Transform your workplace into a safer, happier one: 5 Proven health and safety tips

Before you start investing in products, you need to equip your colleagues, so they know how to keep themselves and their colleagues safe. This needs to cover everyone, from the CEO and leadership to freelancers and temporary staff. You can either bring in external experts to provide workshops or courses or rely on your HR department to conduct the training. Either way, it needs to cover both the fundamental health and safety guidelines, including what to do in an emergency and CPR training risk assessments and any extra guidance that’s unique to your industry. This can vary from the equipment you use to the nature of your office buildings. One important note: you’ll need to make sure your company is in line with all government guidelines, and this needs to be a regular check. One more handy tip: set up a reward system for the best employee safety behaviour and engagement.

This may also seem like a no-brainer, but you will need to do this across every area and part of your business, and you’ll need to be more aware of the Covid conditions. This is one area where office managers can shine, as they can make this an iterative process that keeps improving. Remember that this is not just about emergency exit signs: you’ll need signage for sanitisation, exit routes, and temporary options like stands that warn about wet floors. For a selection of the best safety signage, look at these options. You will need to include options like gloves, hardhats, masks, safety spectacles, and more in terms of safety gear. Here are several of the best options for your workplace.

This isn’t just a once-off office assessment; it should be a mindset that governs all your future office investments. You can help put your employee’s health and safety first by buying ergonomic furniture and providing office wellness routines and regular work breaks. The result? You’ll end up with happier, more productive staff. Keep in mind that this isn’t just about better chairs; there is a whole range of options: from stand-up desks and standing mats through to keyboards, laptop risers and special mouses. Here’s a list of our favourite ergonomic products.

The pandemic has taught everyone the importance of sanitising surfaces and objects, and this emphasis will not change anytime soon. However, it’s not just about investing in the best cleaning products and equipment; it’s also about investing in the right kind of furniture and intelligent storage, including specialist options like hazardous cabinets and Covid screens. A clean, sanitised workplace is a safe workplace – and a tidier one means there are no obstacles or spillages to cause accidents. From keeping corridors free from objects to having smart storage options for all your cleaning and safety gear, there’s plenty that can be done to make everyone feel safe and comfortable daily.

It may sound simple, but most companies get it wrong. It would be best to make it easy for your colleagues to come to you with their health and safety concerns – even if you need to make it a confidential or anonymous process. You can either use specialist software for this or rely on safety captains and group meetings to collect input from all the staff.

One of the most important truths for any business, no matter what industry or product type: your most valuable assets aren’t the buildings or products. It’s your fellow employees and human talent. And even though this is a legal and moral requirement, we believe there’s much more motivation to do this to the highest standard possible. If you protect your staff and make them feel comfortable, research shows you’ll have fewer sick days and much happier, more productive employees, and healthier office culture!