Often, employees who work in offshore projects have to work away from their families for weeks and maybe months. During these periods, they are exposed to complex and harsh working environments. Ideally, the onus is on the employing body to offer a safe working space.

When it comes to a place to lie down and rest, the employer should also ensure that the accommodation modules they offer employees are not only safe but also comfortable. Sadly, comfort isn't always a priority, and skimping of the comfort of employees' accommodation units could actually be costlier than investing in it.

Here are the biggest reasons you should consider comfort when purchasing accommodation units:

Employee Health

In most cases, employees will spend most of their time in harsh working environments. For instance, an employee for an oil rig will spend a good part of their time exposed to humid climates. It only makes sense to accommodate them in a space that gives them peace. 

This includes a unit with great air quality, a clean environment, and a thoughtful layout for waste disposal and access to clean dining facilities. Otherwise, there is a high chance that living in a unit with sub-par comfort levels might expose them to health issues. If employees start getting sick, the chances are that they will miss at least a few working days, reducing the productivity of your staff.

It Increases Their Rest Levels

After a long day of work, employees need to get some rest. The best environment would be one they feel comfortable with. Rest ensures that they'll be rejuvenated enough to work during the next day. Ideally, a great unit should have a comfortable sleeping area and some quiet and calm. It should also be safe enough for them to spend their time in. 

Managing Employee Stress

An approximate 60-80% of workplace injuries arise from stress. If an employee is stressed, chances are they will barely manage to concentrate on the job. This can be quite unsafe, especially when employees are needed to handle hazardous equipment.

Other than injuring themselves, they can also injure other employees, reducing the overall productivity of your staff. Ideally, you need to watch out for the stress levels of your employees, and a comfortable accommodation unit can help you achieve this. Not only can employees get enough rest, but they can also enjoy relaxing music and entertainment to keep them engaged. 

Improve Employee Engagement 

Engaged employees are an invaluable asset for any business, let alone offshore sites. An engaged employee will work to improve a project and keep it running. They can not only make contributions that can revolutionize your current project, but they can also help other employees in working towards the achievement of a common goal.

Ideally, the engagement of employees starts with how you make them feel, how you treat them, and the sense of comfort and security they get working under a certain environment. By ensuring that employees and contractors are comfortable throughout their entire stay in your project's environment, you will have them focusing more on the progress of the project and less on their comfort.

Earn The Loyalty Of Employees And Contractors

Closely related to engagement is the loyalty of employees. If loyalty is an issue for your project, voluntary employee turnover will be quite high. Comfort is key to earning employee loyalty. Otherwise, they will leave your organization in search of greener pastures. 

This comes with the extra cost of having to recruit, select, and train a new batch of employees and contractors, who might eventually also leave voluntarily. Start by ensuring the accommodation units you offer are comfortable enough for them to feel at home.

Improving Workplace Collaboration

Most projects that require accommodation modules need employees to work as a team. Often, an employee or contractor will need to trust another employee in their line of work. However, it can be tough for this to happen if people are generally working in uncomfortable environments.

They may have to worry about their comfort more than they worry about the job details. A comfortable accommodation unit actually works to improve team chemistry. When off the job, it allows employees to interact and share with each other. This can then translate into the work environment where they can actually collaborate on their tasks with some ease.

Cut Down The Cost Of Employee Turnover

Generally speaking, having uncomfortable accommodation units and working conditions will be an incentive for employee turnover. People want to feel appreciated, as well as work with an organization that cares for their needs. Often, you will have to train employees on how to use the equipment, as well as the appropriate safety measures to take.

This takes both time and money. As a result, when employees leave, you will have wasted time and cash used to train them. As an added cost, you will have to recruit new employees and take them through the same process. Also, it might take some time for them to understand the intricate needs of your project, which increases the chances of making costly errors on the job.

In the worst-case scenario, if they cause the injury of another employee or themselves, you might have to cater to their well-being. Lastly, there is the cost of lost productivity for the time you will be recruiting and training new employees. Ideally, the trick is to ensure that employees are comfortable off the bat, and investing in comfortable accommodation modules will keep them smiling.

What To Concentrate On

Different workers and contractors will have different perspectives on comfort. While you can always ask them about how to make their stay comfortable enough, some aspects will remain the same. Generally, you need to concentrate on:

1.  The Air Quality- Fresh and clean air in the accommodation modules will keep employees healthy and boost their morale. It makes it easier for them to rest too.
2.  Noise Levels- No one wants to rest close to noisy areas. Some sites will be quite noisy, which is why you should invest in accommodation modules that regulate noise.
3.  Temperature- Ideally, people want to rest in cool and accommodating temperatures. If your project is in high or low-temperature regions, look for accommodation modules that can help you control the temperature.
4.  Ergonomics- Musculoskeletal disorders can easily take away from the productivity of your employees. They need to sleep and rest in units that offer maximum comfort without exposing them to any harm posture wise. This means investing in units with ergonomic furniture.
5.  Technology- Team members and contractors might need to keep in touch with their families at home or watch TV. Modern-day units come with Wi-Fi connectivity, up-to-date communication systems, TVs, USB, and Audio connectivity, among other options, all in the interest of a comfortable stay in the facility.

Comfort can easily translate to employee safety, higher productivity levels, and low project costs. As long as employees use a comfortable accommodation unit, pushing your project forward will be quite smooth. Contact us to get accommodation modules that will fit the needs of your workforce.