Did you know that a happy employee is a safe employee? Fewer accidents and injuries occur when employees feel personally invested in contributing to a strong safety culture together. It might seem like a no-brainer, but the best protective clothing solutions also result from getting your workers directly involved. How, you ask? With an independent protective clothing audit.
Here are 5 reasons why performing an audit is a sure-fire way to raise employee satisfaction and improve safety compliance at the same time.
1. Asking for input sends a powerful signal
"This is the first time I’ve ever been asked to give my opinion.”
Conducting an audit shows your employees that you care about their experience on the workfloor. After all, they’re the ones who wear protective clothing day in and day out — it’s only logical that they would have valuable insights to share. In practice however, it’s surprisingly rare for employees to be asked to share their thoughts. During a recent protective clothing audit at a multinational chemical manufacturer, one worker said, “This is the first time I’ve ever been asked to give my opinion.”
2. Engaged wearers = better solutions
For the best protective clothing solution, get wearers involved in the selection process from the very beginning. Employees invited to engage in important decisions are more likely to wear the new garments correctly, because they feel more invested in their own safety. A thorough audit of all your different workstations is the perfect way to kickstart this kind of wearer engagement.
Discover Proclaud®
Looking for a smarter way to gather insights on your workers’ specific needs and wants? Discover how an independent audit can do all the work for you.
3. Honest feedback like you’ve never heard before
”I don’t feel safe in this clothing.”
You can imagine that a worker may not feel comfortable sharing a statement like this directly with their manager or the HSE department. In an independent audit, private interviews with a third party guarantee a more anonymous setting in which workers can be truly honest about their experiences. Individual interviews also gives workers the chance to share their feedback without being overruled or influenced by the (louder) opinions of other colleagues.
4. Subjective insights are a game changer
Pricing and technical specs are often the key deciding factors for a new tender, but don’t forget about real-life “soft” insights! A worker may not care about safety compliance if the more subjective aspects of their workwear experience aren’t being satisfied. For instance, is a garment breathable and comfortable? Does the fabric allow for freedom of movement? A protective clothing audit provides you with a comprehensive analysis of all the aspects necessary — both objective and subjective — for the employee to be able to perform his or her work optimally.
5. A more inclusive workplace
“How can our current protective clothing be improved?”
By asking your employees the open question “How can our current protective clothing be improved?” you’ll make space for a more diverse spectrum of wishes and preferences. Are you taking into account, for instance, the fit preferences of the female employees in your company? Women’s protective clothing and PPE is just one example of the hidden improvement points that an audit can bring to light.
Why employee satisfaction is worth the effort
If workers are happy and feel heard, they’re more likely to wear their protective clothing confidently and perform their job safely. It’s a win-win! That’s why employee satisfaction is a key building block for any HSE Manager dedicated to building a strong safety culture.
It can be difficult to know where to start once you’ve decided to perform a protective clothing audit, but making informed choices on the safety and comfort of your employees doesn’t have to be stressful. A third-party tool like Proclaud® can help structure your process and distil the resulting insights into a custom solution you can count on — and one your employees are happy with, too.
Discover Proclaud®
Looking for a smarter way to gather insights on your workers’ specific needs and wants? Discover how an independent audit can do all the work for you.
