Workplace Safety: Everything You Need To Know

In many workplaces, safety is a top priority. To ensure that an employee avoids injury and ensures that the workplace environment is safe for all employees, all employees and employers should know specific facts and information. We will go through everything you need to know about workplace safety.

Table of Contents:

• What Do You Mean By Workplace Safety?
• What Event Affected US Workplace Safety?
• How Does An Emergency Action Plan Benefit Your Workplace?
• How Would You Describe An Intelligent Workplace?
• Who Benefits Most From Workplace Safety Regulations?
• How Often Might Ergonomic Training Be Offered In The Workplace?
• Top 5 Technologies That Affect The Modern Workplace
• How To Handle Sexual Harassment At The Workplace To Ensure Safety?
• How Can Improved Communication Add Value To Workplace Safety?
• How To Expose A Narcissist To Make The Workplace Safe?
• How To Measure Productivity In The Workplace?

What Do You Mean By Workplace Safety?

Workplace health and safety is the protection of workers who face hazards at their workplaces. It is a broad term that covers the prevention of work-related injuries, illnesses, and other health hazards at the workplace. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict regulations to follow when dealing with workplace safety. Employers are required to provide information on these regulations and provide employees with workplace safety training to avoid workplace safety hazards.

There are many types of hazardous equipment found at most workplaces. There is also a range of tasks performed by employees within each industry. It is the employer's responsibility to keep employees from being exposed to hazards It is the employer's responsibility to keep employees from being exposed to hazards by taking adequate safety management measures in a periodical manner to prevent safety issues.

What are the various types of workplace safety hazards?

Many things can cause harm to employees. Something that "can" happen does happen. It is up to the employer, or in some situations, the employee, to keep everyone safe when working at their job. 

There are three types of workplace hazards; OSHA describes workplace hazards as involving physical, chemical, biological, or "other" non-ionizing radiation.

1. Physical Hazards: Physical hazards can take many forms. It could be a moving machine, slippery floors, poor lighting, etc. No matter what the physical hazard example you have, employees must take the time to learn how to protect themselves from harm by taking the proper precautions.
2. Chemical Hazards: Chemical hazards include exposure to chemicals and the possibility of fire, explosions, and toxic fumes. Chemical exposures can lead to respiratory ailments and skin problems. 
3. Biological Hazards: Biological hazards can occur in infectious diseases, viruses, bacteria, or parasites. For example, Hepatitis B is a virus that causes liver disease and passes through direct contact with another person's blood.
4. Other Hazards: Companies do not always deal with physical, chemical, or biological hazards at their business. Sometimes they deal with other risks such as noise or ionizing radiation. The risk of hearing impairment through exposure to loud noise is an example of an "other" hazard.

What is the need for safety in the workplace?

There are many reasons why employers and employees should be concerned about safety in the workplace. Ensuring that safety equipment and procedures are in place may seem like a hassle, leading to lost productivity. Still, it is essential to protecting everyone's health and wellbeing.

However, here are some benefits of a safe, healthy working environment:

• A secure workplace can enhance productivity and build trust between employees and employers.
• The employees will be less likely to get sick in a secure workplace, meaning that there would not be people out sick at work. The employer should conduct periodical health programs and set health standards and initiatives to keep the employees' health in check.
• If the employee is more secure at their job, they are more likely to feel confident about their job, resulting in being more likely to stay with the company for a longer time.
• The decrease in lost workdays due to sickness and injury can add up to significant savings in reducing absenteeism and worker's compensation costs. 
• Damage to industrial properties can have a significant impact on finances. When there are unsafe machines or processes in place, there is a risk of injury or damage. It can ultimately lead to more money being spent on repairs or legal fees due to workplace injuries.

Ways to create a safe working environment

Identify the hazards: 

The first step in creating a safe working environment is to identify the hazards. There are many ways you can do this, which include:

1. Ask employees to identify the risks they encounter at their job.
2. Review company policies and procedures for information on what could be potentially hazardous.
3. Develop a written hazard identification program that includes: 
4. Learn about all types of equipment and chemicals used in the workplace
5. Review machine operations and maintenance procedures
6. Review hazardous materials used in the workplace
7. Conduct a standard 5 panel drug test for screening employees as per company drug testing guidelines.

Provide training: 

Training employees about avoiding these hazards is an essential step in keeping themselves and others safe at work. It will help to create a culture that promotes safety and health. 

