We must be in work and at risk, or else risk our jobs
A week after non-essential shops opened, a report shows that most employers are failing to do enough to help staff feel safe.
We’re interacting with a hundred people a day
As many as 80% of returning workers are worried… They are at work but are anxious about their safety.
And that should be a wake-up call for ALL employers. There’s one huge issue these employers have forgotten.
Duty. Of. Care.
If you breach your duty of care you could be in big trouble. You could end up in a tribunal facing a claim of negligence.
But… there is no need for it to get to that. It’s not hard to ease your staff’s fears. There’s intelligent technology that makes it easy. It minimises the risk of the virus getting into the building, helps make sure social distancing happens and stops cross-contamination at entry and exit points.
How about that for reassurance!
Best of all it’s an affordable investment!
Find out about intelligent technology for your business
Gulp… duty of care
Yep, that old chestnut. All employers in the UK owe a duty of care to staff. And it’s legally binding. If you breach it, you run the risk of facing a tribunal and claim of negligence… Which could mean a fine or even a prison sentence! Government documentation says:
As an employer, you have a legal responsibility to protect workers and others… you need to think about the risks they face and do everything reasonably practicable to minimise them, recognising you cannot completely eliminate the risk of COVID-19.
Put simply, businesses are duty-bound to keep the workplace safe and stress-free for staff. And in the Corona crisis, if your staff feel unsafe OR are stressed out at work AND think you, the employer hasn’t done enough to protect them…
That’s when the breach could come in. Don’t risk it… find out how intelligent technology can help
Watch out for this…
How long do you think it will be before the No Win, No Fee lawyers get onto this?
Not too long, given these early signs. For example:
Abigail works in an art supplies shop. She said
“For (customers) it’s just one interaction, but it means we’re interacting with a hundred people a day. We must be in work and at risk, or else risk our jobs.”
James, a pawnbroker, said
“I don’t know if a person is ill, or who they’re mingling with before they come into contact with us. I’m trying to carry on as normal but it makes you paranoid. I’m anxious about passing it on to family members who are high risk.”
These employees do not feel safe. And their employers may have breached their duty of care… And they may be leaving themselves open to a claim of negligence.
And no business wants that. At the best of times… It’s a heap of trouble, stress and tribunal appearances you can really do without. Find out how intelligent technology can help
Businesses getting ready to return to work take note!
There are lessons here for non-essential businesses due to re-open in the near future. Offices, warehouses, restaurants, hotels, pubs etc. will be going back to work sooner rather than later. It’s clear that at least some of your staff will be worried. And that’s not good for morale, productivity or your customers.
Doing half a job is not enough. Certainly for some staff. Get it wrong and… there’s the duty of care issue you need to be careful of.
So, what can you, as an employer, do to reassure your personnel?
Intelligent technology to the rescue
Stop cross-contamination on the way in and out of work
This is an existing technology that has been repurposed. It helps businesses reassure staff during the pandemic. It’s being used across the world so people feel safe at work.
Developed in Asia, it’s battle-tested during previous pandemics such as SARS. Technology helps businesses detect people with Corona symptoms AND stop them from getting inside your premises.
Imagine the boost that will give your nervous admin staff? If infected people can’t enter the building half the battle is won!
Click the button to find out if intelligent technology is right for your business. Answer 4 quick questions to see it’s worth your time investigating further.
Find out if intelligent technology is right for you
3 ways how intelligent technology minimises risk and ensures your staff feel safe
Stop the virus entering the building – stop overcrowding
Three ways that intelligent technology helps your employees feel safe:
- Stop the virus getting into your building: Thermal cameras screen people for signs of fever before allowing entry.
- Help make social distancing happen: Monitor visitor numbers to stop overcrowding and enable social distancing. And control busy pinch points such as lifts
- Stop cross-contamination: Contactless door entry options. Stop the risk of infection on entry and exit into various areas
Using intelligent technology in conjunction with standard hygiene measures will show the world you’ve taken your duty of care seriously.
Stop the virus getting in, making social distancing happen AND preventing cross-contamination
You see thermal cameras on Police chase shows. They detect the thermal image of criminals trying to escape. In the Corona crisis they are used to pick out a person running a temperature.
It’s an easy way to detect coronavirus symptoms BEFORE the person becomes a risk to everyone else in your premises. How they are used depends on your premises.
- You check visitors at reception BEFORE they move around your premises.
- Thermal cameras work alongside regular CCTV in busier workplaces. You can use lanes to maintain social distancing while screening people.
- Use in tandem with facial recognition to check your staff. People with a high temperature are denied entry to your premises. Automatically! It can even check staff are wearing a mask!
Stop cross-contamination at entry and exit points. Key fobs, card entry and infrared exit replace keypads and buttons. These are great options for warehouse, hotels, office buildings etc.
Overcrowding in a shop or storeroom makes social distancing impossible. People counting is the answer! Even with two or more entrances, the system collates the number of people in your building. Once your capacity is reached, the screen ‘informs’ people to wait. When someone leaves, the screen ‘tells’ the waiting people to enter!
Saving your staff the nightmare of collating numbers… Talk to someone about monitoring visitor numbers with intelligent technology.
Your investment won’t cost you an arm and a leg…
Simple. Effective. And it won’t cost you a fortune. Remember to ask about leasing options. You don’t have to buy the equipment outright. You won’t need a completely new system. Add intelligent technology to your existing security.
To discover what is best for your business you must speak to an expert. Otherwise, you’re guessing… S/he will go over the nuances of your premises and how your business operates. Then walk you through your best options.
There is no obligation whatsoever. You are NOT committing to anything. You’ll discover how intelligent technology can work for your business. How it can reassure your staff. Keep them and your visitors and customers as safe as possible in these tricky times.
Of course, there will always be some level of risk. But if you minimise that risk as much as possible, you’re taking all reasonable steps to protect your workforce. And you won’t have to think about nasty negligence claims.
Click the button to find out if intelligent technology is right for your business. Answer 4 quick questions to see it’s worth your time investigating further.
Find out if intelligent technology is right for you
Worrying about your duty of care to employees is the last thing you need on your plate right now. But fail to do enough and… sadly, you may end up facing a negligence claim. Find out if this intelligent technology is right for your business.
