Working in industries that are labor-intensive can quickly lead to burnout. Not only that, but dangerous jobs put added strain on workers that can cause permanent physical damage to their bodies. It’s hard to find ways to improve working conditions when the job is simply dangerous. But there are ways employers can improve productivity in workers and improve their safety on the job as well. Here are the best ways to boost productivity in labor-intensive roles.
Offer Better Benefits Packages
One way to attract employees has always been to offer great benefits. These packages can include anything from PTO to retirement funds to good pay raises. One of the problems with labor-intensive jobs is that in the construction, industrial, and even medical fields, they don’t always offer the best benefits. If you want to improve productivity, it’s vital to give people a reason to work hard. Additionally, these benefits can help attract good people and keep them working for you.
Encourage People To Take Time Off
Burnout is real. When people work too hard without a break, they can experience mental and physical burnout. As an employer, you can help reduce the level of burnout by encouraging people to take time off. It’s one thing to offer PTO, but it’s a whole other thing to encourage people to actually take time off. One of the ways that employers can create a healthy culture, even in labor-intensive jobs, is to make the process for PTO clear. You’ll need to make sure the process is also fair and that management also takes time off to show that it’s for everyone.
Use Technology To Reduce Strain
Technology has come a long way. Medical technology like robotic lifts helps ease the strain on bodies. Some industries leverage an exoskeleton suit to allow people to lift more without hurting their bodies. Robotics has allowed more industries like this to make leaps and bounds. Employers are creating better safety measures by incorporating drones as well. These drones can be used on construction sites to do inspections and more where it would be dangerous for people to get to.
Create a Robust Training Program
Another way to improve productivity in labor-intensive jobs is to create a great training program. Training shouldn’t be one and done. Training should be ongoing. Good training programs help staff learn new tasks, help practice old skills, and more. Training programs allow staff to move up into new roles. It allows them to get a higher income potential, and more. Employers who invest in their employees for training will reap better productivity in the long run. Better productivity means that not only will staff try and work more efficiently, but they are less likely to overlook the bad things that they see on the job.
Don’t Purposefully Under Staff
Want to make employees angry and stop working hard? Purposefully under staff. The truth is that especially in labor-intensive jobs, people can only do so much on their own. In medical facilities that are understaffed, in industrial settings where there aren’t enough people, and in construction sites that don’t have enough people, the workers are more prone to injury.
Not only that, but it breeds resentment against management who expect workers to do the same amount of work with less people. You’ll get better productivity when you ensure that you always staff as many people as possible instead of as few as possible.
Remind Staff To Take Their Breaks
Working in laborious environments might mean that people can’t just stop in the middle of something to take a break. But as an employer, it’s important to remind staff when they are in between these tasks to give themselves a break. Don’t harp on your staff when they need a rest. Don’t threaten them if they go over their break times by just a few minutes. Breaks are especially important to prevent injury in physically laborious jobs.
Provide Meals Onsite for Workers
Providing food can go a long way to boost productivity. Employees who don’t need to think about what to bring for lunch and don’t need to heat up anything will be more likely to get a full break and feel more energized for working later in the day. Offering food as a perk will also ensure that on job sites where there is no refrigeration, people can easily eat something.
