The One Part of Your Business You Shouldn’t Be An Innovator In
That’s right. There’s one aspect of your business that’s better off just following in the footsteps of established industry giants- no need to be a hero here. Have I got you curious? You may be surprised to learn that the thing I’m talking about is safety. Safety is so important that businesses have invested millions of dollars and countless years perfecting safety policies. In the case of safety procedures, it’s probably best to take a cue from the big fish and not worry about re-inventing the wheel, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!.”
Big businesses know the gigantic hidden costs of employee injury claims and investigations, and are extremely invested in avoiding accidents at all costs. When businesses say that they hold safety as a number one priority, above even things like production and output, they’re not just saying it to get good press, it really does matter. From both a moral and business perspective, this does make sense. In addition to monetary calculations, other benefits of a safe and healthy workforce include: increased trust in management, open lines of communication, better morale, higher levels of efficiency, and better overall work in general. Sounds pretty nice, right? Well here are a few things you can do right now to make your work environment as safe as possible.
Know your risks – and take care of them
In management, it can be easy to get disconnected from the baseline production of your business. Even if you once worked the factory floor yourself, you may have an entirely different perspective and set of responsibilities in your current role. Even so, it is important to make an active effort to analyze the potential risks in your business and to make timely recommendations or arrangements to have things fixed or changed. You can also take this opportunity to chat with employees and get opinions directly from them.
Communication and Safety
Keeping open lines of communication with workers is vital. Make sure everyone knows their rights, and feels comfortable reporting unsafe conditions. Empowering your workforce to bring up these issues on their own not only helps snuff out potential hazards, but also improves the worker/boss relationship. This is important in any aspect of running a business, not just when it comes to safety.
Act fast, and act fully
When you notice something is wrong or needs changing, don’t hesitate to make the call that day. It only takes a few minutes, and you’re proactively working towards a solution to a potentially very costly and dangerous problem. If you ever feel that you don’t know how to deal with something, or don’t have all of the resources you need, don’t just let the issue sit. Instead, look into outside help and consider bringing in an agency that specializes in workplace safety. If you’re overly busy, this can be a cost-effective way to handle safety risk assessment, procedure creation, and employee training as it will free up your time. In summary, act with authority, and where you can’t, don’t be afraid to ask for help.
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