In running a small business, you have myriad of responsibilities to face on a daily basis.
One of those tasks you may not always put at or near the top of the priority list are your employees getting safely to and from work.
For most employees, getting in and out of the office daily is nothing that one even thinks about. In most cases, it is just another part of their daily routine. That said some workers come from close by, while others have a fairly significant trek to the office. Whether it is the former or the latter, doing your best to keep employees safe at all times is important.
So, ask yourself, are your employees safe drivers?
Workers Need to Be Careful Behind the Wheel
In order for your employees to be as safe as possible (not to mention others out on the road), do your best to help them in this cause. No, you’re not their babysitter or parent, but you can give them subtle advice, advice that can keep them safe and sound for years to come.
Among the items to focus on:
- Vehicles – For starters, are your employees operating safe vehicles? This isn’t only those they use for personal use, but also those if you have a fleet of vehicles for them to use for deliveries, meeting customers etc. If the latter is true, make sure you are regularly maintaining such vehicles. It is your responsibility to be sure that each and every vehicle is properly maintained; meaning tires, brakes, fluid levels etc. are always checked. You can also use technology, like vehicle tracking software, to improve your fleet driver’s safety. While backup cameras for RVs would be something some employees may use for their personal vehicles, backup cameras in your office fleet of cars and/or trucks prove a great idea. Anything to keep your team safer when they’re out on the road representing your business is a good idea;
- Education – As mentioned earlier, while you’re not there to babysit your workers, you can and should give them as much access to education as possible. One of those areas of education is drinking and driving. For example, if your office has Happy Hour events from time to time, do many of your workers go? If so, do most of them drive to the bar or restaurant? While it would be nice to think that everyone will drink responsibly, invariably, someone may have one too many. If they’re then getting behind the wheel, they put themselves and others in danger. Now, what if your employee does this on company time while meeting with a client or two? He or she is not only putting themselves and others at risk, but potentially your business too. If a serious accident occurs, you may be held liable, especially if you go up against a smart personal injury attorney. Educate your team on occasion about the dangers of drinking and driving.
Setting a Good Example
So that your employees know just how important safe driving is, always be the one to set the right example.
That said you also need to consider the consequences of one (or more) of your employees being intoxicated while on the job. Although it is usually not commonplace, it does happen on occasion in offices nationwide. As a result, those intoxicated workers not only put themselves at risk, but also those around them.
It is also important to show your workers that you do in fact care about them.
Providing them with a safe and sound working environment is something you should never take for granted.
While cutting business costs is something many smaller companies have to examine over time, don’t cut safety costs.
From maintaining safe company vehicles to spending money to educate workers on dangers like speeding and DUI’s, some things do not have a price.
