Most often when we think about employee safety, we may think of hard hats, reflective clothing, and safety goggles. We don’t necessarily think about treadmills, softball teams, and lunchtime run/walk groups. But the reality is, they are inextricably linked.
According to the new 2016 EHS National Safety Survey, improving employee wellness is a priority for the 71% of safety officials that will experience a budget increase for the 2015-2016 fiscal year. Here are three ways safety officials expressed how health and wellness and increased morale would factor into their additional budget:
- Provide an Onsite Gym: Getting to the gym can be tough for your staff who may be working long hours or non-traditional hours. Providing an on-site gym allows employees to have more control over how and when they go to the gym. Employees can enjoy convenient access to the gym on their lunch hour or prior to going home. Whether it’s an office park or an industrial park, having a gym on-site gives employees flexibility which could be the difference between going to the gym and not going to the gym.
- Provide Onsite Healthcare: This applies the same principles as having an on-site gym. When hours are either unpredictable, changing or non-traditional, allowing employees access to healthcare at work could be the difference between employees getting the care they need and ignoring their health problems. Onsite healthcare also gives your safety staff a chance to increase reaction speed on any incidents that may occur at the worksite. Having a nurse or even a first aid certified employee provides a default leader in any type of emergency situation. This makes giving help faster and more efficient. This is a key advantage for both employers and employees.
- Sponsor Wellness-Related Programs and Activities: This is the fun stuff. Sponsoring healthy programs and activities means sponsoring a rec sports team, giving discounts on gym memberships, or providing healthy snacks in the kitchen or cafeteria. This is the stuff that employees view as perks and employers use to boost morale and increase healthy habits on their staff.
While we are on the subject of safety, implementing a safety incentive program is now more common among safety programs across the board. Learn more about this growing trend in our Creating a Successful Safety Incentive Program whitepaper.
