When holidays, sales, or simply weekends come around, retail stores can get quite chaotic. Customers fill the stores, clothes fly off the shelves, people get frustrated, and the whole goal is simply to make it through the day. And when that’s the priority, safety takes a backseat when it should really be at the forefront. It’s important for both shoppers and employees.
Want to make sure safety never idles in the back? Read on to discover some of the various ways to improve retail employee safety.
Schedule Smartly
When it comes to days where you know it’ll be busier, make certain to schedule smart. Safety goes downhill when employees are rushing around because they’re understaffed—they’ll let regular guidelines and cleanup fall to the wayside if they’re stressed. Do your best to schedule smart and plan ahead for busy days the best you can.
Invest in Video Surveillance
One of the most important tips to improve retail safety comes from outside of our employee’s control—video surveillance. Extra eyes in the sky help people feel safe no matter what role they play in the business. If they know that they have something to back them up, it’ll help them feel more comfortable during out-of-the-ordinary circumstances. It’ll also provide you with more peace of mind!
Don’t Block Emergency Help
As best you can, try to remind employees not to block anything that falls under the realm of “emergency help.” That means emergency exits must stay clear at all times, fire extinguishers and sprinklers need to stay clear, access to emergency buttons (if available), and more. Problems arise when the emergency help we have on hand is blocked by our own accord. Ensure all employees know these areas must stay clear.
Follow COVID Safety Measures
We couldn’t write about employee safety without discussing the current pandemic as well. In retail, customers are often put first. But in a pandemic, customers and employees both need to have equal importance, especially when it comes to safety measures. Anything that you do for customers, you need to do for employees as well.
- Temperature checks
- Space for social distancing in the back
- Sick leave policy adjustment
- Proper protective equipment for all
- Hire temporary employees for extra aid
- Enhanced sanitization and disinfection
- Limit store hours if you’re not able to do the options above
As a manager, it’s on you to implement safety guidelines for everyone in the store. Make sure you follow these tips and whatever others you deem necessary to protect you, your employees, and your customers. Don’t let safety take the backseat.
