Employees who are in pain while they work are unlikely to be as productive as they could be. This is because they will typically be more focused on their sore shoulder or balky knee than they are on doing their jobs. As an employer, it is important to understand how discomfort can lead to lower productivity, lower morale and lost money.
An Injured Worker May Be Unable to Lift Heavy Items
A worker who has a bad back, poor leg circulation or similar injuries could have a hard time lifting objects that weigh more than a few pounds. Even if that individual is able to work, he or she may be restricted to doing so at a desk or from home. Even if you have someone else on staff who can take over for that injured worker, there is no guarantee that the replacement will be as good as the person who is currently on light duty.
Unsafe Work Environments Lead to Low Morale
Workers who don’t feel safe at work likely won’t feel valued by their employers. Therefore, they may decide to do just enough to ensure that they don’t get fired. This can be problematic when your company is approaching an important deadline that requires everyone’s best effort to meet.
Extreme Temperatures Can Make It Difficult to Grip Things
If it is too cold in the office, a worker’s hands may be too cold to function properly, and this could make it harder to type, answer a phone or otherwise get a task done. If a worker gets too hot while performing a task outside, he or she could be too sweaty to handle equipment safely. Air conditioning maintenance is very important to keeping your equipment and employees working in a productive and healthy environment.
Individuals Who Are Hurt May Move Slower
Individuals who are in pain may move slower in an effort to not aggravate their injuries. This means that it will take longer to perform most or all of their assigned tasks during a given shift. Injured workers may move slower and get less done even if they are given resources designed to minimize their pain or discomfort.
Employees who are in pain while on the job are less likely to be as productive as they could be during a shift. Therefore, it is important that you take steps to minimize the chances that a person gets hurt on the job. These steps could include teaching employees how to lift objects properly or offering tools that reduce the strain a person may feel while bending, lifting or stretching.