There are various important aspects of running a business, but one of your biggest priorities must be the welfare of your staff. Each employee plays an important role in keeping your business running smoothly, and it takes more than a decent salary to show them your appreciation and respect. Being kept safe in the workplace is a crucial employee right, and it’s your responsibility as a business owner to make sure that this is delivered to your company. Below are a few quick tips to help you make sure that you’re protecting your staff to the best of your ability at all times.
Understand Employee Rights
A good place to start, especially if you’re new to business ownership, is to make sure that you understand your legal obligations as an employer. Keeping up-to-date with employment laws is a must and will be a key duty for anyone working in your HR department. Although you might not manage these HR responsibilities directly, it’s still worthwhile looking into this yourself so you can understand the basics of what you need to be providing as an employer and how you can put that into practice.
Staff Training
It’s also important to ensure that your employees understand their responsibilities regarding health, safety, and general behavior in the office so that the work environment can remain safe and positive for everyone. Your HR staff can curate staff training programs that are relevant to your industry and run these courses in-house. Alternatively, you can send employees to training days run by external companies. Creating an employee handbook that is given to every new staff member is also worthwhile, as this can include details regarding what is considered to be professional conduct in the workplace, health and safety codes, and information on how to correctly report issues like harassment, discrimination, and so forth.
Assessing Risks in the Workplace
Another essential part of keeping your employees safe in the workplace is to carry out regular tests and risk assessments. Checking things like electrical outlets and appliances every year can help reduce fire hazards, but you will also need to make sure that stock and other items are being stored correctly to avoid accidents and injury. If your employees work in a warehouse environment, for example, these tips on how to prevent accidents in warehouses might be useful.
Data Protection
Your customers and clients will expect you to keep their data confidential, and the personal details of your employees must be protected just as much. Investing in quality cybersecurity to keep digital data safe, as well as taking other steps to keep employee records private, is a must.
Security at the Workplace
Finally, make sure that you have quality security procedures in place at your workplace. This includes things like limited access areas for employees only, CCTV, secure doors, and even hiring security personnel if necessary.
If you want to keep your staff safe at your company, consider the tips above and see how they can help you manage this responsibility as an employer.
