Personal Protection Equipment and the Workplace

3 Things You Can Do To Make Your Employees Feel Safe

Office safety used to mean managing electrical cords, providing employees with ergonomic desk setups, encouraging stretch breaks, and practicing fire drills. No longer. Business leaders in industries such as manufacturing and transportation are no strangers to personal protection equipment and workplace safety, but other business owners are tackling this new component for the first time. Now, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, entrepreneurs from industries across the spectrum are facing the new challenge of instilling a workplace safety culture that will help both employees and customers feel safe. When employees feel unsafe, either in the workplace or around customers, here are 3 things you can do to make your employees feel safe at work.

Build a Safety Culture

Your workplace is a community, and that community is experiencing concern, fear, and anxiety about the risk of being exposed to the virus at work. According to a survey by Qualtrics, in May, two-thirds of Americans said they would feel uncomfortable returning to the workplace. Two months later, over 60% still said they were uncomfortable returning to the office.

Your employees need to know and trust that their health and safety are your first priority. When workers do return to the office, they expect to see that their employers have taken action to enact safety practices, equipment, and procedures, doing everything necessary to keep employees safe.

The same survey by Qualtrics revealed that nearly 90% of employees say that having social distancing enforced, requiring all employees to wear a mask, and limiting the number of people in in-person meetings are all important to them in order to feel safe at work. In order for all employees to feel safe, the instituted procedures need to be followed by everyone, and that includes customers.

Having proper signage lets employees and customers know what your expectations are, such as wearing a mask, social distancing, and even establishing a traffic flow. From floor decals to mounted signs, your Safeguard Advisor can help you keep everyone on the same page in regards to safety with custom signs that fit your business needs. Safeguard has workplace and safety equipment in stock in the US, and ready to deliver.

Lead By Example

Don’t send employees mixed messages. Education builds confidence in your new safety culture, and one of the best ways to educate is by example. That means you can’t just pass out personal protection equipment and hang up a few health and safety signs and think you have done enough to reassure your employees and make them feel safe. Demonstrate to your employees that you are wearing your mask, using hand sanitizer, and practicing social distancing. Strong leaders take ownership of safety procedures and express those procedures clearly to their employees.

It’s important that employees understand why various changes have been made. For example, explain to your employees why your company is restricting the number of people in a particular space, why in-person meetings have been canceled, or why you are doing temperature tracking. Understanding the why will help employees embrace safety protocols and make them feel more secure in their own workspace.

Stay Current on Safety Guidelines

Due to the nature of a crisis, safety guidelines are frequently changing at the local, state, and federal levels. It’s essential that business owners stay current on all of these changing guidelines, incorporate them into their workplace-specific plans, and communicate any changes in a clear and timely manner. For most business leaders, following these guidelines and helping their employees feel safe will center on promoting frequent hand washing, installing physical barriers such as sneeze guards, and providing hand sanitizer, gloves, and masks as needed.

We know that business leaders feel their own kind of stress during this crisis as well, as they work to stay on top of an ever-changing situation. Your business is likely operating very differently from normal due to COVID-19. That’s when you need to rely on your Safeguard advisor, who can help you navigate this uncertain time. Your Safeguard advisor has the personal protection equipment you need in stock and in bulk, in the US, and ready to deliver to keep your employees safe. Help your employees feel safe by building a safety culture, leading by example, and staying current on safety guidelines.

For over 60 years, the Safeguard Advantage has meant that you could count on your Safeguard advisor for products, services, and advice. We believe in building lasting relationships, and during this challenging time, we stand behind that commitment. Rely on your Safeguard advisor to help guide your response while you get back to what you do best, running your business. Contact Us to get started. https://www.promoplace.com/essentialitemscovid19

Key Takeaways

Entrepreneurs from industries across the spectrum are facing the new challenge of instilling a workplace safety culture that will help both employees and customers feel safe.
Help your employees feel safe by building a safety culture, leading by example, and staying current on safety guidelines.
Safeguard now delivers personal protection equipment in bulk, in stock in the US, and ready to deliver.
Rely on your Safeguard advisor to help guide your response while you get back to what you do best, running your business.