Why Our Safety Shoe Programs Matter

Slips, trips, and falls are one of the top three most common workplace injuries, according to the CDC. The cost of even one injury can ripple out into lost time, workers’ comp claims, and reduced morale. That’s why effective safety shoe programs matter. It’s also why I’ve heard the question “Do we really need a shoe program?” more times than I can count. The truth is: when implemented well, a safety shoe program is one of the simplest, most cost-effective ways to protect your team and your bottom line.

At Saf-Gard^®, we build programs that make safety compliance simple … for managers and employees. Here's how we do it.

How Our Safety Shoe Programs Help You Save Big … The Long Version

When we talk to safety managers, they share a lot of the same concerns. They often say they feel like they’re in the shoe business rather than manufacturing or construction (or any other industry requiring safety footwear). They handle everything, including educating team members on OSHA standards, encouraging compliance, managing safety shoe funds and a whole lot more. Bottom line, managers feel the squeeze that results from all the time and energy spent overseeing their safety shoe programs.

This scenario is already bad enough, but it also creates some real challenges for employees. They have to go offsite, sometimes quite a distance, on their own time to get the shoes they need. There’s no guarantee that they’re getting quality, durable products. 

All that is to say: there are a lot of factors working against leaders who try to manage their shoe program in-house. But there’s good news. Our customizable safety shoe programs are designed to alleviate all of these problems and help you save money with five key advantages:

1. Customization. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all shoe program. That’s because your needs might be vastly different from others depending on your industry. So we take the multi-channel service approach and customize your safety shoe program with all the service options you could ask for, including the classic Mobile Shoe Store, custom ordering websites and retail stores. We can also customize your shoe selection to deliver only your pre-approved styles. You can have full confidence that your team will get exactly what they need for their unique work conditions. Whether it’s a standard protective toe, Met-Guard, Puncture Resistant, Static Dissipative, Electrical Hazard or something else, we’ve got you covered. Our goal is simple: find the best way to service your company and get your team the safety shoes they need in the easiest, most effective way. That’s what customization is all about.

 

2. Comfort. It’s not enough for safety shoes to offer protection. They’ve got to feel good so your team will actually want to wear them. Our programs provide one of the largest selections out there from top brands your employees know, trust and love. They can get the footwear that meets your safety specs and their need for comfort from 80+ top brands, including Timberland PRO^®, Wolverine, HYTEST, Reebok Work, SKECHERS, SR Max, KEEN Utility and more. That’s a huge deal because a comfortable employee is much more likely to be effective and feel satisfied on the job. 

3. Subsidy Tracking. Simply dropping $100 in your employees’ bank accounts once a year isn’t going to cut it. To be frank, doing this means you’re still going to have to police your employees to ensure they’ve got the protection they need. But that’s where our subsidy tracking option comes in. Our streamlined system makes it so team members can only access their shoe funds when they’re used for their safety shoes. It also makes it easy for you to see who’s keeping up with their safety shoe purchases and who’s falling behind (aka employees who probably aren’t in compliance). Gone are the days of manually figuring this stuff out. With just a few clicks, we’ll generate custom reports on subsidy usage, amounts remaining, automated rosters, rollover details and more.

 

4. Mobile Shoe Store Service. It’s tough when employees have to go somewhere offsite after a tough workday to get the shoes they need. So to make things as painless as possible, we provide onsite fitting services. Our Mobile Shoe Stores simplify everything. They give your employees the benefits of a retail experience right there at your facility. Our trucks come complete with your pre-approved styles and a shoe expert to ensure everyone gets the required proper safety footwear and a perfectly comfortable fit.  And since they can walk off the truck that day with a new pair of safety shoes, you could essentially gear up your entire team in a visit or two.

Your people can get in compliance during the workday and without having to step foot away from your worksite.

 

 

5. A Dedicated In-house Team for Your Company. If there’s one thing we can’t stand, it’s call centers. They’re notoriously slow and often lead people down long rabbit holes that don’t offer real solutions. That’s why when you call us, you’ll always (we’re talking 100% of the time) speak to an in-house representative. No robocalls or chatbots. Ever.

We have your safety shoe program dream team consisting of Territory Sales Managers, Inside Account Managers, and an exceptional in-house Customer Service team. That’s what it takes to keep you from having to manage your own program and free up valuable time to do your actual job (managing your people, not a shoe program). You just can’t get those results from an outsourced call center.

The final point to consider is what a Saf-Gard^® safety shoe program might mean to prospective and current employees. It communicates that you as a company (or you as a manager) care enough about your people that you’re willing to invest in their safety. That’s a real morale booster and can go a long way to support your hiring and retention efforts. Keeping your employees safe is one of the most important things a company can do, and employees love that.

Starting a custom Saf-Gard^® shoe program is easy, and we can usually get you set up in just a couple of days. But the best part about them is that they work. We help our customers save big each and every day. Take Bloom Energy, for example. Since starting a program, they’ve had zero slip-and-fall accidents. That means zero workers’ comp claims and zero absences due to slip-and-fall injury.

Want to learn more about how we can help you protect your team?

EXPLORE OUR PROGRAMS