5 Ways Workplace Safety is Shifting in the Digital Age

Everything is changing in the digital age, from the way we do things in our personal lives to the way we do things at work. In the work category, one thing definitely undergoing change in this digital age is workplace safety.

Fortunately, many of the issues we used to worry about have faded because we now have updated the ways we stay safe in the workplace. Here is how workplace safety is shifting in the digital age.

1. Better metal detectors

Many places of business now have walk-through metal detectors to ensure no one is bringing guns, knives or any other dangerous weapons into the workplace. When you walk through one of these metal detectors with something you shouldn't, the detector will find it.

This is the first step for protecting the workplace. And it is rare to get anything dangerous past these detectors because those we have today are superior to the ones we had in the past -- able now to detect the tiniest piece of metal.

2. Bulletproof glass

Many banks and other financial institutions now have bulletproof glass windows. This is another way the workplace is making the shift into the digital age. Bulletproof glass can protect bank tellers and others serving the public. They can also work hand-in-hand with metal detectors.

3. Stepped-up security

Most places of business have not only the traditional security guard (or guards) but, increasingly, digital security cameras. Motion lights are another modern security feature. In combination, these tools protect your place of business from the outside in.

If burglars get past the motion lights and security guards, they will still be recorded on the security cameras. 

4. Laser safety curtains

Along with bulletproof glass, there are also laser safety curtains to keep the workplace safe. For example, criminals and other trespassers might get through the walk-through metal detector, although this is rare, but the laser curtains will likely stop them. You never know when you will need that little bit of extra security.

5. 3D visualization technology

With 3D visualization technology, you can see potential threats before they even happen. This technology helps you prepare for issues "you didn't see coming."

Using warning signs to keep employees safe

Another way to keep your workplace safe is to incorporate URLs and QR Codes on signs and product labels. These educate employees about the different machinery in the workplace, including its operating instructions; they educate customers about product safety.

URLs and QR codes can be printed on a sign posted in the workplace or on a label placed on a machine, which, when scanned by employees, offers additional information. This way, they know the proper way to use machines to avoid injury.

You never know what may happen 

These tools not only help employees stay safe while working, but may also increase productivity. Technology continues to advance every day. 

In sum, it is always better to be prepared for accidents and crimes. And, here, the digital age is playing a big role in the safety every one of us wants and expects.

Written By: Aj Agrawal

Credit: Entrepreneur.com

4 Reasons Not to Be a a Stiff about Employees Working From Home

Flexibility boosts productivity and lowered stress. That's science, baby.

For decades now, employers have been staunchly divided over the merits of working from home. Some see it as a way to appease workers, making them happier and more productive. Others view work from home as a sort of business fool’s gold, a theory that works well in principal, but ultimately leads to distraction and a lack of results.

Truth be told, I believe the answer lies somewhere in between. Instead of insisting on an all-or-nothing approach at my firm, I’ve formulated a hybrid composed of elements of both camps: Employees come into the office four days a week but may work remotely Fridays if they prefer.

And, here, I can visualize more than a few CEOs shaking in their loafers at the notion of taking this leap of faith with their employees. While the solution is ultimately subjective, based on an employer's particular industry and environmental preference, here are five reasons why your business may thrive when employees work from home one day per week or every two weeks:

Employee satisfaction

Let's face it: The 9-to-5 office model is going the way of the floppy disk -- it's obsolete. People are sick of the formal, inflexible work environment and are seeking a more comfortable and informal schedule, even if that means cutting into their own paychecks. 

A poll from Global Workplace Analytics found that of 1,500 tech professionals surveyed, 37 percent would sacrifice 10 percent of their earnings if they could work from home. More so, 36 percent would opt for a work-from-home day instead of a raise. 

Environmental impact

Aside from the favor CEOs are accruing with their employees by moving the workplace to home base, they’re also positioning themselves as stewards of the environment -- massively cutting down on carbon emissions employees avoid when they don't have to commute, and instead participating in meetings from their livingroom couch. 

This argument has actually been quantified: One innovative approach to eco-responsibility, the Open Work Program, adopted by Sun Microsystems in 2007, was said to ward off 32,000 metric tons of Co2 from the atmosphere because employees were driving less often to and from work. 

Even before wide adoption of communication apps like Skype and Slack took the stage, workplaces like Sun Micosystems, with its 24,000 employees, allowed work from home. Through its Open Work program, Sun Microsystems allowed its entire staff to work from home or a flexible office, either part or full-time. 

Stress relief

“No stress, no stress, no stress. You deserve nothing but the best.” Sometimes, you can’t help but quote Jesse McCartney’s last chart topper. It's no secret that workplace stress is a serious problem -- in fact, a study last year by researchers at Stanford and Harvard showed that stress from work can be as dangerous as secondhand smoke. 

So, maybe working from home is a solution. By subtracting a commute and the potential mental anxieties that come with being physically present in the office, a workday from home every week or two weeks can go a long way.

Not to mention that the physical proximity to family members can be comforting in the event of Armageddon. Yes, working from home takes a bit of willpower, with laundry and daytime soap operas as easy distractions, but with all the comforts nearby, it can be a stress relief as well -- which helps everyone.

