By Kristine Catimbang, OSHAcademy Training Coordinator

Employers are responsible for the safety of their employees in the workplace. This includes making sure industry standards and regulations are implemented to decrease the risk of physical injuries and illness. Being responsible for employees’ safety does not just mean caring for their physical well-being. It also includes caring for their employees’ mental health and overall well-being. Compassionate leadership in the workplace can reduce stress, provide employees with more job satisfaction, make them feel safe, and help employees grow on a personal level.

Employers and other leaders of a company should work together to create a compassionate organization. Compassionate leaders influence employees positively, build trusting relationships, have an ethical code of conduct, and can make a team feel secure and comfortable in the workplace. Leaders should invest time into their workers and lead them on a path to success. Company leaders should show mutual respect and be considerate of workers by setting working relationship standards. Workers should be informed of what is expected of each other in the workplace. Leaders should be open to communication and set reasonable goals for workers and expect them to achieve them (Chowdhury, 2020). This would help employees grow their professional skills and experience. Influence and authority should be used to improve working conditions. The lack of compassion from leaders may increase stress levels and anxiety, and negatively impact motivation and engagement among employees. Compassion helps grow trust and provides individuals with psychological safety. Acts of kindness and communicating with empathy makes employees feel more involved at the company. It should be made clear that the company sees the mental health of its employees as a priority, just like their physical health and safety (Shepard, 2020). It is important to make sure employees are aware of any mental health opportunities available at the company. Any stigma of mental health in the workplace should be eliminated so employees feel safe and comfortable in seeking help. Compassion in the workplace makes room for employee loyalty, dedication, and engagement.

Compassionate leadership is important during these uncertain times. The COVID-19 pandemic may have caused an increase of stress and anxiety among employees, so it is important for employers and other leaders to prioritize mental health in the company. Compassionate leaders are valuable resources for the development and success of organizations. The results of compassionate leadership benefits everyone, not just those expressing and acting upon it.

References
Chowdhury, M. R. (2020) How to Foster Compassion at Work Through Compassionate Leadership. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/compassion-at-work-leadership/

Shepard, Sydny. (September 2020). Leading with Compassion. Retrieved from https://ohsonline.com/articles/2020/09/01/leading-with-compassion.aspx?admgarea=news

By Jesse Allred, Guest Contributor

As America waits for the COVID-19 vaccine to be widely available, social distancing is still the most effective way to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Companies have taken a variety of approaches to promote healthy distancing since March, and it’s still just as important to follow public health guidelines into the new year.

Adapting to a ‘new normal’ of operations can be a challenge—but it’s an important one. While it may take the investment of time and money, a safer workplace is always a more efficient workplace.

Re-evaluate Space

Most manufacturing facilities, assembly lines, and production plants are designed to optimize space and make the most of wasted space. In offices, desks and chairs can spaced further apart, and in warehouses one-way aisles can be established so workers don’t have to pass close to each other. Additionally, workstations can be set up so employees are not directly facing one another.

If it is not feasible to arrange the workplace in a way where everyone can safely work at a distance from each other, employers should consider limiting capacity on specific floors and in rooms to better allow a safe distance.

Changing Shifts + Workflows

Another way employers can promote social distancing is by making adjustments by reconfiguring workflows and modifying shifts. For example, staggering shifts and breaks will help reduce large gatherings of employees in common areas. Some companies have designated teams or ‘pods’ of workers who work the same shifts together so if an employee is sick, the outbreak can be better contained.

Make it Visual

Although the country has been practicing social distancing for close to nine months, it can still be tricky to enforce. Repetition is necessary to develop new habits, and it’s important to introduce a comprehensive visual communication system about social distancing in your workplace.

• Post signs in breakrooms and common areas reminding workers to maintain a distance of 6 feet from one another.
• Use floor marking arrows to designate one-way aisles and create separate lanes of pedestrian traffic so people can move around the facility without bumping into each other.
• In areas where workers will congregate, like temperature check stations or around time clocks, place floor markers at a 6-foot distance to remind workers what a healthy distance looks like.
• Set up A-frame signs along sidewalks, in parking lots, and at entrances to detail social distancing expectations before people enter.
• Use posters and infographics to help describe proper hygiene practices or provide an example of social distancing in a fun and unique way that catches people’s attention.