As you aim to create the best insurance jobs around at your company and make it an excellent place to work, you’ll consider many factors, and these include workplace safety. But what is workplace safety? It’s not just about avoiding dropping a box on your toe, though that’s an important part of being safe. Workplace safety has a broader meaning.
Workplace Safety Creates a Safer Culture
In some workplaces, employees are encouraged to come to work when they are sick. In others, they’re discouraged from mentioning if something is wrong. These are not healthy habits, and it’s important to let your employees know what kind of culture you want to set around workplace safety.
Occupational Safety states that “trust in the employee-employer relationship can be defined as the ability of the employee and employer to show candor and vulnerability in discussions about workplace matters, without fear of personal repercussions.” By building that emotional safety, you create a more physically safe workplace, since employees feel more comfortable talking with you.
As an insurance business and as an owner, you need to consider what culture is currently present at your workplace and think about modifications you can make to ensure that it is healthy.
Workplace Safety is Inclusive
According to the Houston Chronicle, “common work safety concerns can include ergonomics, the presence of hazardous chemicals, mechanical problems, noise pollution, restricted visibility, dangers of falling, and weather-related hazards.” These might not all seem to apply to your insurance workplace, but this doesn’t mean that your workplace is perfectly safe. Workplace safety concerns can also include other hazards such as inappropriately-designed desk chairs. As you work with employees to identify hazards and the risks associated with them, remember that an arm that is sore from carpal tunnel syndrome can be just as much of a workplace injury as one that is sore from a fall over equipment.
Workplace Safety Involves Communication
If an employee has a suggestion that will make that individual or the entire workplace safer, then that suggestion needs to come to you. Part of workplace safety involves ensuring that you have strong, positive communication with your employees. That way, you give your employees a voice in the process of developing workplace safety guidelines. Your employees will always see some of the details that you do not, and by encouraging them to talk these details over with you, you can create stronger safety procedures. Developing safety policies should involve everyone at work communicating freely about workplace safety.
Workplace Safety Incorporates Training
After you’ve identified policies that would be helpful at work, you need to see if there are any gaps in training that you need to fill with your employees. These might include training on safe operation of equipment. However, in a workplace that involves a lot of client communication, they can also involve training in interpersonal connection with clients. For instance, if an angry insurance client enters the building, you want your employees to be ready to de-escalate the situation.
At American Agents Alliance, we’re here to support you as you look for people to fill your insurance jobs. Talk with us about our programs that help you find the right people for the job, and learn about our many other membership benefits by contacting us today.
