Make this Serious Workplace Issue Real to Your Employees

engineer helmetAlright, so it’s not the most exciting topic. For most of us, it’s probably far from exciting. But, whether you work on a construction site or in a traditional nine to five office, safety at work impacts us all in one way or another. For company owners, safety can affect everything from workers’ compensation costs to productivity. For employees, it impacts work environment, health, and morale. So, we should be talking about it.

With rising medical costs and growing workers’ compensation claims, it’s imperative for companies to make sure everyone’s doing their part to keep the workplace safe. So how do you make a less-than-glamorous topic matter to your team?

June is National Safety Month and a great time to get the conversations started. To help, here are some easy ways to make this real workplace issue relevant to your employees.

Find Tangible Ways Your Safety Program Can Benefit Employees
Safety isn’t just about reducing workers’ compensation costs. It’s about protecting your most valuable assets – your employees. For employees, it’s about protecting your co-workers and your own well being.

To get everyone actively involved in safety awareness and prevention at work, develop a safety strategy with immediate and tangible benefits for employees. You could start by offering a first-aid class where employees can become CPR certified and trained to handle emergency situations. Employees will benefit from this information in their daily lives, at home and at work. And, you’ll open the door for conversations about safety policies to build awareness and help establish good safety behaviors. This will lead to safety-conscious habits that could help prevent on-the-job injuries. You could also create easy to manage safety programs that reward employees who follow your company’s safety policies faithfully. Get creative with your program rewards. Incentives like bonus checks and time off are always great ways to motivate employees.

For most of us, the last time safety rules seemed exciting, we were learning to stop, drop, and roll by a visiting fireman in kindergarten class. In a recent Refresh Leadership poll, 12% of respondents said they weren’t sure whether or not their company had a comprehensive safety plan. If your employees would say the same, it’s time to take steps to make safety a priority for every employee.

Do you have a safety program already in place? Share your experiences with us in the comments section below. And, check out our guide to building a disaster plan for other safety resources.

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