There are many types of training available for this purpose: 

1. Safety meetings: Conducting safety meetings with employees is an effective way to communicate safety information. Employees should know how to recognize hazards, what safety equipment they need to use, and how to prevent an accident from happening in the workplace.
2. Written procedures: Providing written procedures to employees can help them stay informed about their job and how they should act in the event of an emergency. It will also help employees learn more about the hazards of their careers.
3. Orientation: Orienting new employees to their job can help them become familiar with the equipment they are using and what to do in an emergency.
4. Training videos: A short video explaining safety procedures is an effective way to communicate safety information. Employees can watch it at any time for quick reminders on what they should do if faced with a dangerous situation.

Using protective equipment: 

Using protective equipment such as goggles, gloves, ear protection, and other personal protective equipment can help prevent workplace injuries. Employees who are in a position to use safety equipment should know how to use it. 

Ensure everyone is aware of the importance of wearing the equipment and replace their equipment if it gets damaged or lost.

Reporting unsafe conditions: 

Employees must be aware that they should report unsafe conditions or procedures in the workplace to their supervisor or work leader. There are times when an employee may not realize that equipment in the workplace requires repair or maintenance. 

However, they should report this as soon as they realize it. This way, the problem can be dealt with and corrected as quickly as possible to ensure no more accidents occur.

Quick access to exits: 

A safety plan is vital to provide a quick and easy way to exit a dangerous situation. The employees should have information on how to evacuate safely. It could include maps or diagrams of the building or workplace showing multiple ways out. 

There could also be fire alarms, exit signs, and carded fire extinguishers located strategically throughout the building to increase awareness of fire hazards and general safety.

What Event Affected US Workplace Safety?

On March 25 in 1911, the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York City caught fire. The workers were trapped inside the building because someone had locked the doors to prevent worker theft. 

One hundred forty-six workers died in this fire, including many women and children. Working conditions during this time were inferior. It was common to lock the doors to some building regions not to go in and steal things. 

In this case, many workers were trapped inside the building on the 9th floor when they attempted to escape from the fire. This event led to new laws that have greatly improved workplace safety in America today.

This devastating event led to significant improvements to workplace safety standards, including new legislation known as 'Factory Acts' introduced by David Bensman and Lloyd Lewis in 1916. 

This legislation mandated the doors to be unlocked or alarmed to warn workers if they were locked. It also introduced an age limit on workers and increased the number of working hours required before a worker was allowed to work overtime. 

This event is widely regarded as a defining moment in workplace safety history and has significantly impacted workers' safety worldwide. 

How has workplace safety changed through time?

Throughout history, safer production methods and engineering techniques have led to a reduction in the number of accidents in America. The introduction of antifreeze in the 1930s meant that there were fewer spills and leaks in manufacturing plants.

Also, better testing and inspection practices were introduced to ensure that goods produced for consumer use were safe. 

These advances have significantly helped reduce the number of workplace accidents and fatalities. More and more employers are getting aware of the benefits of workplace safety and are moving towards finding a solution to address the issue of workplace accidents. 

In addition, the most crucial step to achieve this goal is the establishment of an emergency action plan.

What is an Emergency Action Plan: An emergency action plan is a written document that details the actions taken in an emergency. It should contain a list of steps that employees must take before, during, and after emergencies. 

This plan should be updated every four years and provide instructions on the actions to be taken. As well as defining how to deal with an emergency, it should include timelines for specific personnel actions such as calling the authorities or informing workers about the events occurring.

How should your emergency action plan be created?

Creating an Emergency Action Plan is not tricky. It will differ depending on the type of business, the range of hazards involved, and how many employees are present at any one time. 

However, there are a few critical elements that all emergency action plans should have to keep your business safe and productive. These elements include:

1. The different areas of the business are considered to be high-risk areas for workplace accidents. These will include the working environment, stairs, exits, and any other part of the workplace that employees frequent.
2. The instructions for who should be notified if an emergency occurs - may include the employee's immediate supervisor, a cousin, or a friend who is not working at the same company. It may also involve calling a supervisor from another area of work or going to a different department within your business for support.
3. An escape route to follow should an emergency occur. It should include how far away the employee should walk and other options such as using the fire stairs or waiting for help to arrive.

How Does An Emergency Action Plan Benefit Your Workplace?

