With stronger laws governing the health and safety requirements at workplaces, employers are becoming more concerned than ever about how to tackle the issue responsibly.
Several research programs are dedicated to finding a middle ground where both employees and employers can meet.
Inadequate health and safety measures at workplaces have already become a leading cause of losses in the productivity of employees. According to statistics revealed by the World Economic Forum back in 2012, the growing mental illness issue is expected to cause a $1.6 trillion dent to the global economic output.
Cardiovascular diseases were also found to cause a significant decrease in productivity, with associated losses amounting to a mammoth US $389 billion globally.
Another report by the International Labour Organization – ILO (2012) suggests that poor work health and safety practices in a nation also decline its economic growth. Research by Dollard and Neser in 2013 suggested the same, particularly identifying a 13% variance in the GDP of the thirty-one European nations that were part of the study.
To put it in a nutshell, work health and safety regulations have long been proven to affect the growth of an organisation.
As an employer or leading business personnel, it is of utmost importance that you understand these regulations and incorporate them into your firm’s model, to reap its benefits. That’s why it is now more important than ever to make work health and safety course a part of your employees’ continuous professional education.
To help you better understand the significance of health and safety guidelines in the workplace, we have listed down six more reasons why these should take precedence in your corporate policies.
#1: Reducing Employee Turnover
One of the biggest challenges for businesses across the globe is to retain employees. A recent study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS USA) showed that in October 2018 alone, 3.469 million workers quit their jobs. The number rose to 3.512 million in October of 2019.
Employee turnover is a serious matter of concern for employers across the globe, and a leading reason for that is an unsafe working environment and inadequate health policies offered by the employer. Unfortunately, managers don’t realise how they are violating the health and safety conduct, that is because most of the time, they have insufficient knowledge of what’s going on the floor.
A good way around this is to take a WHS coordinator on board who has knowledge of the right policies to put in place. These officials have studied work and health safety and can help your business stay on top of this issue from the very start. MCI Institute in Australia is an excellent place to acquire a certification in this area – check out their work health and safety courses online.
#2: A Safer Environment for Enhanced Productivity
Employees want to feel safe at work. They want policies that assure them that their employer cares for their wellbeing, both physically and mentally.
This is where comprehending the role of health and safety regulations, becomes absolutely crucial for the success of your business. It’s worth enrolling your employees in an OSHA 10 online training program as it offers a general overview of job-related health and safety hazards, which will make your employees feel safer and more confident at work.
If you know precisely which strategies to implement, an otherwise tedious task can become more straightforward and easier. Furthermore, you will also be able to save time and energy implementing these policies, provided you have an expert on board.
Work health and safety officers can guide you in this matter. A wellbeing advisor may also be able to ensure proper implementation of these procedures, thereby gaining the confidence of your workforce.
Another great benefit of having a dedicated resource is that the person is trained to communicate with your colleagues – their advice and counselling will go a long way in making your workforce feel valued.
#3: Re-examination of Existing Policies
When it comes to safety at work, incorporating new policies is not the only goal – you also need to fix the existing systems that may not be up to standard. That’s one more reason why studying work health and safety courses in Australia can be of great assistance to you as an employer.
These courses allow you to examine and find out if the current safety protocols are practical or not. The ones that are not can either be fixed or taken out from the employee handbook.
Hiring an expert with the right education in work health and safety will showcase your commitment towards employee wellbeing. A simple move like this may be enough to gain the confidence of the employees and retain them for more extended periods.
In fact, Mercer identified that most employees in 2019 want to work for a company that has firm health and safety policies for them.
The report revealed that having just any wellbeing policy may not be the key – employees want to see their employers take actions, and propose newer, better strategies. It is best to not just have a policy in place but to make it a core aspect of your company.
#4: Work Health and Safety Courses Can Save Your Money
For most businessmen, it is only natural to ask, ‘why waste employee time and my money on a course?’
The answer is simple: to save time and money!
According to Safe Work Australia, work-related health and safety and incidents between 2012 and 2013 alone cost $61.8 billion to the Australian economy. That is the cost of hollow rules and regulations that only pay lip service to employee safety.
A business that’s gearing up for robust growth cannot afford such losses.
This is another reason why many employers across Australia now encourage their staff to enrol in work health and safety courses.
The courses not only educate managers about the importance of employee wellbeing but also help them design well-founded strategies to tackle this growing issue.
To put it simply, by investing little time and in a workplace health and safety course, you are saving yourself from an exponentially heftier waste of both these resources.
#5: Improved Efficiency at Work
Did you know that mental wellbeing plays just as great a role in the workplace as sound physical health does? Workers, especially in more labour-intensive jobs, are unable to perform at their best due to the constant fear of a potential injury.
Most employees are not financially sound to cover their medical expenses for treatments of injuries caused at work. This is where litigations come into the picture, further complicating the matter for the employer.
When you acquire a certification regarding health and safety at a workplace, you are saving on potential litigation costs and employee medical payments. In addition, you are also setting yourself to see better overall efficiency and productivity from employees, since they are at ease regarding workplace health and safety policies.
Moreover, even if an employee doesn’t face a physical injury, the constant mental stress of having little or no medical backup may lead them to other health issues, sleeping problems, and more.
#6: Compliance with the Law
Nations across the world are making stricter laws relating to the health and safety of employees.
Not only are businesses ethically obliged to adapt to workplace safety policies, but are also enforced by the government to implement them.
The reason why now is the right time to enrol in a workplace health and safety course is that you get to understand all the legalities attached to such developments. Furthermore, you are also taught about incorporating these policies into your workplace and how to ensure a smoother transition.
By the end of the certification, you are fully equipped to design a productive workplace health and safety model and make it a part of your growing enterprise.
The MCI Institute is offering some of the best and most affordable workplace health and safety certifications in Australia. To learn more, visit our website today.
