Why is a safe and healthy workplace important for organisations ?

 White collar and blue collar workers on an average spend almost 8 - 12 hours at the workplace. Everyday we go to the workplace, we proceed with the good intention to return home that evening safe and sound. Nobody wants to go to the hospital instead of home by evening. 

Imagine you come in the morning to the workplace, and by afternoon you inform your work colleagues that you wish to visit the hospital and be out of action for the next two weeks and intentionally insert your finger into the machine. Even in our wildest dreams we would never do such a blunder. Every worker wants his / her workplace to be the most safest in the world and they expect this workplace to be the most healthiest and comfortable too. 

Offering the workers a safe and healthy workplace is the bounden duty of the employer as it is in the organisation's interest to have sincere workers to work for them. If the workers are injured due to accidents or illness, it is a loss for the organisation, not the worker. The worker can take rest and reclaim the health. Therefore it is of the utmost interest of the organisation to offer the best and healthiest workplace to its workers. Click here to find the top 10 reasons why workplace safety is important.

I work in Alliance School of Business campus in Anekal, Bangalore, about 30 kms from central Bangalore. Even though the outside temperature during this April month is really high and humid, inside the campus and in my room, I have a very comfortable time of 8-9 hours daily. It keeps me in good health and good mind to be at my best and give the best to the students and work.

Recently while at GE, I was amazed to find their stress on occupational safety and health hazards. We had a 10 min presentation on occupational safety and workplace hazards (OSWH) before we were taken inside the plant. Also we were shown the safe assembly point outside the plant in case of an emergency inside the plant. The same exercise was repeated at SKF Engg in Mysore. No wonder because of their safety and in-plant health standards, their employees are very fit and healthy and the organisation rarely loses precious man-days or employee turnover because of some untoward incident.

A safe and healthy workplace protects workers from injury and illness. It can also lower injury/illness costs, reduce absenteeism and turnover, increase productivity and quality, and raise employee morale. In other words, safety is good for business. - www.colliers.com

This increased stress on safety and healthy work environment is a great learning for us and the students too.

George.