Corporate

©2023 Workplace Safety & Prevention Services. All rights reserved. 16 WSPS Consultant, Ayden Robertson, says the numbers prove that, "You can't separate health and safety performance from performance of a business. From computer desks to production lines, if workers aren't healthy and safe, it is going to drastically reduce the quality of the work that is done." In a recent study, the Institute for Work and Health assessed the return on investment for every dollar spent on health and safety in three sectors – manufacturing, construction, and transportation. They focused on employers with strong health and safety performance and found that: For every dollar spent on employee health and safety: Manufacturing employers get back an average of $1.24, yielding a return of 24% Construction employers get back an average of $1.34, yielding a return of 34% Transportation employers get back an average of $2.14, yielding a return of 114% Calculations were based on indirect costs being twice the amount of direct costs, but prior studies have shown indirect costs to be closer to four times higher. They also found that in addition to financial benefits these employers had stronger brand reputations, and experienced higher rates of retention, morale, and production quality. 4 Over half of respondents indicated that lack of employee engagement is hindering implementation of health and safety in their workplace. Employee shortages and turnover was ranked number two by 45% of respondents and 38% said health and safety in their workplace suffers due to insufficient capabilities and resources. Robertson stresses that "It is no longer seen as a privilege to work for an employer who cares about your health and well-being. HEALTH AND SAFETY'S IMPACT ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE That is a base-line expectation for employees. If they're not receiving support on this, employees are going to seek opportunities with organizations that care about them. This is a big culture shift." He says that improving performance can seem daunting for organizations with fewer resources, but it doesn't have to be. "I work with organizations of all sizes. Employers need to provide structure for the work their workers are going to do and the plan for doing it safely. You can't get stuck in the mindset of 'this is how we've always done things'. You have to be open to improvement." Kiran Kapoor, Vice President of Service Delivery at WSPS stresses the importance of keeping it simple and working steadily toward goals, at your own pace. Most importantly, she says it requires a mindset shift for leaders and employees. "To move your organization from one end of the spectrum to the other, you have to flip the switch from simply reacting to really understanding and embracing the value of health and safety and its positive impact on business sustainability and competitiveness. You're not going to go from 0 to 100 right way, but you must shift your mindset otherwise you will always be operating in a reactive mode." TIP

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