The International Labour Organization has observed April 28 as World Day for Safety and Health at Work since 2003, with a focus on preventing occupational accidents and diseases globally, but the meaning has expanded over time.
Workplace health and safety have evolved with Industry 4.0 (a suite of technologies transforming operational decisions) and the changing needs of the modern workforce, including employee wellbeing in addition to physical safety. Employers have a moral duty to create safe working environments for all employees, regardless of their roles.
The International Labour Organization has observed April 28 as World Day for Safety and Health at Work since 2003, with a focus on preventing occupational accidents and diseases globally, but the meaning has expanded over time.
Innovative workplace health and safety strategies can leverage the latest revolution's benefits, including real-time data, automated control, and improved communication, for better risk management. Understanding its compelling influence in the business world, here's how HR leaders can deploy a few innovative workplace health and safety strategies to embrace the future.
1. Technology as a catalyst
The most influential role of technology in improving workplace health and safety is how augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) can significantly make safety training more practical and effective. Theoretical training is a thing of the past, as it comes with restrictions regarding its applicability. AR and VR are immersive technologies that create realistic and interactive training scenarios for employees to learn how to prevent and handle risky situations.
The office premises can be augmented or incorporated into a virtual reality that allows employees to train specifically for the safety protocol of the area. More importantly, it can enhance workers' situational awareness and guidance by overlaying digital information onto their physical environment.
The Internet of Things (IoT) can enable remote monitoring and control of industrial processes and equipment, reducing the need for workers to be exposed to dangerous or unhealthy situations.
2. Mental wellbeing taking equal precedence
Adopting a holistic approach to employee health and wellbeing is crucial in today's hyper-connected world. Workplace health and safety now encompasses physical injuries, illnesses, and mental and emotional wellbeing.
Stressed or burned-out employees are prone to mistakes, low productivity, absenteeism, and turnover. Employers should address the root causes of stress and offer wellness programmes, counselling services, and a supportive work environment that values diversity, inclusion, respect, and recognition. During the pandemic, the IoT facilitated telemedicine and telehealth services, enabling workers to access healthcare from anywhere.
3. A culture of holistic safety
Implementing a culture of safety is more than what it sounds like. It's about welcoming and involving all employees to participate in safety protocols, creating an accepting atmosphere for employees who are queer or introverts, and enabling channels that allow for the safe exchange of feedback and criticism.
There should be just as much emphasis given to nurturing diversity and inclusive programmes that sensitize and train the larger workforce on how to conduct themselves appropriately. Fostering this kind of culture is a collective effort, initiated by HR, driven by managers or team leaders, and promoted by every employee.
4. An employee learning lifestyle
Workplace safety is an evolving process that demands ongoing learning and innovation to align with changing employee, customer, and regulatory expectations. One way of imbibing continuous learning and innovation for workplace safety is by staying informed about industry trends and tech developments, gathering feedback from all relevant stakeholders, experimenting with new technologies, measuring results, and making adjustments.
Regular training in workplace safety measures serves as an excellent refresher and maintains discipline among the larger workforce. Driving a learning lifestyle is a positive sign of keeping employees motivated and active.
5. Proactive health & safety policies
Give employees more control and flexibility over their work. One key factor affecting employee well-being and health is the degree of autonomy and choice they have over their work tasks, schedules, and locations.
Research indicates that having more control over how, when, and where work gets done can improve mental health, reduce stress, and lower the risk of chronic diseases. In addition, employers can leverage technology to enable more flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting, remote work, or hybrid work models. They can also provide training and support to help workers manage their workloads, set goals, and make decisions.
Here's another opportunity for integrating technology as a catalyst – monitoring and improving worker safety. Technology can also play a vital role in enhancing worker safety by detecting and preventing hazards, providing real-time feedback, and facilitating communication and collaboration. For example, sensors and cameras can monitor environmental conditions, such as temperature, humidity, noise, or air quality, and trigger alarms or actions if they exceed safe thresholds. Likewise, artificial intelligence and machine learning can analyse data from various sources and provide insights and recommendations to improve safety performance.
The author, Gaurav Sharma, is CHRO at Balancehero India.
Publisher
ETHRWorld.com, 26 Apr. 2023, Revolutionizing Workplace Health and Safety: 5 Innovative Strategies to Embrace for the Future.