Recruiting ploy

Boy, do job candidates' eyes light up at an interview when I tell them that we’re at home on Fridays. I get it: People have lives as well as other interests. Whether it’s religious responsibilities, kids at home or a thriving side hobby, the bit of extra flexibility and time-savings that working from home provides can go a long way. 

Ultimately, the best employees are those who enjoy balance and harmony in all aspects of their lives. Letting people work from home one day a week, is a huge perk and powerful recruiting tool for nabbing and keeping the best and brightest talent.

Perhaps that's why many of the greatest tech companies offer this perk.

So, don't go crazy -- oversight is still needed and too much flexibility can be a bad thing -- but allowing employees to work from home one day a week or  every other week can be the greatest thing to happen to your team. Try it and see.

Written By: Zach Cutler

Credit: Entrepreneur.com

3 Examples from the Battlefield of Discipline Succeeding In the Face of Adversity

Whether on the battlefield or in the boardroom, these principles will ensure victory in the face of adversity.

In April 1836 general of the Texian army, Sam Houston, fled the Mexican army throughout eastern Texas. Although his men wanted nothing more than to fight the Mexicans led by Santa Anna, Houston would not risk their lives. Despite accusations of cowardice, he would not budge.

Sam Houston knew Santa Anna would make a mistake and so he withdrew with discipline even when many doubted him. His discipline proved wise when the Texan army defeated the Mexicans in 18 minutes at San Jacinto on April 22. The resounding victory cost 11 Texan lives as they killed 650 Mexican soldiers and captured 300 others; an irreversible blow to the Mexican army that sowed the seeds for Texas independence.

The same disciplined approach allows most successful businesses to overcome their greatest adversities.

Whether a business or entrepreneur is facing intense competition, unfair monopoly, or a global recession, the answer is the same. Discipline in the pursuit of one’s goals is the only way to successfully overcome adversity.

Luckily, discipline is a process to refine and cultivate. To become more disciplined in your endeavors, practice these three tenets.

1. Discipline is constant. Inspiration is fleeting.

In 1985 Steve Jobs was ousted from Apple computers. Being stripped of power and forced from the company that he helped to create, Jobs didn’t fight back with legal action or a smear campaign, which he could have undoubtedly afforded.

Instead, Jobs focused on what he could control: his actions. He founded NeXT Computer, was involved with Pixar’s success and honed his skills over 12 years to become the CEO of Apple again in 1997.

There were moments when Steve Jobs or Sam Houston were inspired, but their constant discipline ultimately led them to success. Inspiration is fleeting, emotional, and unpredictable. It feels great, but accomplishes less than discipline. The entrepreneur who initially feels inspired rarely completes the task without disciplined action.

In the face of adversity, inspiration is even less reliable. The weight of an army, a competitor, overwhelming force, or something not being “fair” strips us of inspiration and motivation. What’s left is our discipline, and the actions it can lead to.

2. Practice “right action.”

Discipline has no agenda. It neither wants nor cares whether you achieve your goal. Action alone will not lead to success, but “right action” can over time.

Santa Anna split the Mexican army to quickly chase victory, the folly of rash action. Sam Houston waited with patience for his moment to strike, the virtue of right action.

“Right action” is characterized as bold and deliberate made mindfully and with virtue. Each person may define “right action” differently and must be confident enough to determine the difference for oneself.

3. Discipline breeds creativity.

You don’t have to be Steve Jobs or the CEO of a huge multi-national corporation to utilize and benefit from these tenets of discipline. Small businesses can take advantage of a disciplined approach as well. Faced with the longest and most intense recession in Calgary’s history, Jared decided his business would keep costs down by renting no space and instead focusing on the quality of service.

He took a lesson from Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius who said “There are brambles in the path? Then go around. That’s all you need to know.” The adversity allowed Jared to be more creative, decentralize his business, and grow during a time when other businesses failed.

In an increasingly globalized and competitive world, creativity is often the only difference between success and failure. Consistent right action breeds creativity. According to Steven Pressfield’s "The War of Art," creativity (in the form of the Muse) only strikes if an artist puts in the work every day.

Like Pressfield, Tim Derrington is no stranger to creativity. At a relatively young age, his architectural and artistic work in Austin, Texas is already revered by many. Noting his most creative work comes when he is free from menial distractions on Saturdays, he often sacrifices his weekend to appease the creativity gods in pursuit of his best work.

This isn’t to say he produces something of immense creativity every Saturday. Neither will you be able to find creative solutions to your problems through discipline alone. But the great works of creativity we do produce will come from our discipline.

Prepare when times are good.

There are a million adages about preparation during the times of plenty for those times when we don’t have much. Most revolve around finances, resources, and saving money in the event of an emergency. Like the diligent saver, we must treat discipline in the same way.

If we can cultivate discipline when things are going well, it will be easy to overcome adversity. In fact, when we are disciplined in our approach to business, we can thrive in adversity while others recede from view.

Written By: Mansal Denton

Credit: Entrepreneur.com