Embedding Social Distancing. What is it? How does it work?
Embedding Social Distancing. What is it? How Does it Work?
We hope you're doing well and are focused on, or considering, embedding social distancing measures at your sites. Now we are all starting to get ready for everyone else to come back to work, we have also been pleased to share our wearable social distancing collection with you that has been in very high demand over the last few weeks.
For now, let's take a step back, and touch on the overall subject of embedding social distancing at work..
Why Is It Important To Embed Social Distancing?
There is an obvious answer to this - to prevent the spread of infection and disease right?! We can definitely do our '5 why's' on the importance of that!
Beyond the obvious, embedding social distancing into your operations is as much about engaging, and empowering people in the pursuit of working together as it is preventing the spread. It helps you be proactive, focused on leading indicators, and builds your culture in a positive way. As well, it helps you prevent negative effects on productivity, and of course, if you make your social distancing requirements visible, it makes people accountable.
What Does Embedding Social Distancing Actually Mean?
Well, there's a place for training and signage around the perimeter of your site. Tool box talks, emails and videos are great too. But when your workers are 'doing the job', how do you make certain they are keeping their distance?
That's where embedding the social distancing message comes in. Reminding them at that critical time of the training they've had, and whats required, is a proven way to drive behavior. Therefore, getting your social distancing message 'embedded' into the daily routines, and tasks, of your workers makes it happen.....
It'll also helps busy supervisors remember to look out for the need to social distance too.
How Do I Do it?
The first step is to put yourself in the shoes of the people you want to be social distancing at work. Think about where they go during a working day and what will catch their eye.
For example, in hand washing, in the bathroom they'll almost always look in the mirror, a great place to embed a message about how to wash your hands properly...
Once you've understood where your opportunity is to catch the eye of your people, it's about getting your message right. You want to remind them of the training and engage them in a short, sharp, message that clearly reminds them what to do.
Make Safety Visible.com has seen a significant demand for Floor Decals as an example. More recently Hard Hat Stickers, Hi-Vis Vests and T-shirts have been in the highest of demand. Why? Well if you are about to interact with a person, and you both have a 'Please Stay 6ft Away' message on you - for all the reasons above, and that it's personal to you and your family, you'll probably keep your distance.
Summary
As we see more people go back to work, the risk of the re-igniting the spread of infection is apparent. Let's pull together and do what we can to work safely and social distance. We hope taking an approach to embed the messaging into your operations is of value and Make Safety Visible.com is ready to help.