In case you weren’t aware, June is National Safety Month and National Employee Wellness Month.  It makes sense that my co-workers and I had our health assessments yesterday! 

As human resource professionals, I know you are all busy.  You’re probably being pulled in many directions throughout the day.  This is just one of the reasons that it is so great to have a mid-year reminder that keeping your employees healthy and safe will positively affect your company’s budget and employees’ productivity.  June 2012 is a great time to stop and think when the last time was that your employees had any type of safety training.  I’ve seen some companies do demonstrations reminding linemenof the safe ways to perform their jobs; others do training on digging safety. 

One of the coolest things I’ve heard of happened at a previous employer of mine.  Unfortunately, I started after this opportunity, but a co-worker filled me in.  It was a trucking company and they brought in a simulator for the office staff (including HR, recruiters, driver managers).  They were able to simulate driving an 18 wheeler, which is the bulk of what the employees at this company did.  How cool.  We could then tailor policies and create wellness and safety initiatives with a better understanding of the drivers’ daily conditions and stresses.  The addition of a wellness fairoccurred after this experience. 

So take a few minutes and check out the importance of National Employee Wellness Monthand review your voluntary benefitsfor employee wellness options.  If you’re a company where employees can be put in more danger throughout their workdays, make sure you also look into National Safety Month.   Help employees prevent unnecessary injuries.  And if you really don’t have time, mark in your calendar to start looking into something by next March.  Offer a health assessment, bring in a speaker, or plan a health fair. 

Erica L.

Originally posted at: http://uecubenefit.uecu.org/