Editorial
Make the workplace safe and healthy
Many people are of the view that good health implies the absence of diseases and the availability of healthcare facilities that help us treat sicknesses and diseases that we may suffer from time to time.
People may not be sick or suffer from diseases but may still be found to be unhealthy due to the circumstances in which they may find themselves at the workplace. Unfavourable workplace creates implications far beyond the emotional well-being of employees.
A crucial aspect of fair treatment in the workplace involves having a genuine concern for your employees’ mental and physical health. Therefore, we should ensure that every employee has a safe workspace and a healthy work-life balance.
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance or harmony is not only important for health and relationships, but it can also improve employees’ productivity, and ultimately performance.
It is for this reason that management and staff are often advised or encouraged to create a conducive atmosphere for effective work. Inconducive atmosphere may threaten the health of people at their workplaces.
When this happens, the workers may not find themselves in a good mood to increase productivity. Such a situation ought to be avoided to make workers happy and productive.
For example, employees who have disability may likely need certain accommodations offered them in order for them to perform their duties well. Poor workplace conditions can lead to unmotivated employees, poor productivity, and an increased risk of accidents.
Depending on how bad the conditions are, an employer may also be in violation of labour regulations, which could cause substantial legal issues.
The situation where some unfriendly managers and chief executives shout at their subordinates does not augur well for sound workplace ethics. Every worker deserves special respect from management so as to ensure encouragement and recognition.
Even in a situation where workers are wrong, senior management will have to show motherly and fatherly love in taking corrective measures to avoid a recurrence.
No one should constitute himself into a terrible dictator whose only purpose at the workplace is to shout at workers, as well as victimise and punish them unfairly.
The most important resource or asset at the workplace is the group of people who work there. Without such people, not much can be achieved, which explains why the staff in any organisation must be treated with respect.
Victimisation, favouritism, discrimination, and dictatorial tendencies cannot result in good works or productivity. Fair treatment rather can have a greater impact on employee turnover than you may imagine.
In light of all this, let us show respect to one another at the workplace, irrespective of our status or position, so that together we can join forces to increase productivity and thereby move the country forward.
If we all pursue this idea, we will end up making everyone happy at the workplace.
Dear Editor,
Walking along roads in some parts of the capital has become increasingly challenging.
While trading on pedestrian walkways remains a concern in certain areas, the parking of vehicles on road shoulders also poses a serious risk to pedestrians.
Often, pedestrians are forced to walk dangerously close to these parked vehicles or even step into the middle of the road to make way for oncoming traffic.
This situation is not only frustrating but also highly unsafe.
I recall an incident when I alighted at a lorry station and was walking home. A Tata bus was approaching, and due to vehicles parked on both sides of the road, I had nowhere to walk safely.
The situation became so dangerous that I had to quickly jump into a nearby shop to avoid being knocked down by the oncoming Tata bus.
That experience was frightening and could have easily resulted in an accident.
In my view, it is time for authorities in the road sector, such as the National Road Safety Authority and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, to take urgent action to address this issue and prevent possible loss of life.
Strict enforcement measures, including towing improperly parked vehicles and imposing substantial fines, would serve as a deterrent to offenders.
From Ray
Adabraka
Dear Editor,
I wish to use this column of your respected newspaper to appeal to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to consider bringing back the practice where students stayed home for some months after completing the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
Within that period where they stay home for some time and wait for their results, it afforded parents some time to prepare and save towards the next move in the academic life of their children.
In recent times, students are quickly admitted into Senior High School immediately after their examinations, leaving little time for parents and guardians to adequately prepare financially and emotionally for the next stage of their children’s education.
Many parents, therefore struggle to buy school items such as chop boxes, trunks, mattresses, uniforms and other necessities within the short period given.
This situation places pressure on families, especially those with low incomes.
Previously, the break after BECE allowed students to rest after years of academic work while parents and guardians made proper preparations for their wards.
It also gave students enough time to learn vocational skills, assist their families and mature before entering boarding school life.
Bringing back this period will greatly reduce stress on both parents and students and help ensure better preparation for Senior High School education.
And one other thing we have not taken notice of is that within that period, parents also prepare their children mentally and psychologically before they go to school. They are thought how to be independent.
So we see new secondary students displaying an appreciable level of maturity which is missing in this era where they go to senior high schools and still behave like primary school kids.
I hope the authorities will carefully consider this concern in the interest of students, parents and guardians across the country.
By Eugene Ampiaw,
Accra.
