Want to improve worker safety and productivity?
Table of Contents
Pay more attention to communication
Worker safety and health
Worker safety leads to fewer accidents
Worker safety training and engagement
Worker safety and productivity
Crisis management
Asynchronous and synchronous communication styles
Internal communications plan
Communicate about worker safety
Next steps in your internal communications
Pay more attention to communication
When you think of worker safety, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it personal protective equipment like face shields or electrical gloves? Or is it an emergency notification device like a panic button? And while these are all important elements of a strong worker safety program, an area often missed is internal communication amongst the team and organization.
Strong internal communication has benefits for the organization such as increased productivity, increased employee wellness, and engagement, as well as improved worker safety. Reliable, structured communication can alert employees of any new safety hazards, the spark that ignites your emergency response to get your people to safety as soon as possible. It can also prevent any time-consuming confusion, ensuring that key roles, responsibilities, and directions are understood by all. Another example is if a new piece of equipment, tool, or technology is introduced and crucial information must be communicated (through training and other avenues) in order for the employee to use it as successfully and safely as possible.
So now you see that strong communication is important, let’s look a little deeper at why you need to pay more attention to this facet of your organization.
Worker safety and health
As we just said, strong communications are imperative in educating employees about any safety hazards and risks they need to be aware of and what they need to do about it. Communications in this case range from safety training sessions or one-on-one instruction, to safety signage and instructions placed in areas workers, can either see them or easily access the information. The employer should also provide any technology or devices that will elevate the worker’s communication capability and safety such as an automated check-in system or some kind of fall detection.
Worker safety leads to fewer accidents
Amongst the team and sometimes between teams, employees need the technological means to communicate with each other, which can significantly reduce the number of accidents. This can include work/satellite phones, some sort of instant messenger software, or even an internal online forum where staff can connect and interact. However, providing the team with communication devices does not mean they will use them. The employer needs to build and foster a healthy communication culture where staff feels comfortable to bring up any safety hazards as well as talk to their coworkers freely.
Worker safety training and engagement
I know we mentioned it already, but let’s revisit the importance of training sessions and activities. When we say “training,” we’re not referring to those mandatory and long sessions that employees must attend regarding a new safety policy. We believe that training your employees should be fun and engaging for all, relaying important safety information while bring the team closer together. These events should not only take place when there’s something like a safety issue or change to the program – they should be held regularly, updating staff on existing protocols and practices or whatever area is a priority for your organization.
Worker safety and productivity
Poor communication costs time and therefore money. By investing in communications, you are truly investing in the organization as employees will be productive, spending valuable time on priority tasks and projects, instead of on the energy to communicate through an awkward channel or to repair any damage done from miscommunication. A solid internal communications channel can really help streamline a project with the team members working quickly and efficiently. Pro tip: After 6 months to a year of using a new communications channel/tool, show leadership and the team the improved numbers/benefits.
Crisis management
In times of crisis and emergencies in which workers’ well-being and lives could be at stake, you want to be prepared as much as possible. A crisis or emergency response plan is almost pointless without communications channels that can instantly notify key people who can help an employee in distress and danger. Once you have assessed any possible safety hazards, you must identify the best communications channels/devices/platforms to help eliminate the safety threat and dangerous situation. Crisis management and response plans are as important as the communication plans you will see below.
Asynchronous and synchronous communication styles
Something that we take advantage of here at SafetyLine is the use of asynchronous and synchronous communication styles within the team. Chances are that you probably use asynchronous communication already, even though you might not know what they are. Synchronous communication is any kind of communication that takes place instantly and in real-time, receiving responses right away. Examples include instant messaging, as well as online group chats, and video conferencing. On the flip side, asynchronous communication entails all types of communication that do not take place in real-time and takes longer like email, online forums, and communities, or collaborative documents and platforms.
Internal communications plan
In order to coordinate the various communications at your organization you need to develop a thorough internal communications plan that outlines information like the communications tools/technology being employed, how they will be used, the safety and productivity benefits, and the objectives of the plan. This kind of plan also complements any proactive crisis management and prevention strategies that were outlined earlier. Especially if you work at a large organization with a large team, a detailed communications plan is vital, not only making sure that staff stay safe and reap the many benefits of the new tools, but also to present a solid business case to leadership and management if the plan will require a budget.
As a roadmap of sorts for your internal communications program, the plan must also address remote and teleworkers who might even be working in a different time zone, possibly requiring the need for special accommodations. Remember, strong, meaningful communication is particularly important for those working remotely because they are missing the sometimes-deep connection with managers and co-workers at the office or physical work site. Because of the regular communication and interaction that takes place in the physical workspace, online communication with remote workers must be consistent as well – both formal discussions like one-on-one meetings or informal like the online lunch hangouts we have internally with the SafetyLine team.
Communicate about worker safety
The final but definitely not less important point is that you need to communicate to staff about safety protocols, updates, changes, and any other information that will impact their physical and mental well-being while at work. As we said, this includes safety signage and pylons, or safety training sessions and workshops or lunch-and-learns. But don’t just communicate about safety as needed or certainly not only following accidents and emergencies, make safety communication a normal, bi-weekly, or monthly practice to, at the very least, remind staff of the protocols and practices they should correctly be in following.
Next steps in your internal communications
So as you now see, how your team communicates has much deeper meaning and impact than just emoticons on instant messenger – in some ways, it’s the backbone of an organization that keeps it upright and moving. Strong internal communications is crucial in so many ways – and we haven’t even addressed external communications yet and why that’s so important. If you find this daunting, we recommend you make a simple list of issues or pain points at your organization and look at each one to see if poor communication is a factor. If you have a list of five or more issues that can at least be partially mitigated with improved communications then start looking at building a plan. The great thing is that not only investing in this area will result in quality work, but your team will also be happier and tighter as a professional unit.