Workplace safety is an essential part of the overall mission of your organization that also impacts the workplace environment for your employees and the perception of your customers. Recent studies have shown that customers prefer to engage with brands that adopt safe and healthy practices, especially for the wellbeing of their employees.
Workplace safety includes potential hazards such as chemicals or gas leaks, the wellbeing of your employees, and more. Not keeping these in check can harm your organization with lawsuits, fines, and other penalties.
There are several ways to promote better safety at your workplace. However, most organizations seem to miss an important weapon that can help you highlight the workplace effectively – social media.
For good or for worse, social media is an essential part of the lives of many, including your employees. And the use of social media in activities like these not only helps in the overall goal but also gives opportunities to measure how successful you’ve been towards attaining your target.
Here are 7 ways to utilize the power of social media to maintain workplace safety
1. Use Social Media to Communicate
Social Media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, and LinkedIn are most likely used by more than half of your employees. You can encourage communication within your organization by making groups on these platforms and give your employees a chance to communicate their concerns regarding their safety in the workplace.
The administration can also take part in these kinds of communications by taking notice of the employees’ concerns as soon as possible and later take their feedbacks. Moreover, you can also practice other activities to check whether or not your employees are satisfied with the compliance of safety procedures or educated about safety procedures through surveys.
2. Use Social Media to Educate
Like most organizations, holding conferences or classes to educate or train your employees will most likely just be a waste of time. The monotonous nature of these conferences and sessions not only results in low productivity but can also be tiresome for your employees.
The best solution for this is to use social media. Employees groups on social media aren’t only good for communicating. You can send educational videos and articles regarding workplace safety for your employees to watch during their break time.
Apart from Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, and LinkedIn, Instagram will also be a great option to achieve this target. Make sure to send out a reminder for your employees to keep up with these posts every once in a while!
3. Use LinkedIn to Promote a Safe Organization
LinkedIn is one of the most professional platforms on the internet that helps you build strong relationships with customers, potential, current employees, and of course, workplace safety as well.
Most organizations use LinkedIn to discuss and promote the lifestyle of their workplace culture, their mission, and achievements. You can also use this popular platform to promote that you are a safety-first organization.
Organizations can obtain workplace certifications such as gas safety certificates and promote on LinkedIn that they are a Gas Safety Registered organization to show their commitment to workplace safety.
Gas safety certificate cost starts from £80, which is very affordable. Moreover, you can order an inspection within seconds through gas safety registration websites and even apps. Not only does certification makes your workplace safe, but it also helps you make the right impression.
Moreover, being vocal about safety compliance in the workplace on LinkedIn will send out a message to your customers and future employees about how your organization takes the matter seriously and show them how your organization can be trusted completely.
4. Get Creative through Engaging Videos
Engaging with your employees through creativity can be a unique step to make them participate in activities such as workplace safety. This can be done by emailing them educational videos that list content about safety practices that can be adopted in the workplace or even displaying these videos in usual meetings and seminars.
5. Create a Facebook Group for Interaction
Social media applications such as Facebook are most likely used by almost everyone at your workplace. Facebook groups make a great platform for useful interactions between employees.
Organizations can make Facebook groups where they can share articles and other information regarding workplace safety, have discussions, and share ideas about making their workplace a more sustainable and safer place for employees and the community as a whole.
6. Get feedback from employees
Last but not the least, don’t forget to get feedback from your employees. This will help you get a better idea about their opinion towards the safety practices you adopt in the workplace. This can be done through surveys or anonymous google forms.
Moreover, you can also have your employees brainstorm different ideas and report them back to you. When your employees know their opinion is valued and taken into account, they will feel more motivated to practice safety precautions and prevent hazards!
7. Use Business Apps
Apart from typical social media applications, there are other applications widely available that are centered around workplace safety. One of the most popular such applications is the StaySafe application that is a cloud-based monitoring solution that helps keep employee safety, especially lone workers’ safety in check.
The app also comes with a panic button that sends out an alert to your employees If you’re in any sort of danger. Other useful features in this application include non-movement and impact detention.
Applications like StaySafe can go a long way in ensuring your employees remain safe especially in situations that require them to work out in the fields by themselves. Educating your employees about these applications and having them download them on their phones will save you and your employees from safety hazards.
Conclusion
Workplace safety programs are an integral part of how your organization is perceived by not only customers but also employees. And as the world continues to digitalize in innovative ways, the use of social media in your business activities such as workplace safety and employee training can help fasten up the process and help you reach your target efficiently. We hope our tips will help make your organization a safe place for your employees and customers!
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