Emergency Action Plan can benefit your workplace in many ways, such as:

1. It can prevent injuries: Any action in the event of an emergency that protects your employees' safety and health, such as evacuating a building in case of a fire, will help prevent injuries. An action plan should include steps in an emergency, such as evacuation plans and what to do if there is a chemical spill or fire
2. It will minimize property damage: An emergency action plan can minimize these damages by teaching workers how to react during an emergency. It should include information on safely shutting down critical systems, containing spills or leaks, and using fire extinguishers effectively.
3. It can minimize casualties: Your emergency action plan should outline steps to be taken in an explosion or fire to minimize casualties. The sole purpose of an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) is to address potential workplace hazards that may arise in specific areas of the workplace. The EAP will inform employees on what to do should an emergency occur. 

Although, in America, employers must submit EAP with more than 50 employees. If an employer does not have an EAP, they should make one as soon as possible. It will assist in dealing with the various areas of the workplace should accidents or emergencies arise.

How Would You Describe An Intelligent Workplace?

In an intelligent workplace, safety is the main priority. We must identify and remove the risk to make employees feel more confident and productive. In addition, the workplace is considered intelligent if:

1. Everyone acts as a team to minimize the injuries and ensure that accidents are reduced to a minimum. 
2. All staff are aware of the emergency action plan and its use. In an intelligent workplace, emergencies or accidents that do take place are handled efficiently and effectively. The heads of departments can speak to each other to ensure that everyone has the same information.
3. Employees feel safe and valued as they take part in all aspects of their work lives. They can express their views confidently without fear of repercussions. They are encouraged to work hard and pursue better ways of working.
4. Lastly, an intelligent workplace has a good balance between work and home life, promoting health and well-being in the long term.

Additionally, a workplace is intelligent when they take good care of employees' wellness.

Who Benefits Most From Workplace Safety Regulations?

From an employee's perspective, reducing or eliminating hazards in their workplace can help them focus more on their work. Not worrying about the danger around them allows employees to focus on what they are doing instead of what could happen. 

For instance, employees who work in the warehouse and live next door to the facility may not be too concerned with safety regulations in a manufacturing facility. 

However, if they work in a facility with many dangerous types of machinery and moving products, they will be motivated to follow all safety regulations.

From an employer's perspective, these regulations ensure that employees are safe while at work. It will reduce the likelihood of accidents occurring and minimize losses resulting from accidents or health issues. 

A wise employer will invest time and money to ensure workplace safety. Employers should analyze their risk to determine which areas of their business are at risk most often.

For instance, in a facility with a high turnover rate, the workplace may have more accidents. By investing money in safety improvements, employers can reduce the likelihood of accidents occurring in certain areas.

Therefore, from both the employees and employers' perspectives, workplace safety regulations are beneficial. Companies following all occupational health and safety regulations will benefit from a more productive workforce with a lower accident rate.

In addition to workplace safety which benefits both employees and employers, Ergonomic training is also necessary. But what is ergonomic training? Ergonomic training is the set of best practices and procedures that are put in place to reduce instances of ergonomic risk in a workplace. 

How Often Might Ergonomic Training Be Offered In The Workplace?

Ergonomic training can occur in several ways, including one on one sessions, workshops, or presentations. These practices can include better posture at work, an increase in the amount of break time employees have, or ensuring that equipment is used correctly and does not cause any undue stress on a worker's body. 

Employers are fundamentally obliged to check the ergonomics program periodically, i.e., at least every three years, to ensure that it is effective and conforms to standards.

However, in some workplaces, it may be necessary to provide ergonomic training for all employees on an ongoing basis to ensure that the workplace is in line with industry safety regulations. 

Therefore, there is no exact answer on how often ergonomic training should occur in the workplace; however, it is best to provide it regularly. When employers train employees regularly, it improves their overall knowledge of the problems in their workplace.

Many experts around the world have also highlighted the importance of having regular ergonomic training at work. In addition, in specific industries, employers must provide employees with ergonomic training. 

It means that employers in these areas are responsible for ensuring that employees receive ergonomic training when they are employed. However, the duties and responsibilities of an ergonomic trainer do not end here. 

It is up to the employer to fully understand what ergonomic training is and how it works, and its importance is regularly occurring at their workplace. 

Regular ergonomic training sessions will enhance the employees' knowledge and ability to recognize risks and prevent accidents in their workplace.

