In these harsh economic times,
distribution companies may feel the need to send drivers out on multiple
assignments, increase the number of deliveries or fulfil more orders.
However, although this may lead to quicker profits, it might have an
adverse affect on a workforce.
If
an employee feels they have an excessive amount of work, deadlines or
requirements, they may begin to get stressed. Although a small amount of
pressure may help to motivate, encourage or to make a task more
fulfilling, a staff member may suffer from stress if that pressure
becomes too much. This might have an adverse effect on a person’s well
being.
Even
worse, stress often has a cumulative effect. If one employee starts to
become ill because of stress, the rest of the workforce may have to
carry out his or her duties; further increasing the pressure. However,
although stress can affect the productivity of a business, it can be
deadly on the roads.When a person gets behind the wheel, they should
focus all of their attention on driving safely and following the rules
of the road. Yet, if a motorist is suffering from stress he or she may
be unable to focus properly and their driving ability might suffer.If an
employee becomes stressed and starts to drive erratically, they are far
more likely to use more fuel than someone who is calm and content. In
addition, if this driving behavior results in a traffic accident, an
employer may see the price of their commercial van insurance increase greatly.
Employers
have a legal duty to ensure staff members do not suffer because of
their workload. If employees are starting to show tiredness,
irritability, indecisiveness or increased levels of sickness, a manager
should take appropriate steps to reduce stress levels.This could include
changing work policies, extending deadlines, ensuring staff members
take their breaks, making a vehicle more ergonomic or simply educating
employees about the dangers of stress.If an employer is unsure about
what might cause excessive pressure at work, they should either hire a
competent person to carry out a stress audit or ask staff members if
they are feeling anxious while driving. After undertaking these
measures, duty-holders should then implement suitable steps to reduce or
eliminate the causes of stress.
A
company which has an effective stress-management policy may experience a
variety of benefits, such as increased productivity and better decision
making from employees, as well as a reduction in mistakes, personal
injury, sickness absence and staff turnover.Furthermore, a company with
an effective stress management system is more appealing to clients,
investments and customers. After all, very few shareholders would invest
in a company with a poor accident record.By ensuring employees drive
safely behind the wheel, distributors may eventually see a reduction in
their van insurance premiums and might even help road safety by
preventing traffic accidents from occurring.
This
guest post was provided by iVan Insurance, an online only insurance
company specializing in van cover. To receive a commercial van insurance
quote, click here .
