How to Create a Safe Working Environment for Your Employees

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Safe Working Environment|How to Create a Safe Working Environment for Your EmployeesIf you want your business to do well, it’s imperative to take care of your workers. At the very least, employees should feel safe in the working environment.

There are a lot of ways you can ensure safety in the workplace and below we’ll look at some of the key steps you can take.

Ensure there are dedicated exits

In the event of a fire, legally all businesses need to have dedicated exits. That is, employees should know where they need to go if a fire does break out. So, ensuring there are dedicated exits in the event of an emergency is one of the top safety aspects to focus on.

These dedicated exits should be clearly marked and obviously left unobstructed. As an additional step, you’ll want to consider adding waterspouts installed throughout to quench any fires which do break out.

Carry out a safety assessment

One of the best ways to ensure your employees have a safe working environment, is to carry out a safety assessment. Ideally, this should be done by a professional as they will have the knowledge and the equipment to identify all risks.

You’ll be able to identify risks such as trips and falls, faulty equipment, not wearing PPE and electrical safety. The assessment will provide actionable steps you should take to improve certain safety aspects.

Take a look at your health and safety policy

When was the last time you reviewed your health and safety policy? It is important to regularly review the policy to ensure it is kept fully up to date. If it isn’t and an employee injures themselves, they could make a claim against you. This could leave you significantly out of pocket depending upon how serious the incident is.

If you are ever injured at work, make sure you get the injury checked out by a medical professional and when you do, tell them everything about your injury so you get the best consultation possible and reduce any chances of medical negligence arising.

So, review your health and safety policy and make amendments if needed. You should also make sure every employee has a copy of the policy they can review. If they aren’t aware of the rules because they weren’t provided with any, the responsibility will fall on you.

Overall, it’s important to ensure the workplace is a safe and healthy environment for your workers. The above are just some of the steps you can take to boost safety in the workplace. Don’t forget to focus on cyber security too. Workers are exposed to more than just physical safety risks, their information could also be compromised if you suffer a cyber attack.

The Components Of A Successful Workplace

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A successful workplace has a lot of factors to boast; it’s a place where an employee can get on with their work in a fast and productive manner, and it’s somewhere they fit in and know they can take on any challenge that comes their way.

After all, when you’ve got a whole team of people to keep on the straight and narrow, your office is going to need to be multifaceted and multi-cultural, in order to accommodate each and every person’s needs. And because of that, the modern workplace is a more successful operation than ever. There are more opportunities out there, and it’s easier to set up a small business of your own than ever before.

But if you’re in the boat of wanting to set up for success, and to lay a good foundation within your business dreams, it’s key to know just how many components there are in a successful workplace. With that in mind, we’ve detailed the most important below.

A Motivational Factor

Your employees need to stay motivated in order to succeed. When you have a fully motivated and driven workforce to make use of, your business is going to thrive, simply because the team behind it are always going to go the extra mile. It’s a simple facet to understand, and yet, it’s one that very few businesses make use of in the modern day and age. Make sure you’re not jumping on the bandwagon here!

But how do you go about including an ever present motivational factor? It’s simple – you look at your team as individuals, and provide incentives at all times. Because your team needs to be able to see the fruits of their labor, in real time. So update them on how marketing campaigns are going, or how many sales you’re making, and always be sure to reach out to the employees that have been instrumental in the current quarter’s success.

Celebrate their achievements, either in public or in private (depending on how well your team functions as a whole), and always ask if you can make an example of them or not. It’s good to have a case study to determine success in your other team members, but don’t be too harsh here.

An Emphasis on Communication

Communication is something every single workplace needs to hold near and dear, as it’s the only way you’re going to get a cohesive project lead at every turn. When your team members actually work as a team, and keep each other updated, and you as the boss never holds secrets from them, you’re going to have a much more productive unit on your hands. People feel included, and they like that, and they’re going to do much better at their desks as a result.

So open up the floor. Allow people to pitch in whenever they have an idea. Always keep your office door open, so people can come in and never feel like they’re interrupting you. At the same time, make good use of technology here, and provide more than one way for your team to keep in touch with one another. Project managing apps, team messaging apps, even just a simple, weekly scheduled Zoom call could do the trick here.

A Fully Functioning Workplace IoT

An IoT (or internet of things) is the term used to describe any and all connected devices used in your office. It’s a branching term for tablets, phones, computers, and even that smart fridge in the breakroom that all use the same wifi, and your IoT needs to be fully functioning at all times.

When you’ve got a properly working IoT, your staff members will be much happier during the day to day; they won’t have to deal with crashes, or lost signals, or even just slowly loading inboxes or web browsers. With a fully functioning IoT, the day moves a lot faster, people aren’t grumbling behind their screens or when they’re using an iPad to present in the meeting room, and you’ll be able to focus on the more important things in the here and now.

