make the workplace safe. They should clean and disinfect the whole office and use labels and signs to remind employees about the safety protocols in the workplace. Businesses should use simple images to show the hazards in the workplace and what employees need to do to avoid accidents.
Businesses should also implement these safety protocols the moment the employees start working onsite again. It will take some time before employees get used to it. So, businesses should also monitor the observance of these safety protocols.
Conducting regular safety audits is also essential to check for potential hazards in the workplace. These hazards include unorganized tools and equipment, tangled cords, and slippery floors. Businesses should make sure to deal with these issues as soon as possible. Additionally, they should instill the value of clean workspaces among the employees. Businesses should also encourage employees to keep their workspaces neat and clean.
Focus on Positive Reinforcement
Focusing on positive reinforcement increases the likelihood of employees performing positive behaviors again in the future. Instead of penalizing employees for undesirable behaviors, businesses should acknowledge correct behavior among their employees, especially when they follow the safety protocols in the workplace.
Aside from encouraging employees to observe these protocols, positive reinforcement also motivates employees at the workplace. It will inspire them to perform well at work and increase their productivity. But it does not mean that the business should ignore violations of safety protocols. They should continue monitoring the employees and continue to remind them about the protocols.
Conduct Regular Evaluation of the Safety Program
Businesses should also conduct a regular evaluation of their safety protocols. When the pandemic started, the authorities asked the people to wear masks whenever they went out of their homes. But as the situation improved, many states lifted their mask requirements, especially in areas where the health situation has stabilized.
With this in mind, businesses should implement changes in their safety protocols whenever necessary. Aside from health protocols, these changes also apply to other safety measures when the business acquires new equipment with better safety features.
Businesses should also encourage employees to provide feedback and incorporate suggestions into their safety protocols. When businesses do this, compliance with the safety programs among employees will increase.
Keeping the employees safe in the workplace is essential to ensure the business continues to operate even in the middle of a pandemic.