Therefore, incorporating regular, thorough ergonomic training into your workplace can improve employee safety and productivity.

Top 5 Technologies That Affect The Modern Workplace

A modern workplace is where heavy usage of technology in daily operations is carried out. It can include the use of computers, smartphones, and other types of technology.  The use of technology in the workplace has been increasing rapidly over recent years. In 2012, 92% of businesses had some form of technology that assisted their daily operations.

Technology today has shaped the way we work. Technology has transformed the way we communicate, collaborate, and interact with each other. However, the advancement in technologies that may harm workplace safety is a growing concern.

Here are the top 5 technologies that might threaten the safety of the workplace:

AI is a technology that helps computers to complete tasks more efficiently. These tasks may include analyzing data, detecting intruders, and other complex functions. However, AI is becoming more and more common in workplaces today. 

Hence, AI can be a significant threat to workplace safety due to its ability to replace specific jobs that require skills from the workforce.

Wearable technology is a type of technology that is designed to be worn by a person. These wearables usually include fancy headsets, watches, and fitness trackers. The main goal of these devices is to track the health and activity of the user to improve productivity and health. 

However, if utilized in workplaces, the devices may distract the workers from their primary tasks because they will be distracted by the gadget or its applications.

The internet is a set of servers located all around the globe. The data stored on these servers are accessible by users who have access to the internet service providers. Cloud data can cause errors in workplace safety, for example, if the servers are poorly maintained, or there is not enough security. It can also lead to the loss of confidential information that may affect workplace safety.

Video conferencing helps workers from different countries communicate with each other. It takes place through a video call, where the workers only have to log on to their computers and participate in the video conference. 

However, in some cases, video conferencing may distract the worker too much.  It can lead to workers not hearing details, slowing down tasks, and making workplace safety vulnerable.

Social media is widely used for communication during work. Instant messaging, SMS, and email are some technologies commonly used for communication among workers. However, it cannot be easy to ensure safety when social media is being used. It is because it uses open network connections which are connected to various hardware via software or apps. 

Hence, if the conditions of safe social media usage in the workplace are not maintained, there can be risks regarding safety.

Therefore, the use of technology in workplaces has evolved rapidly over time. However, it can be challenging to understand what technology might threaten workplace safety. One must be sure to consider possible safety risks before implementing new technology in the workplace.

How To Handle Sexual Harassment At The Workplace To Ensure Safety?

Sexual harassment is one of the most unacceptable acts in the workplace. It is a severe offense that can lead to severe consequences if not handled properly. 

Sexual harassment in the workplace can lead to sexual discrimination. It also leads to many other work-related issues, such as lost productivity and experiencing a hostile work environment.

Unfortunately, sexual harassment occurs at over half of all workplaces, where approximately 25% of the victims are men. If you are facing sexual harassment at your workplace, this is what you should do.

The first step is to determine whether the behavior is a form of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that occurs when an employee or applicant suffers adverse employment action due to their sex. 

In other words, it occurs when the person's employment condition is affected by their sex, such as being subjected to unwanted sexual advances or other verbal or physical conduct based on their sex or gender stereotype.

When answering this question, you must consider the credibility of evidence, the severity of the allegation, and whether or not it's possible to prove the allegations. It involves asking yourself whether there is sufficient evidence to prove that an unlawful act has taken place. 

It includes any witnesses, physical evidence including pictures or videos, and written communications supporting these allegations. It also involves determining if management can prove that they did not know about the claims surrounding you. 

Another essential factor to consider is the severity of the harm that has occurred. It is considered more harmful if it involves unwanted sexual contact, invasion of privacy through physical contact or visual recordings, or repeated actions. 

The legal representation you choose to defend your rights will also be an essential factor in determining what next step. However, as a recommendation, you seek legal representation as soon as possible to receive any advice about your case. 

If your company is subject to an anti-discrimination policy or has an official grievance procedure, you will need to follow the steps of this process. It will allow you to formally report the harassment incident, which requires documentation of events, including dates, times, and places relevant to the complaint. 

If you are not particular about your official company grievance procedure, then it is highly recommended that you consult with a trusted attorney who can advise you on this matter. 

After you have followed your company's official procedure, the next step is to speak with a trusted lawyer about going further. The first step is to gather as much evidence as possible such as witness statements and other evidence. 

