There is little doubt that the implementation of health and safety regulations within a variety of workplaces has, over the years, proved beneficial to both employees and employers. Research shows that companies who are committed to health and safety protocols enjoy higher levels of operational efficiency and employee productivity.

A solid health and safety record gives organisations a competitive edge since it develops trust in the brand and reputation, whereas poor health and safety performance has a direct impact on profitability as it undermines productivity and efficiency levels.

In a rapidly changing environment where new technology contributes to operational efficiency and boosts employee productivity, many companies are now being challenged to adapt their health and safety structures to cater for a new world of work.

Training programmes are valuable in terms of raising awareness amongst employees with respect to the identification of risks in the workplace. They learn how to mitigate impacts on themselves and colleagues, while also considering potential impacts on the business. Bringing this learning to life in the workplace is often challenging.

Workers move about and possibly encounter hazards throughout their working day. Paper-based reporting structures for safety hazards negate rapid responses, in turn hampering how employees report and respond to incidents. Centralised health and safety approaches are often slow to identify hazards and apply protective measures. Additionally, the distribution of information about dangerous situations and their unfolding impact tends to be slow and erratic, potentially leaving business unit leaders and employees frustrated, if not in danger.

Forward-thinking companies have realised that the rapid implementation of health and safety compliance and risk management lies in the hands of their frontline employees. Enabling their frontline workers with digital solutions, such as an employee engagement app, not only enables the rapid dissemination of information and a speedy response but also allows workers to take ownership and responsibility.

Through the use of Wyzetalk’s digital employee engagement app, our clients have been able to corroborate with their employees to create a safer and healthier work environment.

Our platform benefits health and safety in the following ways:

  • Incident reporting – Using Wyzetalk’s Health & Safety dashboard, frontline employees can report any incidents, in real-time, as they happen so that immediate and appropriate action can be taken to reduce the impact and risk of the incident.
  • Focused and targeted communication – Hazards are sometimes confined to particular areas of a company’s operations and workers in these areas can quickly and easily be advised of what precautions to take.
  • Peer to peer communication – As hazards unfold in the workplace or unforeseen safety incidents occur, workers can offer crucial information to their colleagues via Wyzetalk’s employee engagement app while simultaneously alerting management so that the necessary swift actions are taken to maintain operational efficiency and productivity.
  • Worker feedback – In a highly competitive global economy, manufacturing and mining operations, for example, are fast-moving enterprises. A digital platform that facilitates two-way communication gives workers a voice and the ability to raise concerns about potential safety challenges and offer solutions before a situation becomes more serious.
  • Task management – Safety concerns can impact employee productivity and operational efficiency. Access to an employee engagement app allows team leaders to structure day-to-day assignments in the most efficient manner while safety concerns are being resolved.
  • Production dashboards – Improving employee productivity is critical to overall business performance. Making sure that workers are always aware of what is expected and empowering them to manage their own performance in light of unfolding safety and health challenges, avoids workers being unnecessarily stressed and contributes to operational efficiency.
  • Schedule management – When frequent schedule updates are required because a company is working through a health and safety challenge, ineffective schedule management can decrease employee productivity and hamper operational efficiency. The use of a digital solution can make effective scheduling far easier.

International Labour Organization (ILO) statistics reveal that globally some 313 million workers suffer non-fatal workplace injuries annually. ILO research also reveals the value of workplace dialogue and communication in curbing safety incidents. Wyzetalk’s employee engagement app enables you to put the latest safety information directly at employees’ fingertips, whether it is new safety campaigns, providing access to safety policies and procedures or informing them about changes in safety protocols.

To find out more about how Wyzetalk can improve and streamline your health and safety procedures, talk to an expert today.