Are Your Employees Feeling Safe at Work? How Better Communication and Training Can Reduce Business Risk
Workplace safety isn’t just about hard hats, fire drills, or locked doors. It’s about how people feel when they show up to work each day and according to new research, many employees are feeling uneasy.
A recent Employee Safety Report from Alert Media surveyed more than 3,000 workers in the U.S. and U.K. The results should be a wake-up call for business owners and managers:
- While 96% of employees said being physically safe at work is important to them,
- 56% don’t feel entirely safe in their workplace.
That disconnect poses real risks for your people and your business.
Why Employees Feel Unsafe
It’s easy to think safety concerns are only about physical hazards like machinery or slippery floors. But today’s employees worry about a far broader range of issues, including:
- Technology outages and disruptions
- Severe weather emergencies
- Transportation and infrastructure disruptions
- Cybersecurity breaches
- Mental health crises
- Harassment, crime, and workplace violence
Alarmingly, 81% of workers reported experiencing an emergency or safety incident on the job. And more than a quarter said their safety fears have “skyrocketed” in recent years.
Communication and Training: The Missing Pieces
Two of the biggest factors driving employees’ feelings of unsafety are:
- Poor communication (39%)
- Inadequate safety training (23%)
This signals a significant opportunity for businesses to improve not just for the sake of employee wellbeing, but also to lower liability risks and maintain operational resilience.
4 Ways You Can Build a Culture of Safety
Here’s how you can respond, drawn directly from Alert Media’s recommendations:
- Break Down Barriers to Reporting: Make it safe, and easy, for employees to speak up. Consider anonymous reporting tools, regular check-ins, and clear policies against retaliation.
- Integrate Mental Health Support: Mental health is now a key component of workplace safety. Consider offering mental health resources (e.g., Employee Assistance Programs), stress management training, and encouraging open dialogue about mental health.
- Incorporate Employee Feedback: No one knows your workplace hazards better than your front-line workers. Engage employees by involving them in safety committees, soliciting their feedback, and adjusting your safety practices accordingly.
- Prioritize Strategic, Timely Communication: In an emergency, seconds matter. Ensure your organization has clear communication channels for both routine and crisis messaging, as well as regular training, so employees know where to look for critical updates.
Creating a safer workplace isn’t only about protecting your people. It’s also about protecting your business. Proactive communication and training can help reduce:
- Workers’ compensation claims
- Liability exposure from workplace incidents
- Turnover and lost productivity due to stress or fear
Ultimately, investing in safety builds resilience, fosters trust, and helps you attract and retain top talent.
Not sure where safety gaps may exist in your organization? Connect with our team to evaluate your current approach and explore solutions that strengthen safety, communication, and risk preparedness.