Stretching programs are often thought of as a “quick fix” to address increased rates of soft-tissue injuries. While pre-shift preparation continues to be an important component of a comprehensive safety program, there are better ways to make those few minutes more valuable to the employee and to the company. Based on our 15 years of helping companies develop best practices, here are four key principles we’d suggest considering—whether you’re looking to implement a pre-shift stretching program, or enhance an existing one: