Entrepreneurs: How Safe is Your Workplace… Really?
Entrepreneurship is more than justa full time job. For most, it is their loves. Their spouses and children will usually attest to this. Entrepreneurs work longer hours than most, and the work rarely stops when they get home. By the time they’ve dealt with the stream of emails that come with running a business, prepared their notes for the next morning’s strategy meeting and made the handful of phone calls that they didn’t get the time for during office hours maybe there’s enough time to watch an episode of Game of Thrones with their significant other before collapsing into bed.
But even though entrepreneurs have so many plates to spin and can never take their eyes too far from the bottom line, there’s one area they can never afford to neglect… their employees’ wellbeing. Even the most talented, dedicated and hardworking entrepreneurs would not have achieved the same level of success without the aid of their equally talented, dedicated and hardworking employees. If they’re to keep bringing success to your enterprise it’s essential that you ensure a safe and happy work environment for them…
Your Premises
Health and safety in the workplace is not a one and done. It’s an ongoing process that needs your attention every day. An injured employee represents a failure on your part and they may well use an accident lawyer like Blaine Barrilleaux to make a claim against you. This is a black mark against your business that you can do without. The building itself must be in a good state of repair and any potential hazards from loose carpeting and newly mopped floors to trailing electrical cables must be clearly marked. Check out this useful article on making your workplace safer.
Your Equipment
Aside from your premises itself, your equipment can also become a safety hazard. Even each employees’ desk and chair can be hazardous to their health if they are unable to ergonomically tailor them for their own comfort and support. Ensure that all employees are fully trained in the use of equipment that is pertinent to their job and that substances hazardous to health are carefully controlled.
Your Cyber Security
Cyber security threats are in a constant state of evolution. As hackers become more daring and inventive, so too must you invest in cyber security solutions to ensure that your employee, customer and client data is kept safe. Make sure that your security is under constant review and that any software and apps you use are regularly updated. Software updates not only help to improve functionality (which will aid productivity) but usually include free security updates.
Your Culture
Perhaps the most important thing you can do in ensuring a safe and happy workplace for your employees is instil the proper culture. Employees should all feel respected, valued and as though their contributions matter regardless of pay grade, hours worked or position within your corporate hierarchy. If your employees feel belittled or bullied, all of the above is frankly irrelevant.
Make sure your employees have everything they need to be the best that they can be, and your enterprise will reap the benefits.