The expectations of the work environment have changed quite a bit in recent years. No longer are high-anxiety boiler room types of atmospheres acceptable. As people’s attitudes evolve, society around them must evolve as well.
We expect our workplaces to be inclusive, tolerant, and safe in today’s world. In this article, we will be focusing on that last point. As you will see, creating a safer work environment requires a multi-aspect strategy.
Something as simple as a joke of the day for work can start your employees’ day off in the right direction. However, it takes a dedicated effort to ensure that your work environment provides security and comfort for all workers.
- Try a Joke of the Day for Work
How often have you found yourself in a less-than-positive mood when you first get to work? Maybe you woke up late and had to rush through the morning. Perhaps the kids were tough to get off to school. Perhaps you missed your morning coffee.
Whatever it is, it can get your day off to a bad start. But then somebody said something amusing or told a great joke, immediately changing your disposition. Humor can be an incredible spirit-lifter.
Just be sure to use jokes which do not disparage or offend any individuals or groups. Jokes don’t have to be mean to be funny.
- Incorporate Weekly Team Building Activities
There are a lot of options to choose from in this category. It is a great way to get your employees used to socializing together as a group, but it can also give you insight into the strengths and weaknesses of individuals.
- Create an Open Door Policy
This is something that most companies should already have. When management/leadership is easily accessible and always available, workers feel that they can report and resolve issues promptly.
- Continue Social Distancing and Other Health & Safety Protocols
Not everything can be as lighthearted as a joke of the day for work. Although we may hate to admit it, Covid-19 is still around, and practicing specific health guidelines is still recommended.
Acknowledging this fact and showing an effort to your employees that their health is a top concern goes a long way in creating a safe workplace.
- Make Your HR Practices Transparent
This might be the most critical in ensuring a truly safe work environment for all employees. Unfortunately, many companies are still stuck in the 1950s with their HR protocol. Making sure that your workers know and understand exactly what happens at any given step of a process should be the highest priority.
Safety and Comfort Support Productivity
When employees feel secure in their work environment, it creates an easy-going and relaxed atmosphere. This, in turn, fosters higher morale amongst workers. As nearly any corporate study will show, when employee morale increases, so does production.
While this isn’t the purpose of creating a safer workplace (it’s simply the right thing to do), it certainly is beneficial. From something minor like the joke of the day for work to something significant like revamping your HR procedures, leaders in any company have countless options.
