Choosing to work overnight is a great option if it fits into your lifestyle. You might want or need to spend time with your family during the day, you might feel more productive in the evening or perhaps it’s just your preference. Whatever the reason for your night shift, you want to feel protected.
As expected, working a nightshift means there are fewer people around, leaving you particularly vulnerable to accidents and other issues. So, it’s important employees feel protected during their time at work to increase safety and staff retention. Here are some ways to give everyone peace of mind during the night shift.
Ensure reliable means of communication
Night shifts can often feel lonely, especially if you’re working on your own. So, be sure to provide employees with effective communication devices. If they are in an area with limited signal or internet it’s an employee’s responsibility to resolve this issue. Whether it’s using an internet booster or otherwise, your employees need to feel they can contact someone when in danger.
Provide appropriate facilities
Getting through a night shift can be hard. Fighting the urge to fall asleep is no mean feat, so you need to provide facilities to make their job easier. For example, a kitchen for making food during the evening, a chill-out area to relax in and a clean bathroom.
Provide the correct uniform
Whatever the job is, it’ll usually require a uniform. Whether that’s just a t-shirt or a more formal outfit, it’s important employees feel part of the team. If your employee is doing a manual job or one that has associated risk – you must provide the correct PPE equipment. The type of PPE used will depend on the job you’re doing, but here are some examples:
- High visibility vest
- Toe capped boots
- Gloves
- Goggles
- Mask
PPE is not one size fits all, so make sure you look over the regulations for your industry as failure to do so could put lives and your business at risk.
Take care of employee’s mental health
Working nightshifts can often put a strain on employees’ mental health. Doing your job whilst the majority of your family and friends are asleep can be a large adjustment. So, be sure to put a plan in place to protect the well-being of your staff. This could be free counselling sessions or check-in sessions with a manager. Whatever you choose, it’s important to the physical and mental health of all your employees.
