There is a general consensus that plenty is going to change post-pandemic. After the year we’ve had, personally and professionally, how it could not? Change is going to be especially obvious – and is already being felt – in the workplace where it’s not just the impact of COVID-19 itself but also new expectations about accommodating disabilities and mitigating workplace risks that need to be taken into account. Putting resources in place – and ensuring there is the ability to scale these up – is going to be essential and may require the input of health and safety experts and outsourced support.
How is health & safety in the workplace going to adapt post-pandemic?
- Greater use of technology. There is a great deal that technology can add to the conversations around health & safety in the workplace, whether that relates to assessment or improving options for accessibility. Technology offers the opportunity to personalise well-being solutions for employees to make them more effective, as well as more affordable and easy to scale. It also provides more opportunities for organisations to bring experts in to create an individually tailored solution for the business – video and telephone consultations mean any business can access an outsourced service and benefit from the input of experts at an affordable price.
- The need to adhere to government regulation. We have seen requirements being introduced for social distancing and measures to help keep employees apart at work. For every enterprise there is going to be a decision making process to go through about when it’s safe to bring people back into the office and how they should be moving around the space. It’s also likely that employees who have been working from home for some time may come back to the office with a new perspective on what they want their workspace experience to be. We have seen expectations shift around accessibility and comfort and there may be a requirement to adapt a workplace to take into account more flexible working practices, especially if workforces have been depleted and there is a need to attract new hires. A post-pandemic rise in anxiety, depression and physical disorders could also mean that workplaces need to factor in the need for change that is informed by the input of professionals and health & safety experts.
- Increased training and awareness. There are significant benefits to a workforce that is well informed when it comes to health & safety matters. This can help to diffuse fears and tensions, especially those surrounding the return to work post-pandemic, and give individuals the knowledge and insight to help ensure a business is meeting its health & safety goals. Training is particularly important for those at management level and in industries where there is already significant physical risk or the need for person-to-person interaction. Outsourcing the training function can make this more reliable and effective.
As the world starts to adapt to a post-pandemic environment, health & safety in the workplace is going to remain a key factor in employee satisfaction and also organisational compliance. Outsourcing this function to work with health & safety experts is a simple way to ensure that all necessary requirements are being met.
If you are looking for health and safety consultants get in touch with Park City to see how we can help.
