Industrial workers face intense pressure to fulfill demand with little to no training. 

Industries across the globe are returning to pre-pandemic supply chain levels. Online shopping has continued to soar and the demand for industrial workers is still at an all-time high. Although we are in a post-pandemic era, COVID-19 still has its lingering effects impacting workers and industries. 

“Even if people have immunity and death rates are now much lower, they’re still getting Covid. It’s an incredible strain on workers, and a lot of businesses can’t fill shifts,” said Claudia Sahm, a former Fed economist and founder of macroeconomic policy research firm Sahm Consulting. 

Industrial Athletes especially have been feeling the wave in recovery and lack of available workers. Sixteen percent of workers are concerned that they will need to cover extra work due to laid-off colleagues, via our Industrial Athlete Workforce Report. 

As employers fill positions, the risk of injury increases because the demand is so high and there is little to no time for proper training. Forty-nine percent of industrial workers said they got less than five days of training for their job and 18% said they had none. Injury risk is especially at an all-time high during the holiday season with seasonal workers. In fact, seasonal workers are at 3x the risk when stepping into the workforce.

So what’s at stake when there isn’t proper training? Ergonomic injury, mental health, and long-term livelihood of Industrial Athletes. When a worker has an injury and has to take time off it impacts not only the load of work for their co-workers but also for the worker themself whose livelihood depends on working consistent hours. The recovery time also affects the mental health of industrial workers who feel the strain of inadequate pay, especially during rising living costs. 

The risk of injury can be greatly reduced and often prevented entirely. When industries prioritize and implement a safety system for their workers there is a decrease in injury, an increase in production, and a positive impact on workers’ mental health. By implementing safety wearables workers can feel protected and safe in the work environment. 

To learn how much safety wearables can save your workforce, complete our ROI Calculator.