When you hear about “health in the workplace,” most people think about staying active. You hear about the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle – spending hours on end sitting in front of a computer can result in various health risks. By comparison, the construction industry can seem quite healthy as many of these positions include physically active work. However, health can mean a lot of different things depending on the industry you are referring to. When speaking about the construction industry, staying healthy can also mean staying safe.
In this article, we will go over three ways to help your workers stay on top of their game, improving the overall health and safety of your team and project.
Start with your training program
You want new employees to understand just how seriously you take health on your job sites. This is something that you should emphasize on your website and during the hiring process – but it really begins to take form during training. Throughout this program, it can be helpful to use a “buddy system.” Not only does this help your employee get to meet and know the team members they will be working with, but it assures that equipment is being used properly and that there are no outstanding questions.
Encourage breaks during work
Construction can be both physically and mentally demanding, and employees can quickly become fatigued. This creates a dangerous work environment and can mean careless mistakes that jeopardize your team and the project. While you want your team to stay productive, remember that this has diminishing returns. Encourage and enforce regular breaks for rest and hydration. This means more than just providing a break area – you need people actually to use it!
Provide healthy snacks and resources
Lots of us have unhealthy habits. For example, while smoking rates are going down throughout most industries, this is still a dirty habit that remains relatively high in construction. You might not be able to get your employees to stop smoking, but you can encourage healthy eating by providing snacks like fruit and nuts. You should also provide resources and assistance that can help your employees lead healthier lives.
But remember, leading by example is going to be critical. It is one thing to hear that your company cares about its employees’ health; it is quite another to see this actually embraced by your management team.