It will make it easier for your lawyer to build your claim and solidify the case. The second step is for you to determine whether or not a lawsuit would be appropriate. This step requires you to consider several important factors, such as litigation's financial and emotional cost and the unavoidable outcome. 

You should also be aware that the length of litigation can take anywhere from six months to several years, so it is essential to consider this when deciding which course of action should be taken. 

The third step involves conducting a full investigation so that your attorney can determine if any discrimination occurred. Your attorney will then begin collecting pre-litigation information such as written documents, emails, and witnesses statements that support your claim. 

Resolving a lawsuit can be done in many different ways. Some include a settlement agreement or mediation, which requires the parties to reach an acceptable agreement without litigation. 

These are usually informal proceedings, and if completed successfully, resolves the dispute out of court. However, if you choose not to take either of these options, your attorney will proceed to file a lawsuit on your behalf in court.

In context to the above paragraph, good communication at the workplace is essential for an individual to maintain a healthy relationship with coworkers and a healthy working environment.

How Can Improved Communication Add Value To Workplace Safety?

It can add value to workplace safety when a workplace can identify and manage the risks consistently. Communication in a workplace must be open and flexible enough to accommodate interruptions or changes in circumstances while still maintaining a work environment that is safe and productive.

The aim of communication in a workplace should be to achieve efficient outcomes with minimal risk. When your organization can successfully communicate with each other, it can reduce workplace hazards and positively influence workplace safety and well-being.

Therefore, improved communication in the workplace should be to create an environment where there are no barriers that can prevent or inhibit safe and healthy interactions.

How to Improve Communication in the Workplace?

Communication in a workplace is essential, especially when you have a team of people that work together. If you have a group of people who work together, it is crucial to establish good communication. 

It is because a team that works well improves the overall workflow of your business. A good amount of communication in your workplace can lead to a better outcome for your business.

Here are some strategies to improve communication in the workplace:

• Start with establishing a foundation for solid communication in your company. It is the first thing you should do in your company. You should ensure a solid foundation on which all the information about projects and work should be communicated.
• Secondly, you can also improve communication in your company by making sure that the people working with each other are comfortable informing each other of their issues. You can give your employees private spaces to communicate their problems related to the workplace.
• Set up weekly meetings with all of your employees to discuss different topics by having one individual in your company, the team leader, and the person who organizes these meetings. You can also make use of an online meeting system like Google Hangouts to facilitate these meetings better.
• Try to listen to the points your employees want to make. Even if you disagree with what they are saying, it is essential to let out their emotions. It will help you to understand their problems better and try to find a solution. 
• Try understanding each other's strengths and weaknesses and try and overcome them by working together, by finding the tasks that your employees are good at and assigning them accordingly.
• Lastly, transparency in your company is a crucial factor for your business. You have to be open with your employees and let them know the different things in the industry. It will help you better understand what is going on in your company and determine if anything needs changing. 

How To Expose A Narcissist To Make The Workplace Safe?

A narcissist is a person who has an inflated sense of their importance, a significant need for admiration, and a lack of empathy for others.

A narcissist will put their needs before everyone else's and maybe challenging to work with. They make unreasonable demands without considering the consequences and take advantage of others to reach their goals. 

Narcissists can be very convincing, but in reality, they are insecure and unhappy people who constantly seek validation from others. Many people in the workplace only interact with colleagues and coworkers, and we may never find out that we work with a narcissist. 

It makes it difficult to know how to expose a narcissist in the workplace if needed. It can also be hard to see narcissism at work because it is so common in society that we sometimes stop noticing when it does exist. 

Before you expose a narcissist in the workplace, you must first determine whether it is a genuine need to do so. It may not always be possible or appropriate to expose a narcissist. 

If you suspect that there is a narcissist in your company, then there are several things that you can do to expose the narcissist. The first step is to see if a narcissist is working at your company and how they behave towards others, especially those they consider beneath them. It may be an excellent time to gather evidence.

If the narcissist behaves towards those they consider beneath them poorly, you will want to think about how best to expose that behavior to those around you. You can do this by confronting the person directly by bringing their toxic behavior into the light. 

If you can expose the narcissist's behavior to other people in your company, then others will see it and know that something is wrong with that person. It may be one of the more difficult steps, as exposing a narcissist to the rest of your office can put you at risk for retaliation by the narcissist. 

