Importance of Saftey in the Workplace “ Physical, Psychological, Social, Emotional, Moral and Health Safety


Having understood the necessity of work in our lives and seeing peoples’ strong desire to find a safe place to work in, each day more I am assured that safety in the workplace is the best payment!

Safety is what we all run after as human beings. Living in a distracted dynamic world, safety is the prime purpose at the end of the day, whether be it in our family, in our relationships or in the place we work in!

The necessity to work has always been huge in the world, but the same necessity of feeling safe in the workplace is as important as the work itself. Since we are all doing different jobs, there are different places to work in as well, and the safety of these places is what makes them even more remarkable and well-known to the rest of the population who may be taking certain services from them. However, the importance of safety in the working environment goes beyond just physical aspect, but in the end, it is the principal one and the reason why many others have to be considered and result from it, too.

And as far as safety at work is concerned, several aspects as these below are important:

– Physical safety
– Psychological safety
– Social Safety
– Emotional Safety
– Moral Safety
– Health Safety

Physical Safety

Physical safety at work is the most common factor to consider at a workplace since most of the issues related to the work are physical, such as:

Body posture
Working in a comfortable office is important to physical security in general. This way, a comfortable body posture creates the feeling of being focused and apt to spend some quality working hours. Contrary to that, a bad body posture creates anxiety, discomfort and similar feelings which result in bad job performance from the employee.
Equipment

The necessary equipment in the workplace is a must since you need the right tools to do particular tasks, and not having them postpones the work process and could be damaging to employee’s ability to finish work with other alternative ways. This kind of security is physical, but in reality, it is the basis of the working practice in general. Lack of it can cause other psychological distractions to the employees and employers.

Warmth

Warmth in the workplace includes health security in the workplace. Usually, the temperature of a room should vary to 21 grades, and the same could stand for the office as well. Working in a warm environment creates a relaxing atmosphere and a source of concentration for the employee. So, the temperature of the room should be constant, if the success is aimed to be the same.

Handling mail and packages

Sometimes the impossibility to input all data and mail online, it can be necessary to keep it manually. Consequently, the employees have to deal with it themselves daily, and it can be tiresome to do the same thing every day because it can be heavy to handle.

First Aid Box

First Aid Box is a must within each company in cases of emergency. Therefore, it being there is highly important when it comes to the physical safety and health care in general.

With all these elements that belong to physical safety, other forms of safety such as moral, psychological, emotional and social aspects are all related to the physical one. It could even be that because of these aspects, physical safety gets influenced eventually. For instance, aggressive, sexual or immoral behavior may result as a consequence of psychological pressure upon the worker.

Psychological Safety

This aspect of safety in the working place is important because it has a direct effect on the employee and the way he manages to perform in his work. The psychological safety at work means that he is directly included in the events, meetings and similar arrangements inside the company he works in. It also says that his ideas and initiatives, as well as other risk-taking actions, are considered by the head of the company, and not vice versa, manipulated, underestimated and so on. In other words, the employer’s good treatment with respect, appreciation, and consideration towards his employee creates a comfortable working place and relationship with the employee as well.

Social Safety

They are working in pairs or group both demands social safety. At this point, working in an environment wherein you can create healthy relationships with colleagues and the employer is important. These relationships are mostly based on trust, freedom of speech, interpersonal skills and so on. Hence, any company ought to offer space for these and other additional forms of personal and professional development such as creativity, space for self-exploration, collaboration and in general enhance areas where growth is the greatest constant. If all these factors are granted to the employees, the work will surely be beneficial to all. On the other hand, if these are denied, the work people will cover a far narrower space which is far from learning new things and doing significant progress.

Emotional Safety

The ability to perform any kind of job is very much conditioned by the stable emotional feeling one has internally. When one is emotionally okay, he/she can do great at whatever task you occupy them with. That before doing any work. Whereas, when it comes to emotional safety at the workplace, then the perspective changes because everyone’s emotions have to be considered. For instance, when at the workplace, emotional safety means that the employees can share freely their feelings, thoughts, and concerns to others, whether be it the CEO or the colleagues. The working place should offer such a comfortable space and support that one feels free to be who she/he is and the opportunity to share how they feel about themselves and the place they work in should always be present. According to researchOpens in a new tab. emotional safety is created by welcoming employees, by defining their job expectations, by reviewing how these expectations match with their performance, and finally by rewarding them for the good work they have done, either monetary or personally.

