Article - How Branding of Protective Clothing Benefits Companies in South Africa
10 Jan 2018
How Branding of Protective Clothing Benefits Companies in South Africa
More and more employers in South Africa now invest in high quality branded protective wear. In many industries such as mining, construction, electrical maintenance, and automotive repairs, statutory requirements for occupational health and safety dictate the wearing of protective clothing.
Some companies argue that nobody sees their workers because they work on private sites far from the public eye and they don’t see how the branding of protective wear can help to promote their brand image. However, those that do invest in branded protective wear have noted that by branding the clothing they are able to distinguish their workers on site from employees working for other companies. This helps to exert better control over the whereabouts of their employees.
Another reason for the trend is the need to improve upon existing security measures at sites. When all the workers wear non-branded overalls and protective gear such as hats, harnesses, high-visibility jackets and industrial shoes, it becomes difficult to identify people who don’t belong on the particular site or who don’t have authorisation to be at particular areas of the site.
An unauthorised person can thus easily pretend to have permission for going into a restricted area, especially when several companies work on the same project. With branded protective wear, one company is distinguished from another and the confusion about permission can be solved easier. In addition, if all the workers on site are required to wear branded protective wear, it becomes rather difficult for a person who has gained entrance to the site to pretend that they belong there. In this way theft and other types of crime at project sites can be reduced.
Though the workers may not always be in public eye when wearing the branded clothing, they are representatives of the company. Reports indicate that workers are more motivated to work when they are in branded corporate or worker clothing. They become aware of their roles as promotional ambassadors for their company and they develop pride in the brand. It gives the workers a sense of belonging and makes it easier to distinguish between management, supervisors, and other employees. Their division can be printed on the clothing, which enables for quick identification of their roles and responsibilities at particular projects.
Besides the development of employee pride and loyalty the employees from other companies that work on the same site, see the brand name throughout their interaction with Company XYZ employees. Should one of the companies need to make use of the services offered also by Company XYZ then the brand that they have seen over the period will first come to mind. They are thus more likely to approach Company XYZ than contacting another firm to make use of their services.
Branding of protective wear helps to:
•Promote their brand to the public and companies at the same site.
•Build employee pride in the company brand.
•Promote a positive image.
•Ensure that only authorised people are on the secured sites or areas.
The next logical step is to select appropriate branded protective wear from a trusted supplier, such as XCO Sport.