Remember that you should focus on negative behavior and any positive or even neutral ones as well. Additionally, analyze if the narcissist is doing any actual damage to the company and their employees' work. 

If there is no real damage, then it may be best not to expose a narcissist. Even though they may be annoying and harmful, they may not be causing any real problems resulting in some punishment or termination from their job.

However, you can prepare yourself as the narcissist can tell hundreds of lies to protect themselves; you should have proof of the narcissist's actions. Therefore, it is best to prepare the truth about the narcissist in your company. If you are not, then they may get away with what they are doing.

Additionally, eliminating narcissists at work can eventually lead to a positive working environment, increasing employee productivity.

How To Measure Productivity In The Workplace?

It sounds like a simple question, but there are a lot of ways to calculate it. The shortest answer is that productivity is just how much work you get done.

Yet, that's not the only way to think about it. Other metrics include efficiency or effectiveness, among other things, and overall success can be measured by how much overall value a product creates for its consumers. Let's consider each of these, in turn, to understand how they can contribute to productivity.

If you're looking at the number of things that someone gets done, it's easy to see that that's a straightforward way to measure productivity. However, there are a few problems with this definition.

For one thing, it doesn't always take into account effort. Getting 18 "things" done in one hour is different from getting 18 "things" done over an entire day. For another, it doesn't consider whether the tasks are necessary or if they get done well.

On the other hand, efficiency measures how much value you get out of every unit of effort. The best way to illustrate this is to reference our previous example. 

If we were to look at the amount of work in one hour and one day, we would see that we put in an equal number of hours in both cases and got an identical amount done. 

However, in our example of 18 tasks, we did the work of 4 people in one hour; in one day, we were still only able to do the work of 1.5 people. It means that our productivity was higher in the hour than it was over an entire day.

Effectiveness is closely related to efficiency. It measures how much value you're getting out of your efforts while also considering whether or not you're doing important work well. 

For instance, if we were to take on a task that was incredibly important but took an entire day to complete and only produced the same value as the task we did in our hour, the task would be both ineffective and inefficient.

You can also measure the employee productivity with the labor productivity equation: Total output/Total input

For instance, your organization produced $80,000 worth of labor and products (yield) using 1,500 work hours (input). To ascertain your organization's work usefulness, you would separate 80,000 by 1,500, which approaches 53. It implies that your organization produces $53 for each hour of work. 

You could likewise check out work usefulness as far as individual worker commitment. For this situation, rather than utilizing hours as the info, you would use several workers. 

Suppose your organization produced $80,000 worth of labor and products in a single week with 30 representatives. You would isolate 80,000 by 30, which rises to 2,666 (which means every worker created $2,666 for your organization each week).

Productivity is unquestionably critical to any business. The more productive your organization, the more money it can make, and likewise, those businesses who want to grow in this fast-paced world must create ways to increase their productivity.

Summing up

In the end, a safe workplace should be a goal that everyone in your company can get behind. You may need training, and therefore you could benefit from working with a company that has the right programs and people available to ensure you and your team receive the support and advice needed to put the safety of your employees first.

Your company's success depends upon much more than just work from you. Without a motivated and well-trained staff, you will never be able to achieve all that you want. Investing in people is one way to make sure that you have a happy workforce that delivers results. The right employee can help your business grow in leaps and bounds. 

The wrong employee can sink it—and cost you tens of thousands in productivity losses and damaged reputations along the way. Therefore, workplace safety with all other components of the business is a serious matter.

FAQ

What is the easiest way to get rid of a Narcissist?

There aren't any guaranteed ways to get rid of a narcissist, but one thing that works is to ignore them. Don't give them your attention. If they are your boss, you need to report them to HR. 

Communication VS. Motivation - which is more important?

Without the other, your communication may be insufficient to motivate your people or to change their behavior. Without motivation, no one gets excited about something they don't believe in, and without attention, no one does anything. 

What is the best way to motivate an employee that's not stepping up to the plate?

Your best approach for motivating that employee may be to sit them down and explain what behavior you expect. It would help if you were very clear about what you value, then set some goals with both of you reviewing them periodically. Then oversee your employee's actions and praise good behavior. 

How can technology help my company?

Technology helps companies in many ways by making it easier to adhere to data protection laws. It also allows people within the company to work more efficiently together by putting files online for more collaboration among employees at all levels of the organization.