But how do you ensure your IoT is fully functioning, and will rarely go down? With a good amount of it support – if you don’t have an IT department within your company already, it’s time to outsource, and at least rely on a virtual call desk you can get in touch with whenever there’s a technological issue. And yes, even if the wifi is a bit slower than usual, it’s time to get in touch with your IT body!

A Comfortable Place to Work

It’s also essential that your workplace accommodates any and all types of workers, because you never know who you’re going to hire one day, and what they might want, need, or expect from the working environment around them. Simply put, if you want your workplace to be successful, you’re going to need to make it a comfortable place to work.

Sure, you need some soft furnishings and a fully stocked break room and toilet block, but you also need to think about accessibility as a bigger picture. Think about desk heights. Think about chair types. Think about the width and length of the walkways, and just how accessible the doors in and out of your building are. Think about the user interfaces on your apps. Think about the layout of your website.

Most of all, think about just how hard a disabled worker might find it to come to work and do their best for you, and make some changes, sooner rather than later.

Are You Running a Successful Workplace?

It’s easy to tell if you are or not. If your workers are happy, you’re on track to meet your goals, your staff are always talking and taking part, and you know you champion accessibility at all corners, you’ve got yourself a modern and successful workplace. And if you don’t meet these criteria, it’s always possible to change some things.

 

Why You Should Maintain Workers’ Compensation Insurance

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Workers' Compensation Insurance|Why You Should Maintain Workers’ Compensation InsuranceAs an entrepreneur, you are starting your business and have to make tough choices about where to put your money. Rent physical space or go virtual? Do your own books or hire an accountant? Pay for answering service or hire a receptionist?

The answers to these questions will vary depending upon the type of business you are starting, what your skillset is, and how well your project is funded. One thing you should not skimp on if you have employees is purchasing workers’ compensation insurance.

Why? Because if you don’t have workers’ compensation insurance and one of your employees is injured in a workplace accident, or develops a disease or condition as a result of the workplace conditions or duties, you will likely be on the hook for their medical expenses and lost wages. In many states, that is not all… you can be fined by a workers’ compensation judge, or prosecuted for a crime by your state’s Department of Justice.

Read this article for the consequences you can avoid if you just purchase workers’ compensation for the employees of your business.

How Workers Compensation Works

The reason every state has a workers’ compensation statute mandating the purchase of workers’ compensation insurance for most employers is to remove the issue of liability from workplace injuries, provide lost wages and medical expenses for the injured worker, and lift responsibility from the employer.

The public policy concerns resolved by the workers’ compensation statute are preserving the employer-employee relationship, helping workers recover from their injuries and get back to work, and avoiding lengthy, expensive, litigation between employers and their employees over who is at fault for causing the injury.

If a worker is injured, typically, the worker will inform the employer and seek medical attention. Most statutes provide a timeline for this and give the employer and the insurer the right to specify the medical professionals an injured worker must first consult.

Employers are usually required to post notices of workers’ compensation coverage and the procedure for filing a worker’s comp claim in a conspicuous place at work, such as a break room. The worker will complete and submit the required forms, and generally, in as little as a few weeks the worker will receive compensation for the injury in the form of medical expenses and lost wages. If the worker is unable to work for a time, the worker may also receive partial or total temporary or permanent disability compensation.

If an employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance but should, the injured worker can seek recourse in workers’ compensation court and in some states, can sue the employer directly. But that employer’s employees are not the only stakeholders in the employers’ decision not to carry worker’s compensation insurance – the state is.

Because your state has a stake in whether your business has workers’ comp insurance, your state legislators will have specified in the statute what penalties will apply if an employer fails to comply with the mandates of the statute. In many states, failure to comply is a criminal offense and individual owners of a business without workers’ compensation insurance can be fined and jailed.

A Judge May Impose Civil Fines and Penalties for Failing to Comply With Your State’s Workers’ Compensation Statute

Every state’s workers’ compensation statute is a bit different, but most states require employers with at least one employee to purchase workers’ compensation insurance. If a worker is injured and goes to workers’ compensation court, the judge has the authority to not only assess the worker’s medical expenses and lost wages against an uninsured employer but fine that employer in addition, in an amount that will match the egregiousness of the conduct.

In some states, there is an uninsured employer fund that the worker can access to receive compensation more timely, and you as the uninsured employer must repay that amount as well as any fines or penalties provided for your state’s statute.

Employers Without Workers’ Compensation Insurance Can Be Criminally Prosecuted

Failing to purchase and maintain workers’ compensation for employees is a crime in most states. The degree of the crime, the fines and penalties, and the jail sentences imposed upon business owners will vary state-to-state.

For example, in Pennsylvania, failing to maintain workers’ compensation insurance is a third-degree misdemeanor, the punishment being a $2,500.00 fine and up to 1 year in jail. If an employer’s failure to maintain insurance is intentional or willful, that failure is a third-degree felony and the punishment is a $15,000.00 fine and a jail sentence of up to seven years.

