Safety in the Workplace

People are the greatest asset to any organization. When it comes to protecting employees, organizations — whether they’re in a fastmoving industry, such as food service/hospitality, health care, construction or energy or in a slower-paced field — must always work toward enhancing safety and quickly bringing new employees into the fold of the culture.

5 safety recommendations for employers to mitigate the risks of injury on the job:

Establish a strong safety culture: Safety standards and expectations — both enterprise-wise and location-specific — must be clearly documented and communicated, so those in new roles understand where not to take shortcuts and to instead err on the side of caution. It’s critical that management drive the safety culture, leading by example, reinforcing everyday practices and granting employees time for training. Workplace safety engagement should be personal, with a focus on caring for employees and enabling them to return home to their loved ones each day.

Start employees off on the right foot: It’s essential that safety-related messaging be included in orientation for new hires and those changing jobs within the organization. It should be apparent to new employees how the organization defines success with regard to safety. Even experienced professionals who say they don’t need to be trained should receive refreshers on safe use of the equipment they’ll be operating.

Focus on engagement: The connection between the mental, physical and social aspects of work is significant. Research shows that engaged employees in positive work environments are less likely to get injured. In an effort to promote employee safety, many organizations adopted workplace yoga and stretching programs in recent years. Studies of these efforts haven’t directly linked them to injury prevention but have shown their contributions to teambuilding and engagement — which, in turn, support employee safety. Mentorship from an experienced colleague or manager with the applicable skillsets and commitment to safety further promotes employee engagement.

Consider the role of technology: Many associate technology with distractions that can lead to accidents (like texting while working or driving), but the tech space has a lot to offer when it comes to employee safety. Wearable devices can improve employee health and safety behaviors when implemented effectively. Technology also enhances and expands safety training options, through gamification, engaging interactivity, realistic simulations and more.

Strive for continuous improvement: Safety training is not a “one and done.” Employees need ongoing refreshers on the organization’s expectations and should be evaluated at various intervals via surveys, behavioral checks and other means to ensure the training works in practice. Diverse learning styles and fresh training methods should be incorporated in any safety initiative; many adults learners gain the most information from a “tell-show-do” approach.

Where can you find families having fun, work teammates catching up, and employees close enough they greet each other with hugs… on a Monday night?

The answer is Rollhouse Columbus, the newest member to the family entertainment scene on the west/southwestern side of Columbus and Franklin County. Offering bowling, food and much more, Rollhouse truly has something for everyone. Our Chamber Business Connection team was able to explore Rollhouse and experience what they offer, from the tasty pizza to the board game feature wall.

The business

Columbus is one of numerous Rollhouse Entertainment locations located across Ohio. Rainie Owen, Event Sales & Marketing Coordinator, shared that the Columbus location has been owned for several years now, but the Rollhouse branding is settled in.

Owned by a husband and wife team, Rollhouse as a whole runs like a small business despite numerous locations. The drive to be family, serve families, and serve the community leads a center’s design. Rainie said they’ll consider both what is, and isn’t, in a community. The goal is “fitting in nicely with the community it serves.”

While Columbus isn’t the only location receiving Rainie’s attention, local managers Tabby Reid (general manager) and Nikki Wilson (assistant manager) oversee daily operations. Tabby and Nikki together can cover all the bases of running Rollhouse Columbus.

In the community

“We’re here to stay,” Rainie said of their place in the community. Rollhouse Entertainment strives for community involvement and the Columbus location is no different. Typical efforts they support include community bowling tournaments, food or other similar drives and involvement with local schools. Several high school bowling teams call Rollhouse Columbus “home” and the same can be said for the other locations across Ohio as they too house teams and host school tournaments.

Fun for all

“We want people to come in and feel welcomed,” Rainie said. Rollhouse Columbus aims to be a place for all, filling a gap in its immediate community and even the overall southwest side of Columbus. Beyond food and bowling, assorted games are available and unique to Columbus is the neighborhood bar.

Built to look like a place where everybody knows your name, the previously-empty space was converted into a bar that also houses favorite classics like pool and darts, in addition to oversized versions of games like giant checkers and giant Jenga. The feature wall, or “selfie wall” as Rainie calls it, is a collage of vintage board game board. Guests can spot their favorite games and snap a selfie worthy of Instagram.

But wait—the fin’s just getting started! Rollhouse Columbus offers assorted party packages, ready to celebrate any occasion. Parties are thoroughly thought out as Rainie said they will confirm details from color schemes to preferred activities. The planning process takes stress off the party planner and allows them to enjoy the birthday party, reunion, or other special occasion.

A party host will be on hand during a party to make sure things go smooth and even serve as the designated photographer so no one is missing from photos, and in turn the memories. Tammy told us this way parents aren’t missing from their child’s birthday pictures because they were, instead, behind the camera.