News Industrial Workforce at Risk: Report Uncovers Employee Concerns Over Safety, Lack of Training Just in time for June’s National Safety Month, Vector Solutions’ new report provides a meaningful look at the state of worker safety and well-being in organizations across the country. New, first-of-its-kind research from Vector Solutions, a leading provider of training, compliance, and performance management solutions for critical industrial sectors, reveals important safety and preparedness priorities for the industrial workforce. The State of Industrial Worker Safety and Well-Being Report surveyed more than 600 full-time professionals across maintenance, production and operations, engineering, health and safety, and other crucial roles within industrial organizations in the United States. The study’s findings uncover significant gaps in worker education and safety precautions that must be urgently addressed. The U.S. manufacturing industry is expected to reach a critical shortage of 3.8 million workers within the next decade. To avoid falling prey to high turnover, industrial employers must strive to promote retention by every means possible. One key method for preventing employee churn is by ensuring employees feel safe and confident in their abilities to complete their daily tasks. Vector Solutions’ latest study found that safety is the second most important factor for workers to remain in a job, second only to pay. But despite the value they place on safety, nearly half (46%) of workers believe their employer could be doing more to reduce safety incidents. Another 83% note that their company’s safety protocols feel like checkboxes rather than genuine commitments to employee well-being. This checkbox perception illustrates a pressing need for employers to showcase that they take the safety and professional development of their workers seriously, or risk losing talent to the competition. Furthermore, while the research uncovered notable safety concerns among workers, 58% of them believe additional training would improve their workplace safety. “Safety plays a critical role in the well-being and productivity of our workforce,” said Clare Epstein, General Manager of Commercial at Vector Solutions. “We conducted this study to better understand the current state of safety initiatives, training, and technology within the industrial sector. The findings revealed that employers have a lot of room for growth when it comes to prioritizing the safety of their workers, especially with regards to providing staff with accessible and comprehensive safety training.” Additional findings from the report include: Retention Lags and Skills Gaps Widen When Safety Training Isn’t Prioritized In a turbulent economy, workers rely even more on training and safety precautions to keep them at their current company. • 81% report that their training makes them feel more inclined to stay at the company • 62% believe that good training improves job satisfaction • 57% say that safety issues make more seasoned workers leave – which contributes to the skills gap • 44% say that safety issues make it harder to hire – which contributes to the labor shortage and widening skills gap Workplace Safety Has Room for Improvement, Especially for Non-Native English Speakers Implementing training solutions does not necessarily mean that content is accessible to all employees. The report revealed that non-native English speakers are dealing with concerning disparities: • Half of non-native English speakers say that their company doesn’t offer training in their native language • Non-native English speakers were 27% more likely than their native English-speaking counterparts to feel pressured to prioritize productivity over safety in the workplace • Non-native English speakers were 127% more likely to say they do not feel comfortable reporting workplace hazards than native English speakers Fostering a Safe Workplace Starts with Superior Training When workers aren’t given dynamic and up-to-date training materials, professional development lags resulting in knowledge loss, skills gaps, and a lack of retention of great employees. • 100% say that safety training is essential for fostering a safe workplace • 50% say that their company’s training is not engaging, with those in electrical maintenance being 100% more likely than average to say this • 29% of those who are unsatisfied with their training are considering leaving their job for this reason To learn more about Vector Solutions’ The State of Industrial Worker Safety and Well-Being Report, click here.
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