Businesses wanting to thrive have to keep watch over a great many things. For instance, they must pay attention to sales as well as business costs and overhead. Some of those costs include supplies, inventory, bookkeeping, labor costs, and more.
But one area that is sometimes overlooked is workplace injury. According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics news release, there were more than 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2016 alone.
Employer costs for preventable injuries during the same time period was over $668.2 billion according to figures from the National Safety Council. The question is whether or not there are ways ergonomics can save money for your business to keep costs down.
1. Improve Productivity
It’s no surprise that comfortable workers who are not hurting will work at higher levels than those that are. Therefore, it stands to reason that ergonomics can save money for your business by eliminating awkward, painful movements.
Workers performing tasks in ways that stress them can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other ailments. Not only that, but fatigue, decreased accuracy, and mistakes often occur that impact productivity negatively.
As you would expect, these issues increase business costs. Therefore, avoiding them by creating a culture of safety will have positive results and save money for your business overall.
2. Reduce Work Comp Claims
Another way ergonomics can save money is through the reduction of workers compensation claims. When workers begin having work related health issues it drives up business costs further through medical claims.
By implementing ergonomically proper safety precautions, training, and equipment you may be able to reduce these costs. In fact, you could save your business anywhere from hundreds to thousands in medical claim costs.
3. Streamline Processes
Occasionally, ergonomics can save money for your business through streamlining of processes. Reducing motions, steps, and exertion can lead to process changes that improve work flow and time savings.
Improving processes and operations of your business allows more to be accomplished for less cost. In addition, quality of the products and services offered may improve, further adding value to your business.
4. Decrease Turnover
To save money for your business it is always helpful to decrease turnover. Interviewing, training, and disruption of business services all cost money.
Consequently, keeping employees healthy and working at optimal levels is obviously a priority to lower business costs. In other words, it pays to care about your employees.
Ergonomic work environments are one way to decrease turnover. Without them, as employees find they can’t work under stressful conditions, they may seek employment elsewhere.
5. Increase Moral
When you provide safe, comfortable work areas for your employees it shows you are interested in them. Knowing that you’re concerned with their safety and health can increase moral.
Better attitudes lower the turnover as well as make for happier, more engaged staff. They will work harder, be more loyal, and have better work attendance. Ergonomics can help you increase moral which, again, saves money for your business.
The health and welfare of your employees is an important part of keeping your business running optimally. As you can see, there are several ways ergonomics can save money for your business and accomplish that goal.
