Perhaps your employees see a boss, a colleague or even a friend when they look at you, but the law sees a PCBU. This is a short form for Person Conducting Business or an Undertaking.
This acronym attached to your name brings some responsibilities for you, as well.
Namely, a PCBU is responsible, to a reasonable extent, for the safety of all workers in their company.
Surely, it is not your job to hold their hands while they cross the street, but you must do your part in helping them stay safe and healthy.
One of the ways to do this includes getting anti-fatigue floor mats for the companies where employees stand throughout most of their shifts. It seems like a far-fetched idea that a floor mat will help your employees, but the facts are on our side.
What Is So Harmful About Standing?
A lot of people talk about the downsides of the sedentary lifestyle. Being on one’s feet is generally considered healthy. Just like everything else, standing is healthy when it is done in moderation.
However, if you are forced to stand for prolonged periods of time, those health benefits soon turn into the health risks.
Photo courtesy: Flickr Image by Connie Ma
Standing throughout a shift, day after day, will put additional pressure on your limbs, joints and even blood vessels. The risk dramatically increases if you are standing on a hard surface.
Negative effects of standing include:
- Lower back pain
- Hip pain
- Knee pain
- Sore muscles
- Painful feet
- Fatigue
- Discomfort
- Swelling
- Plantar fasciitis
When you stand day after day for a long time, the blood starts slowing down when circulating in your legs. It results in swellings and even creating blood clots. Also, varicose veins can occur, which is an inflammatory disease that is very unpleasant.
How Can Anti-Fatigue Floor Mats Help?
The first thing that anti-fatigue floor mats do is that they provide a layer of softness between the sore feet and the hard floor. The pressure on the joints is instantly reduced.
Besides the softness of the floor and the reduced impact on the joints, blood vessels benefit from these floor mats, as well. They encourage people to move slightly at all times. This helps the blood circulating, which is important for reducing the swellings and lowering the risks of varicose veins.
Anti-fatigue floor mats reduce the danger of slipping. This, consequently, means less work related injuries. With all these facts, it is obvious that these sorts of mats definitely make a difference. Moreover, they are the proof that you do take care of your employees’ well-being.
What’s In It For Your Business?
There are several ways your business benefits from placing anti-fatigue floor mats:
Motivated employees
If your employees suffer from back pains, varicose veins, fatigue and chronic discomfort, they will not do a very good job. Placing these mats on their workplace will show that you care about their comfort and the work they do. Such employees will be more motivated and more productive.
Reduced absenteeism
Back pains, rheumatic pains and fatigue can cause people to be unable to perform their job. That means that by diminishing these causes of different conditions, the number of sick days taken will also plummet.
Reduced inventory damages
When people fall down, they do not just place their hands tightly beside their bodies while they fall flat on the floor with their face down. Their reflexes command them to grab something or hold on to something to prevent the fall. In a bar or a restaurant, this means destroying a lot of glass. A very good mat prevents slipping and saves the inventory.
More professional appearance
Mats can really make your business look amazing. The presence of the anti-fatigue floor mats shows that you care about your employees, that you are able to recognise a smart move, and that you are a responsible businessman and employer. You will look like a real professional.
So, What Makes a Good Anti-Fatigue Floor Mat?
Now that you are aware of all the reasons why your workplace needs anti-fatigue floor mats, you need to know how to pick these high-quality mats. In order to know which ones work the best for you, you need to try them at your workplace.
Your best bet is always to rent them rather than buy them.
First, you can always return them if you change your mind. It’s hard to tell if the mat is all that you imagined. That is why Alsco offers a FREE 2-week trial period – no risk and no obligation.
Secondly, your own mats will wear out in time. If you rent any type of mats from Alsco, they will always be replaced with clean and good looking ones.
In other words, renting high-quality mats means that you get all the benefits of new mats without even having to buy them. Your fee can get as low as $1 a day.
Call Alsco representatives or fill out a form on Alsco website to get your best quote.
Photo Courtesy: Alsco NZ
