Integrating safety into core HR functions can have a positive impact on the physical and psychological well-being of the employees, which can eventually result in a much more productive workplace where everyone feels safe, and there are no disruptive incidents that come in the way of working smoothly and efficiently, and there are many ways in which HR can ensure that the workplace culture is safe.
Setting the Foundation for Safety Culture
Set rules and policies work best when you want to ensure that they are followed. Having a written document with all policies regarding safe behaviors in the work environment, and the repercussions of not following them, will ensure that employees have something solid and that they will follow it too. All policies should be compiled in a handbook, and employees should be constantly reminded about it through emails. There should also be employee awareness sessions in which they are made aware of the policies. Educating employees is necessary because if they do not know about the policies, how can they follow them? Policies should be accessible, and there should be manuals and procedures for better understanding of the employees.
Empowering Leaders Through Training
People tend to follow their leaders, and when management learns safety rules, they can influence their subordinates too. There are a lot of things that a manager can do to encourage safety in the workplace. Firstly, they can learn proper conduct and implement it in their behaviors too. Managers have to deal with a lot of things and a lot of people, and as such, it is very easy for them to get angry or feel unsatisfied and may show it in their attitudes, therefore, it is important for them to learn to hold back, and while they should be able to relay their message to the people they are working with, they should not be impolite or harass their employees, and be constantly reminded of their roles as leaders and how they can impact productivity in a workplace, and through HR compliance training for managers, the management can be constantly reminded of their role in advocating for a safe work culture.
Encouraging Open Communication and Reporting
When employees feel comfortable talking and communicating, they will also report incidents better. There are two things when it comes to reporting incidents that occur in the workplace. Firstly, employees need to take responsibility, as most of the time, employees will see an incident happening, but they will not report it because they believe that someone else will take care of it and that it is not their problem. They also may not want to pay attention to it so that they can focus on their work and may not want to get involved in something else. Secondly, they can report if they feel comfortable. If employees feel that their reporting an incident will not have any impact or bring about any change, they are more likely not to report it, and as such, HR should not just encourage open communication but also ensure that strict and immediate action is taken against those who report incidents, so that more people are encouraged to report incidents.
Continuous Improvement by Using Feedback
It is important for the HR persons in any company to understand how the employees are feeling about their safety, and take appropriate action accordingly, and this can be done through constant surveying and feedback, for example, employees can be sent forms on a monthly basis in which they can express how they feel about their safety, both physically and emotionally, and also be given the option of reporting something anonymously if they are uncomfortable coming in front. Overall, they should be encouraged to speak up and instantly report anything unusual that can hurt the safety of the workers in any form. While it is also essential that employees report all incidents, it is equally essential that all feedback is taken seriously, checked for authenticity and action taken for it.
Conclusion
As a human resource person, you have a unique responsibility and also the power to bring about some change for yourself and your fellow employees. By providing other employees with the right type of support and creating a culture where they feel empowered to speak and feel safe, you will be directly impacting on company productivity and growth.