Know that in most states, every day the business fails to carry workers’ compensation insurance can be charged as a separate crime. A lengthy amount of time in operation without workers’ comp insurance will certainly enhance the fines, penalties, and jail sentences.
Workers’ compensation insurance protects not only your employees, but you, the business, and other owners of the business if any. Find somewhere else to save money if you need to.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor |Veronica BaxterVeronica Baxter is a legal assistant and blogger living and working in the great city of Philadelphia. She frequently works with Larry Pitt, Esq., a busy workers’ compensation lawyer in Philadelphia.

Managing Your Business Better In A Post-COVID World

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article |Post-Covid|Managing Your Business Better In A Post-COVID WorldThe battle with COVID-19 is far from over. There is a long way to go before the world can confidently say that it has a handle on the virus and that life can return to normal. However, many businesses are cautiously looking towards the future, and how they can adapt the way that they work in light of the pandemic, and the changes that we may have to make in the future.

The way we work has changed completely. While most companies were already moving towards being digital, this has accelerated the process somewhat. What other changes can you implement in a post-COVID world to help you to manage your business better?

Take feedback on board

It can be difficult to ask for feedback. After all, no one wants to hear what they are doing wrong, even if it is for the good of their business, but it really can make a significant difference.

The most obvious place to start with this is on your reviews and social media pages. If the same comments and criticisms about a particular product or business product keep cropping up, take heed and do something about it.

However, you can also create a focus group, made up of your target audience, and ask them what they think you are doing well and where they think you could improve. Above all else, take the feedback on board. Customers like to know that their opinions matter, so show them and tell them of the improvements that you have made based on their feedback.

Outsource tasks

Small business owners wear so many hats, and sometimes, one can slip and make the whole thing fall apart. Stop trying to do everything yourself and outsource. What is the point of you sitting there staring at a spreadsheet full of numbers that you do not understand when you can search for things like ‘a bookkeeper near me’ to do the hard work for you – and do it better!

Aim for a better work-life balance

If there is one thing that the coronavirus pandemic has taught us, it is that nothing is more important than our health. When you are not healthy, you can’t work as productively or efficiently as you could, so it is not only in the best interests of yourself and your family to stay healthy, but your business too.

One of the biggest health issues affecting business owners is burnout. As mentioned above, they wear so many hats and try to do so many things that you can end up burning out, which can be terrible for our health. Make sure you take time to be you, and not just a business owner.

Stay positive

We are in a situation like no other, and no one has any idea what the future is going to hold. There are undoubtedly going to many challenges in the road ahead, and sometimes, you may well feel like quitting. However, try to stay positive. You are far from the only person or business experiencing feelings like this, and while some will end up closing, many will survive, and come back stronger than ever.

Providing Your Staff With Everything They Need

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StrategyDriven Managing Your People Article | Providing Your Staff With Everything They Need

When you first start out with your small business, chances are you do everything yourself. That or you employ the help of third party, outsourced freelancers to complete more complex or specialist tasks that are outside of your skillset, such as creating a website or shooting product photography. Hiring staff doesn’t tend to be the first thing on any new business owner’s list. After all, employees are costly and you take on a big responsibility when you hire them. But as your business begins to grow and expand, you’re going to have to take on permanent staff at some point or another. It’s impossible to run a medium to large size business independently and employees will help to keep things ticking over and moving in the right direction. When you do take on staff, it’s absolutely essential that you understand their needs and provide them with everything that they do need to carry out their jobs effectively. Here are a few areas to focus on!

Carry Out Surveys

Sometimes, staff won’t be outright about what they need to do their work. They may feel awkward and fear repercussions for making requests. But it is important that you know their needs in order to cater to them. So, carry out anonymous surveys to check whether there’s anything that you can do for your staff to help them with their work. This could include suggestions for helpful software, changes to the working environment, or anything else that could prove beneficial to productivity.

Invest in Quality Software

Nowadays, most work is carried out online with the help of devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops and computers. So, your staff are going to rely heavily on good quality software to do their work. Make sure you have the best and most up to date necessary software available. You may even want to consider having custom software made to meet all of your business’ specific and unique needs and requirements.

Invest in Your Office Space

Your office space can have a profound impact on productivity. So, make sure it’s up to scratch. Your office should have all ergonomic furniture and accessories to protect your staff from strains and injuries. This could include the perfect ergonomic office chairs, desks, wrist supports, back supports, foot supports and more.

Invest in Health and Safety

When it comes down to it, health and safety guidelines are in place to protect your employees and it’s absolutely essential that you follow them. In fact, it’s so essential that you follow these guidelines that there are laws in place to ensure that you do. So, invest in everything you need in terms of health and safety. This could include fire extinguishers, permanent safety signage, temporary safety signage, electrical PAT tests and more.

Of course, there are a number of other areas you could focus on when it comes to providing your staff with everything that they need. But those outlined above should help to get you started out in the right direction!