Regardless of whether one owns a small family-run business or is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a large business, among the most vital issues that employers absolutely need to address is worker safety and health.

While productivity and overall revenue is important, when the staff members aren’t following safe practices and keeping themselves healthy, the result will eventually become a loss in earnings due to less productivity and compensation for sick days.

Every business absolutely needs to implement written safety policies and procedures that are clear and understandable to the average reader. Not only is this necessary for protecting the personnel from harm, but having written policies also assists to protect the employer against claims about the business not following safe practices, or even worse, potential lawsuits.

Many companies also understand that safety knowledge improves through ongoing training and inviting the workers to give input about safety practices.

Staff Members should also be encouraged to keep themselves healthful because an unhealthful worker causes more loss in revenue because of sick days. Obviously an employer cannot determine what the worker will eat for lunch, but there are simple measures that an employer can take to encourage healthier habits.

Providing healthier vending machine options, a tobacco-free environment, and even discounts on gym memberships may encourage healthier lifestyles.

While staff member health and safety are very important aspects of a corporation, regrettably they’re often neglected until a problem arises. Employers need to be proactive about health and safety to protect themselves and their staff.

Safety training, encouraging breaks to take a walk, or paying for worker health club memberships, will obviously cost the corporation money, but in the long term, this may be a great investment and a way to potentially save money as a result of safety and health issues in the future.

Corporations need to look at the big picture and how such simple measures can develop a more successful organization.