Moral Safety

The issue of morality in the workplace has become a myth nowadays. The need to work in an environment that we believe in and stand for as individuals are really important. In relation to that, when it comes to the ethical and moral norms that we stand for, it is highly important that we find the same support in the workplace as well. Thus, honesty, integrity, and freedom of opinion are the core human values, and the opportunity to work according to them makes life much more significant and progressive. On the other hand, whether you are in a lower or higher position within a company, being able to for example practice religion, or wear the clothes you want is what makes the job far more flexible, and it gives one the freedom to both work and lives at his/her most. So in general, good safety includes all of these values, beliefs, and norms that help an employee become more of a human, and the result of providing such a lifestyle to him could be the first step towards making a change for the good in the world.
So, the next time you decide to apply for a job, find out if the company stands for the same values as you, and don’t settle for less than who you are!

Health Safety

Presently, all of the mentioned safety aspects in the workplace such as physical, social, moral, emotional and psychological aspects can indicate health problems in the workplace. Thus, the absence of air conditioning, lack of hygiene, and similar elements may damage the health of an employee if exposed for too long to such problems. Similarly, the misuse of moral and social power can seriously damage the vulnerability and productivity of an employee in the working place. Since people like to have the freedom to be themselves and to have their own personal values respected, having the same privilege at work means the world to them and vice versa. The denial of these values can result with moral degradation that slowly leads to dissatisfaction, stress and a desire to quit a particular work. In relation to this, it can be noticed that all of the factors are important when it comes to providing security in the workplace. Initially, when one of them fails to be fulfilled, the rest of them can be shaken as well. So in general, Health Safety comes as a combination of the physical, social, moral, emotional and psychological well-being and care within the individual as well as in the collective of the workforce.

Related Questions

What are the benefits of a Safe Working Place?

The benefits of working inside a safe environment are present for both the company and the employees. In both cases, workplace safety increases productivity, well-being, reduces stress, absenteeism, etc. It also improves morale, job satisfaction, self-esteem, health and so on.
Despite these, safety in a workplace brings about an outstanding image for the organization and consequently increases job application and success in the job market.
On the other hand, employees who work in safe places are for sure better people with their families and friends, and a better human being at work as well. Obviously, working in a safe environment affects not only the employee’s and the company’s life, but everyone else’s eventually. So far, everything is connected-Lao Tzu!

How can you make a Safe Workplace for everyone?

Creating a Safe Working Place for all is a matter of respecting one’s rights, freedom as well as providing the employees with the elementary health care conditions and comfortable environment to work in. In a nutshell, this would be a clear picture of what it means to work in a safe place. However, whether the working place belongs to the private or public section, the law of labor ought to be also respected, to fulfill the rights of the employee every time. The fundamental rights of a human being or an employee are undeniable; therefore when respected, safety is for sure not only a bonus but most of all a VALUE in the workplace!

Why is it important to work in a safe workplace?

Safety is what we all run after as human beings. Living in a distracted dynamic world, safety is a mandatory requirement at the end of the day, whether be it in our family, in our relationships and in the place we work in! Safety in the workplace is important not only to men but to women especially. Due to women’s sensitive and delicate nature, being socially, physically, morally and emotionally safe is highly important to them. We have all heard of the cases when women are being abused whether verbally or sexually, without any limitation. For this reason, it is a sad reality that women are often less secure than men in their workplace.

Howsoever, men are not also an exception to the rule. Working in a place where there is a low salary or too much pressure can be damaging to men, especially when their efforts are taken for granted. And as we have mentioned, there are various ways of safety in the workplace, and these could be some reasons for men to feel less safe in their work. These kinds of harms can cause psychological, financial and up to family problems as a result.

Steve Todd

Steve Todd, founder of Open Sourced Workplace and is a recognized thought leader in workplace strategy and the future of work. With a passion for work from anywhere, Steve has successfully implemented transformative strategies that enhance productivity and employee satisfaction. Through Open Sourced Workplace, he fosters collaboration among HR, facilities management, technology, and real estate professionals, providing valuable insights and resources. As a speaker and contributor to various publications, Steve remains dedicated to staying at the forefront of workplace innovation, helping organizations thrive in today's dynamic work environment.

Recent Posts