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As a business leader or manager, it’s your job
to ensure that your team can meet and exceed their goals and milestones and to
do so as safely and stress-free as possible. Yes, feeling a bit on edge can
help some employees to drive results, but they shouldn’t be so uneasy that it
affects their work and well-being. You can combine safety and goal attainment
in many ways and bring your company to the next level, by starting with these
tips.

Set Reasonable Goals And Cut Out Unnecessary Tasks

It’s natural for a business to want to set lofty goals and expect work to be done as
quickly as possible to maximize profit. However, while that strategy might work
for the short term, at some point, your employees will get burned out, and
you’ll find more errors in the work. Too many errors can cut down on your
company’s success over time, and once your reputation takes a hit, it can be
tough to come back.

With that in mind, one of the most
straightforward strategies to reduce human error is setting
reasonable deadlines. Bring in your team, see if they feel rushed, analyze if
it affects their work, and make the proper adjustments. If you must adjust your
corporate guidelines and extend deadlines a few more days, but errors become
practically nonexistent, then you’re on the right track. Another idea is to
create an overall long-term goal but then add numerous short-term goals that
are easier to meet along the way. Then you’ll know everyone’s on the right
page.

While you’re analyzing the workflow, look at
the tasks that make up the overall project and find the repetitive assignments
that bog down the employee’s days. When workers are forced to spend time doing
monotonous, repetitive tasks, they can tend to get burned out. If they don’t
think what they’re doing is making a difference, they may stop putting forth
the same effort or showing up altogether. Burnout is not only bad for business
but also for the employee’s well-being. Plus, it can lead to issues down the
road, including depression.

If you still need to complete these repetitive
tasks as part of your business, then a solution may be automation. Computers
can do monotonous tasks and do them well. They never get tired or complain, so
it’s a worthwhile investment if it makes sense within your industry.

Take Stress Out Of The Equation

The burnout we’ve discussed begins as stress
and often accompanies feelings of being overworked or underappreciated. The
solution is to create a positive work environment so everyone is happy, and in
turn, they’ll be more productive.

Stressed workers can put themselves and others at risk.
Stressed employees may be so distracted that they can accidentally cut corners
or forget to take the proper precautions to keep themselves safe, like failing
to wear a hard hat or misusing electronic equipment. Stress can also lead to
poor decision-making under pressure.

To reduce stress and increase productivity,
managers can allow employees to take stress management training sessions. You
can also host team-building activities so they feel more comfortable at work
and with each other. The best way to ensure that the team is safe and
productive is to be transparent and have open communication across
the board.

As a leader, you need an open-door policy and
allow the employees to come to you when they need help or have suggestions.
Keeping communication channels open and providing employees with different ways
to check in can also be a good way to boost
team morale, especially if this feedback is used to refine workflows
and give everyone the chance to participate.

Training And Recognition

Once you streamline a solid and safe workflow,
you must keep up with it by having ongoing training sessions throughout the
year. Train on the best methods to avoid burnout, the ways to complete the most
work without stress, and the signs of excess anxiety, so an employee can ask
for help when needed.

If your employees are hurt on the job, your
team may never meet your goals, so it’s also important to have general safety training once a day or annually,
depending on the dangers in your industry. During the training, touch on safety
and health policies, emergency procedures, workers’ rights, and how to report
hazards. In addition to the general training, provide safety training for
specific roles that deal with unique hazards. If your industry is particularly
dangerous, then hold regular safety every morning to cover all bases and ask for
questions.

You can drive home the importance of safety
and goal attainment by implementing one or several employee recognition
initiatives to show appreciation for adherence to the rules. There are many safety recognition programs online that you
can borrow, such as Safety Bucks, where you provide pretend currency whenever
an employee does an act correctly or spots a safety violation. They can turn
them in for prices or office perks. Another idea is to hand out safety
certificates or host an awards ceremony.

On top of that, you can also publicly
recognize employees who find a way to streamline their work, hit deadlines, and
provide exceptional quality in their work. Mention them during a group huddle
or in the company newsletter. The employee will be thrilled that they received
attention, and they will continue to impress. Plus, the other team members will
see the recognition and want to work at that level so they can also receive
praise.

Conclusion

A company with a strong culture of safety and
the right processes in place has a great chance of succeeding and doing so with
a happy and driven workforce. Always find ways to prioritize your employee’s
safety and mental health. You’ll have a satisfied team and they’ll thank you
through their work.

About the Author: Luke Smith is a writer and researcher turned
blogger. Since finishing college he is trying his hand at being a freelance
writer. He enjoys writing on a variety of topics but technology and business
topics are his favorite. When he isn’t writing you can find him traveling,
hiking, or gaming.