It is always important to keep your employees’ well being in your best interest so that not only will your business keep running smoothly, but so that no one gets unnecessarily sick or hurt on the job. When the temps drop below freezing, you may have some employees out on sick leave due to cold induced illnesses. To prevent this from happening in the future, take some time to better prepare your outside employees for the cold.

First, you must realize that working in cold temperatures can be dangerous. If you have the ability to rearrange the workload and have your employees either work indoors or change shifts to a warmer part of the day, you should try it. If the work must be done outside, make sure your employees are dressed warmly enough and can take frequent breaks in heated areas to maintain proper body temperature.

To further help your valued employees, train them on what to look for when it comes to cold induced illnesses or injuries. Have your employees work in pairs or more so that signs can be spotted before they become dangerous. You can also provide warm beverages or hot food for them to help keep them going. Avoid caffeinated beverages. Opt for more filling items like hot pasta dishes or other carbohydrate based items.

If you know of any employees that have preexisting medical conditions or are taking medications that could alter their ability to handle the cold weather, take precautions with them as well. Your employees are important to you. Don’t let a little cold weather impede your business or hurt your employees. For more information on how the cold weather can affect your business, give us a call and we can give you some tips to keep your employees safe this winter.