Your staff are among the most valuable assets at your business, and as an employer it’s your job to make sure they keep as safe and healthy at work as possible.
Where would you be without your employees? I’m sure you wouldn’t be sitting there reading a blog for entrepreneurs, for one! Your staff are among the most valuable assets at your business, and as an employer it’s your job to make sure they keep as safe and healthy at work as possible. If you’ve never given this much thought, then this needs to change immediately! Here are my best tips for protecting the people who make your business tick…
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Remember, We’re Only Human!
If you’ve built your business up from nothing, it can be easy to forget the human limitations of people who aren’t entrepreneurs. In the early stages of your business, you might have been getting by on four hours sleep and slaving away the large majority of your week. Now, this kind of dedication to something may come naturally to you, but with your staff it’s going to be a different story. Despite what you did back in the day, your employees are not equipped to work 70-hour weeks! Straining them like this is not only highly irresponsible as a business owner, but is illegal in a lot of countries! Stick to the standard 40-hour week, and offer overtime for those who want it.
Consider the Worst-Case Scenarios
Yes, a defeatist or skittish attitude is kind of a taboo for a lot of business owners. Obviously, you didn’t get where you are now by thinking everything was going to go wrong. However, to make sure you’re keeping your employees as safe as possible, you should take some time to consider the very worst that could happen at your workplace, and how prepared you are for it. Fires, natural disasters, robberies and active shooter scenarios are all very real threats. The chances of them affecting your business are exceedingly slim, but they’re still there. I’m sure you’ve seen at least one instance of news footage where some shaken witness says “I never imagined it would happen here.” Start reading up on best practices for these kinds of disasters, what companies can learn from the federal EAS, and so on. It may even be worth hiring in a professional to train your staff on what they should do in certain situations.
Ensure a Safe Environment
While the worst-case scenarios are definitely worth thinking about, some of the biggest threats to your employees are often right under your nose. I’m sure you learned all about this in the last health and safety seminar you were forced to sit through! It may not be the most pressing matter for your business, but a safe working environment is very important. Make sure the office is kept organized and free of any unnecessary clutter, and that your employees have enough space to move around in general. Restricted movements are one of the most common factors in workplace injuries, alongside trip hazards and other obstacles. Read up on modern health and safety standards (they change a lot!) and make sure you’re performing regular checks around the office.
