2017 April Articles

The radio is a common device today but it has played a major role in improving workplace safety by enabling two-way communication and letting employees call for help when needed. Technology has long played an important role in the development of workplace safety.

With technology constantly improving, there are interesting methods and gadgets that can help to enhance workplace safety.

• Ergonomic office equipment. There is a great deal of innovation in the products that are designed to make office spaces safer and more comfortable for employees. This includes office equipment designed to minimise the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
• 3-D visualisation technology. Different people have different standards when it comes to safety. This is why 3-D visualisation is so useful. It doesn’t tell a story with room for interpretation but paints a picture that’s impossible to overlook or misunderstand. This type of technology explores risks and potential consequences without putting any actual person at risk.
• Wearable tech. Devices like smart glasses and smartwatches make it easier to keep a close watch on employee safety. Wearable tech pieces can handle everything from monitoring the health and wellbeing of employees to notifying them of unsafe conditions — allowing them to avoid accidents and injuries.
• Digital signage. Rules and regulations are constantly changing, so keeping safety signage up to date can be a challenge. Digital technology, however, has made this easier than ever, as old-fashioned posters and computer printouts can now be swapped for digital signs. This allows the immediate updating of policies, procedures and regulations as they change.
• Augmented security. Employees want to feel safe when they go to work. Technological advances have made it possible to create a work environment where people can truly feel safe with features such as HD security cameras and advances in the quality of metal detectors.
• Record keeping and communication systems. Technology is also impacting record keeping and communication systems by improving processes for gathering and using information. For example, electronic drive logs increase driver safety and productivity by eliminating unintentional errors caused by worker fatigue.
• Drone technology. Drone technology, robotics and remote control vehicles also stand out within new and emerging safety technology. Drone technology mitigates job risk sites and enables smarter ways of building and surveying unsafe areas. Drones can survey environmentally hazardous areas, check job progress, map worksites and keep tabs on productivity and safety.

Technology has come a long way from the two-way radios previously commonplace for worker communication. Now, everything is built with safety in mind and more workplaces no longer see safety as merely an OSH requirement. Instead, safety has become a workplace culture.

Sources

http://ehstoday.com/news/ehs_imp_45464
https://www.totalsafety.com/insights/advanced-technology-can-help-improve-safety/

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/adverse-effects-technology-workplace-22649.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/sprintbusiness/2017/03/16/3-ways-mobility-as-a-service-can-make-your-midsize-business-more-efficient/#45463616527e

Negativity in the workplace can spread like wildfire and affect everyone, including clients and customers. Negativity is worse than laziness, passive aggressiveness and gossiping as the most harmful quality in the workplace (Fierce Inc. survey).

If the negativity at your workplace stems from a single individual, try to solve the problem with these six steps:

• Inform your colleague about the undesirable impact his/her negativity is having on co-workers and the workplace. Give examples that describe behaviours he/she can do something about. For instance, “When another employee says, ‘Good morning, how are you?’ and you respond with a 15-minute monologue on how nothing is right in this workplace, you bring your co-worker’s mood and optimism down. You use up to 15 minutes of productive work time and make your co-worker unwilling to talk to you in future. This could mean that you don’t receive the information that you need to perform your job or make important contributions”.
• Ask your colleague if something negative is happening in his/her personal life. For example, a divorce or the loss of a loved one can affect every aspect of a person’s life. You’re not a therapist, but you can offer sympathy and show him/her that you’re concerned. You must, however, ask him/her to keep personal issues from affecting the workplace.
• Ask your colleague what is causing his/her negativity at work. Often, people who act in a negative way are really looking for someone who’ll listen and reassure them. Give them the attention they’re seeking and you may lessen the severity of the problem. Some of his/her workplace concerns may be legitimate; check with colleagues and co-workers to see if there’s any validity to the claims. If not, explain why they exist and ask him/her to cooperate. Once he/she understands the timeline, the decision or the reason for the goal, his/her negativity may lessen.
• Don’t focus on everything that is wrong and negative about your colleague’s outlook or actions. This will only cause him/her to dig deeper into his/her grievances. Focus instead on creating options for how he/she can create positive solutions.
• Focus on the positive aspects of his/her performance and the potential contribution he/she could bring to the workplace, not the negativity. Help him/her build his/her self-image and capacity to contribute by talking about what he/she has done well and what you and other co-workers appreciate about his/her performance.
• In future, when interacting with your colleague, compliment him/her whenever you notice a positive statement or contribution.

If, despite all your attempts to help, your colleague’s negativity continues to have an impact on productivity, workplace harmony and co-workers’ attitudes and morale, you may have to report the matter to your superior.

Sources

www.entrepreneur.com
www.smallbusiness.chron.com
www.thebalance.com