One of the first things any business person needs to learn is how to keep their staff working productively.
In part, this can be done by motivating them, rewarding them well and keeping them interested in what they are doing. However, another issue well worth putting some thought into is their health and safety. After all, if they are ill they aren’t going to be at work being productive. The following are some useful tips for keeping them healthy and as productive as possible.
Arrange for Health & Safety Training
Ideally, you will arrange for one of the most responsible members of staff to be the team’s health & safety representative. They can then make sure that the rest of the team members carry out the appropriate training and know what they need to do. There are lots of free resources you will find on the internet to help you arrange the training everyone needs. This is the kind of task that a lot of people see as being boring and that can be pushed aside when there is other work to carry out. However, it is essential that the business owner takes on board the responsibility of sorting this out. Health & safety issues can vary widely from one type of company to another, so you will need to do some research in order to see what you should concentrate on first of all.
Give Them Clean Air to Breathe
Some places of work are unhealthy because of the quality of the air in them. A number of studies suggest that the number of sick offices in the US is as high as 6 out of every 10. Poor indoor air quality is also classed as one of the country’s major environmental issues. This can come down to a range of different reasons, meaning that the possible solutions can also vary from one place to another. For example, it may be that more ventilation is needed or that the cleaning duties need to be carried out more regularly than at present. It is also worth noting that some business owners are aware of the importance of using a high quality heater filter and of replacing it regularly. This is a vital area of workplace health planning that can’t be overlooked. You could also consider adding more plants and even using aromatherapy oils to help people feel good at work and stay healthy too.
Use Ergonomically Correct Furniture
When it comes time to buy some furniture it should be remembered that some members of staff are likely to spend a large percentage of their week sitting the same chair and using the same desk or whatever other items of furniture they use. This means that making everything appropriate and ergonomically correct is another area you can’t afford to neglect. There may also be some team members who have special needs in this respect, which is something that needs to be taken into account when choosing furniture.
Make It a No Smoking Zone
It sometimes seems as though there are fewer smokers in the world all the time. However, the trend in certain places is for more and more people to start up this habit. In fact, the total number of smokers across the planet right now is close to one billion. This means there is still a very good chance that one or more of your workers want to light up every day. It is therefore important that the main, shared work space is a no smoking zone. In this way, the non smokers don’t have to breathe in the dangerous smoke while they work.