The Value of Protecting Employee Rights
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As a career coach, I hear it all the time: The working world is changing.
In a post-pandemic era, we have seen employment trends shift on a global level, making this a somewhat “wild west” of times when it comes to the world of work.
One of the biggest shifts I’ve seen is the desire to work from home, even pulling some workers into different industries or careers in order to stay remote. As many as 61% of employees stated they were choosing not to go into the workplace despite having a physical location, while 38% say they’re working remotely because their workplace is closed. During the pandemic, 64% said they worked from home because their office was unavailable, while 36% made the choice to work from home.
Today’s workers are also prioritizing lifestyle and flexibility over the traditional job with remote and hybrid options, forcing many companies to become creative in how they recruit and retain employees. Attracting talent has become far more challenging, as has retaining employees due to fluctuations in worksite locations (remote vs. in-person) benefits, salary, and employee expectations.
The good news is there are a few best practices employers can implement starting today, to help attract and retain top talent.
Employer Benefits For Protecting Employee Rights
In working with countless clients on their career transitions, I can assure you it’s essential to show employees that their rights are respected and protected in the workplace.
The best companies put the rights of their employees first, and those are the companies workers want to work for. Here are the major benefits employers reap when protecting the rights of their employees:
Providing a healthy, safe, and equitable work environment creates a solid foundation for companies to protect employees, retain talent, and ultimately strengthen their business.
Implementing best practices for managing employee rights can increase employee engagement, decrease turnover rates, and enhance brand image. With the prevalence of social media in our daily lives, branding truly is key for recruitment purposes.
Feeling valued and safe leads to more productive, committed employees achieving goals.
Not only does protecting your employees’ rights help attract new talent, it also helps retain current employees. Workers tend to prefer more ethical organizations. Are you one of them?
Let’s explore the fundamental ways you can protect your employee rights, and how The Wilbanks Consulting Group can further support your business in creating a robust foundation for your workers to thrive.
Know Your Employees’ Rights: Study Up!!
Employee rights are basic freedoms an employee has while working for an organization, including fair wages, equal opportunities, a safe work environment, and protection against discrimination. Workplace accidents are sadly not a thing of the past. In fact, the numbers continue to grow. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2023 nearly 3 million workers were injured or sickened at work while over 5,400 were killed during workplace accidents.
Employment law is highly complex and constantly changing. Currently there are over 180 laws in place to protect 150 million American workers and 10 million workplaces. Despite the complexities, companies are legally required to protect employee rights.
As a responsible employer, it’s crucial you understand how legislation can and does affect your business. As examples, the Fair Labor Standards Act requires adherence to federal minimum wages, while the Americans with Disabilities Act provides protection and reasonable worksite accommodations to disabled workers.
Industry can also heavily impact the amount and severity of regulations your business must meet. For example, individuals working with medical information require training and adherence to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Agricultural and mining industries require a minimum wage, and employees must be educated on certain issues that could occur during working hours.
State and local laws make this even more complex. That being said, you don’t have to be a lawyer to make sure you are protecting your employees’ rights (unless you already are one!). Having a general understanding of employment law, as well as staying up to date on legal changes, helps ensure you are acting ethically, supporting your employees in the best way possible, and creating an equitable workplace.
Educating and Supporting Your Employees
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After you educate yourself, you need to educate your team, starting with leadership. These are the individuals who are working with employees the most, therefore making it crucial they understand fundamental worker rights. How your company is structured and size impacts how you are able to do this, but management is a great start. A properly trained staff can go a long way in not only supporting junior employees, but also in creating a safe and healthy work environment.
As basic place to start, the US Department of Labor requires the display of posters concerning workplace protections, including those related to:
Partner With WCG To Support Your Employees
Navigating how to model and infuse the value of employee rights into your organization can be difficult. The professionals at the Wilbanks Consulting Group are well equipped to work with leaders like yourself, and are ready to guide you through the processes and steps towards better supporting employees. Contact our team for your free 30-minute consultation!