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Unfortunately, most of us
have been there. You’re sitting in a classroom staring
at someone lecturing about the importance of WHMIS,
First Aid, Confined Spaces etc. You’ve been there all
morning and the only thing you can think of is “When is
the lunch break?”
Or maybe you’re the one
standing at the front of the classroom thinking to
yourself “Could these people look any more bored? This
is important stuff they NEED to know. How can I get
their attention?”
Here’s your guide to
providing interesting and effective training at your
workplace. Because, in the end, if you aren’t getting
their attention, it’s a waste of time and money.
1)
Diversify
Training doesn’t mean you have to be stuck in a
boardroom all day. Here are just some of the ways you
can deliver your training. Pick a different method every
time or mix-and-match to keep it interesting:
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Online:
An online course means employees can train at
their own pace and it often replaces the need for
expensive classroom courses. By training each
employee independently, you can also avoid the
logistical nightmare of scheduling everyone for a
classroom course and shutting down production lines. |
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Video:
Pop in a movie and give your audience something
to look at and listen to. Movies help visual
learners and can often be integrated into a
classroom course or replace them altogether. |
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Self-teach:
As long as your employees are disciplined, this
can be a great way to let employees train at their
own pace. |
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Practical:
In general, practical and site-specific training
should be part of ANY training program. This
reinforces that the theory they just learned really
is applicable to their work environment. Take
employees on a tour of the facility and point out
areas where their new-found knowledge will be put to
use. Do a practical demonstration of something they
just learned or ask employees to discuss how the
training affects their workplace. |
2) Use
external resources
Have you been using the same training material for
years? It’s time to update for more than one reason.
Employees who’ve been seeing the same video for 5 years
are not learning anymore. They need something new that
delivers the point in a different manner. Secondly,
regulations have probably changed since you started and
an updated training program can ensure that you’re
covering any new information.
Instead of re-inventing the wheel, you can purchase
training materials and packages from companies who have
done the work for you. This will also bring some
excitement to the training. New material will get your
employee’s attention.
3)
Relate the material to your workplace
It doesn’t mean anything if your employees know why
controlled products are dangerous but they can’t pick
out which products THEY work with that are controlled.
Make sure you relate the training to products and
situations they will or have encountered at work. The
more applicable the training is, the more they will
listen and retain.
4)
Get
your employees involved
Asking for suggestions is one of the easiest ways to get
people interested. When you use their ideas, they feel
validated and proud. Before doing the training session,
walk around or send an email asking your employees what
topics they’d like to discuss.
5)
Get
with technology
Still using overheads? Those slides from 15 years ago
won’t keep the attention of a savvy teenage summer
student for long. Whether it’s an online course, new
video or interactive website, using technology that grabs
their attention can make all the difference.
6)
Offer incentives
Depending on your budget, this can range from candy
(yes, it works on adults too!) to a paid day off for the
employee who scores the highest on the test. Dangle
something valuable in front of your employees and you’ll
get their attention.
7) Stay
up-to-date
Regulations change often. Make sure you are teaching the
latest information. Industry and government websites can
keep you up-to-date.
8)
Re-evaluate often
Evaluate your training methods on a recurring basis. For
most, this means at least annually. Take into account
any changes in the regulations, your workforce and
workplace, new projects or products employees deal with.
Your training should take all of these into
consideration.
9) Make
sure the shoe fits
Pick a training method that’s adequate for your
workforce. Do you have ESL (English as a Second
Language) employees who require more one-on-one
training? Do you hire students who learn best on a
computer? Identify their specific needs and offer the
best training for THEM.
10) Be
creative
Place safety posters in the bathroom stalls. Give
employees first aid kits as Christmas presents. Do
something different that gets their attention.
10 1/2)
Scare them
If
nothing else works, scare them into paying attention.
There are countless accidents that occur every year in
the workplace. Workplace safety is a serious issue.
Collect examples of accidents which are relevant to your
workplace or industry and discuss them with your
employees. When they hear that a 36-year old father of 2
died at work from a preventable accident, it might hit a
nerve.
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