People typically think of health and safety training as something that keeps workers safe. Nothing more. The effects of health and safety training, however, actually reach far beyond the protection of workers – training also has an impact on workplace performance and productivity.
While an employer may think they’re saving money by skimping out on additional health and safety training courses, the reality is that they’re actually losing significantly more in lost productivity. This quick blog will elaborate on the effect health and safety training has on workplace performance and offer remedies for employers who are looking to make a change.
Employees are More Productive When They Feel Safe
An unsafe workplace is a sign that the employees are not being effectively managed by their superiors. Poor management results in disorganization and the dissolution of a productive workplace. After all, why should the employees be expected to care if the managers don’t? It’s up to the leadership to set the example.
Managers can set a good example by implementing modern health and safety practices (see below). Employees spend less time worrying about their safety and more time working when management displays a high regard for their safety.
Health and safety training courses are an excellent way for managers to implement modern health and safety practices efficiently. By investing in the workplace, managers can make employees feel valued and encouraged to work. Advanced Training and Consults host a variety of in-person and online safety courses that will inspire your employees and boost workplace efficiency.
How do Unsafe Environments Harm Workplace Performance?
Hazardous environments are stressful, distracting, and non-conductive to workplace efficiency. For instance, imagine a scenario in which an employee was not properly trained on how to handle dangerous chemicals. An accident happens, and the employee is now seriously harmed and out of work for the foreseeable future.
This incident has an emotional impact on the other employees. It’s like they’ll be so concerned with their own safety that their time in the office is consumed by worry rather than work.
Improving workplace safety is a method every manager should consider when looking for ways to improve workplace performance. Not only does it preserve the productivity of your employees, but it also saves money that would need to be spent on worker’s compensation.
3 Health and Safety Tips that Will Improve Work Productivity
Ask Your Employees
Your first course of action should be to consult with your employees; nobody understands their concerns better than they do. This will actually make any manager’s job easier. Instead of wasting time coming up with ideas, you can go directly to the source and figure out what needs to be done to address their concerns directly.
Inspect Your Workplace
As a manager, you should be intimately familiar with your workplace layout. Carefully walk around the workplace and inspect areas of concern. Start with the most hazardous areas first and work your way down to the areas that are the least hazardous. Come up with a list of issues and address them one at a time. Make sure to check safety mechanisms like fire alarms and carbon monoxide detectors for deficiencies as well!
Label, Label, Label
This simple trick is cost-effective and extremely helpful in conveying warnings to your employees. Use a combination of words and pictures to illustrate threats posed by dangerous equipment or environments in the workplace.
Enhance Your Workplace Performance with Advanced CT
Contact Advanced Training and Consulting if you’re looking to improve the performance of your workplace. Our specialized health and safety programs are designed to empower your employees with all the knowledge they need to conduct their work in a safe, cautious, and informed manner.
Advanced Training and Consulting has 20+ years of experience training Ottawa’s workforce to comply with exceptional workplace safety standards. We offer in-person and online training courses so your employees can learn as a group or at their own pace. Protect your workplace with Advanced Training and Consulting today!
