Small businesses often compete with larger employers for top talent and are understandably interested in identifying key differentiators that can help them attract a steady stream of job candidates. A recent survey by EMPLOYERS, a small business insurance specialist, identified an underutilized factor in attracting employees—a safe work environment.
Employees Value a Safe Environment
According to an EMPLOYERS blog post: “The survey found that, surprisingly, the safety of the work environment was among the top criteria employees consider when evaluating a job offer.” In fact, safety ranked ahead of such factors as “the quality of potential coworkers” and “opportunities for professional growth.”
That sentiment can translate into a recruiting advantage for safety-conscious employers already focused on improving safety to avoid workers’ compensation insurance and legal costs. If your workplace is a safe one, tout it! Companies that can effectively promote themselves to potential employees as safety-conscious workplaces with a commitment to employee health and well-being can gain a one-up on the competition.
If your workplace is not a safe environment, this data should drive a concerted effort to change that.
Creating a Culture of Workplace Safety
Small businesses are often challenged, of course, because they often lack the resources larger companies can dedicate to safety initiatives. Additionally, some businesses—due to their size or their industry—are exempt from certain requirements of regulators like OSHA. Those exemptions should not be an excuse, though, to overlook the importance of safety.
EMPLOYERS recommends some specific steps that small business owners can take to create a culture of workplace safety:
- Identify and assess potential hazards.
- Lead by example.
- Train and educate regularly.
- Enforce and evaluate.
If employers can demonstrate that they have low rates of workplace accidents and injuries, it’s only natural that potential employees would find that to be an attractive selling point.