Employee safety should be a priority for all businesses no matter the field, yet too many businesses tend to neglect it because they don’t feel like it’s a priority. However, you don’t necessarily have to be running a high-risk operation to benefit from it. A lot of owners and administrators may not realise how many risks their employees are actually facing on a day to day basis, and how having a well-formed team will be able to reduce the chances of life-threatening incidents. It also has many other benefits that might not be as obvious. Let’s take a look at why first aid training is so essential in the marketplace.
Faster Response
The first benefit of first aid training in the workplace is that your team will be able to respond fast and more efficiently if something happens. The time it takes for someone to intervene can make a huge difference in life or death situations. Your employees will know the exact steps needed, and will be able to act with confidence. You also won’t have to rely on a few key employees if multiple people need assistance at the same time.
It Can Boost Employee Morale
Another benefit of having a good first aid training programme in place is that it will show that you actually care about your employees. You may not know it, but if your employees see a danger in the workplace and nothing is being done about it, they might see it as a sign of neglect. Employees also put a premium on training and development, and giving them a formation that they will be able to take with them everywhere they go will be something they’ll greatly appreciate.
Your Employees Will be More Aware
Another reason why first aid training is so important is that your employees will then be much more alert and aware of potential dangers in the workplace. They will also be able to identify dangerous behaviour in other employees. This is why we recommend that you also put a clear reporting system in place so you can be made aware of possible issues. Also make sure that you give your employees the opportunity to report anonymously.
Less Injuries
A more alert and present team also translates to fewer workplace incidents. Not only will this reduce the number of sick days, but it will also reduce turnover. Missing employees can take a toll on a company, especially when other employees have to pick up the slack. Doing everything to keep your employees healthy and happy will pay dividends in the long run. Having your employees go through a course with Toronto first aid training can help them act quicker, prevent injuries, and save lives.
Builds Teamwork and Spirit
One of the great things about first aid courses is that they can be taken as part of the team, and your whole team will be able to get their formation at the same time. The formation also involves a lot of team work, and could help build bonds between employees that didn’t get the possibility to interact before.
Great Culture Builder
If you want to focus on employee wellness and want it to be part of your company’s culture, then safety should play a major role. Offering a first aid formation to new hires will give them the impression that you put employee safety first, and that is something that will attract and help you retain employees.
Cost Savings
Even though most companies have some sort of plan for emergencies, no company is 100% prepared for incidents. There are plenty of cases of seemingly small emergencies that degenerated because of poor action or inaction. By having a team that is well aware of safety measures, you will be able to limit the amount of damage caused by incidents. Some incidents could also end up affecting much more employees when the inappropriate actions are taken.
Your team will also be much more composed. Panic is the number one worst thing when it comes to emergencies. You just never know what could happen, and even with employee drills, there is no way to know that your employees are truly ready to face a stressful situation.
With a thorough first aid formation, they will have all the knowledge needed to get out of a dangerous situation quickly, and will know everything that needs to be done for the people around
them to be safe as well. This type of calm and composure is something that can only come from having a real formation, and could make the difference between a benign incident and a disaster.
These are only some of the benefits of investing in a first aid formation for your employees. No matter your field, make sure that you consider the option, as it is an investment in your employees’ safety and future.