Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting our annual EHSxRetail event that brought together clients to discuss critical topics in environmental, health, and safety (EHS) within the retail industry. The EHSxRetail peer industry roundtable event is a unique opportunity for education, learning, benchmarking, and networking. Here are some key topics and takeaways from this year’s event.

Stress Testing EHS Programs 

In the current geopolitical climate, many retailers are finding it challenging to balance lean operational budgets with proactive program improvement. Traditional tools like incident reporting metrics and audits can be lagging indicators and difficult to implement across numerous stores. Some retailers have turned to surveys to anticipate potential issues, which has the added benefit of engaging employees and making them feel heard. Others have found ways to integrate EHS directly into business operations.

Occupational Health and Psychosocial Safety 

One of the major topics discussed was occupational health and psychosocial safety. With new regulatory requirements driving a stronger emphasis on mental health, the conversation highlighted the challenges of defining terms like "high workload" and the division of responsibilities between EHS and HR. Some retailers have implemented mental health and wellness programs, including mental health first aid, discounted gym memberships, and incentives for healthy activities, with varying degrees of success. Exploring multiple options to find the best fit for your organization is crucial.

Workplace Violence Implementation Challenges 

Workplace violence is a significant concern in retail, where interactions with aggressive customers are becoming routine, and crisis events are becoming more common. The discussion around this sensitive topic highlighted the implementation challenges of workplace violence programs. Effective training is crucial for ensuring employee safety. However, desktop training is not always enough to override our natural fight-or-flight response and conducting practice drills can be too intense.

While only California and New York currently require workplace violence programs, other states are actively working on addressing this issue.

Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) 

The event also shed light on the success stories of Human and Organizational Performance (HOP) initiatives. HOP is a risk-based operating philosophy that recognizes human error as part of the human condition and emphasizes system-level solutions. Some attendees have seen significant success at their companies by implementing components of HOP into their company’s existing safety program. One of the key elements is to ask more questions and dig deeper into the root cause, with resources like the culpability matrix available to support this philosophy.

Conclusion 

Attending the EHSxRetail peer industry roundtable event was an enriching experience. The event highlighted the importance of addressing both physical and mental health in the workplace, the challenges of implementing effective workplace violence programs, and the benefits of adopting HOP principles. As we continue to navigate the complex world of EHS in retail, we appreciate the unique perspectives shared by all the EHSxRetail participants and look forward to continuing the conversation.

Learn more about EHSxRetail and stay tuned for future events here!