HR to Go

February 2007

Fall Safety in the Office
Falling on the job is a serious problem. In fact, it's one of the leading causes of workplace injuries and death. In one recent year:
* More than 250,000 employees suffered nonfatal injuries from falls
* More than 800 workers fell to their deaths on the job
* 14% of occupational deaths were from falls

Many fall hazards exist in the office. Stay safely on your feet by following these do's and don'ts.

Do:
* Turn on lights when entering dark rooms
* Report broken lights
* Watch your step entering and leaving elevators
* Clean spills and pick up dropped items right away
* Close file, desk and cabinet drawers and doors when not in use
* Use a sturdy stepstool to reach items on high shelves

Don't:
* Don't tilt back in chairs
* Don't position equipment in walkways
* Don't lay cords across the floor
* Don't leave boxes or wastebaskets in walkways
* Don't stand on chairs, boxes, or tables to reach items on high shelves.

No-Cost Recognition
Ah, recognition. For some reason there never seems to be enough of it. Try this: After a tough day, walk up to employees and say, "You were great. I really appreciate what you did today." You'll be surprised how far a simple gesture will go.

Here are some fun ideas:
 Give a token that can be redeemed for a future favor.
 Hold occasional fun contests like Nerf basketball or volleyball.
 Thank people by giving chocolate kisses, balloons or other small items.
 Staple Kleenex to a potentially stressful memo.
 Give employees Post-it notepads with sayings to suit their personalities.
 Send a $20, $50 or $100 bill to a spouse with a thank-you note for his or her support during employees' overtime.
 Pay for the tutoring of an employee's child.

Do it Wrong the First Time
Mistakes are like money in the bank if you know how to mine their value. And it's really quite easy. Mistakes teach you very clearly, very precisely, what NOT to do. Make enough mistakes, learn from them, and you'll know exactly what to do.

When you set out to do something with the goal of making as many mistakes as possible, you will quickly learn the best way to get it done. This is not always practical, when the stakes are high and the time is short. In such cases, it is best to make mistakes
more carefully.

Of course you can learn from the mistakes of others, without having to repeat them. That's sort of the concept behind civilization. Yet, nothing personalizes learning like making your own mistakes, and true progress in any endeavor demands new, original mistakes. Behind every positive discovery there are many negative discoveries.

When you're not afraid to do it wrong the first time, you'll
eventually get it very right.

2007 Labor Law Posters Do you still need your 2007 posters? If so, they are always available from us in English and Spanish for the low price of only $32.00 each! Contact Janelle Arsich at janelle@hrtogo.com to order yours now.

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