Training is an investment. It may be cliché, but it’s true. And as with any investment, you’ll want to see a return. However, when it comes to health and safety training, sometimes it seems the training is all but forgotten once workers are back on the job.
To maximize the ROI (return on investment) of health and safety training, concepts and procedures need to be regularly reinforced.
Measuring Return on Investment
To measure the ROI of a training program, use this formula:
((Monetary benefits – Training Costs)/Training Costs) x 100
As an example, an employee takes training that costs $250. Using what they learned, that worker can save the company $300.00 by working more safely and efficiently.
(300 – 250)/250 = 0.2
0.2 x 100 = 20
This employee’s training resulted in a positive ROI of 20%.
How to Maximize ROI on Training
To ensure that the training you’re providing has a positive ROI, it must be regularly reinforced in the workplace. To reinforce training, try to think beyond reminders. Reminders may seem helpful, but workers may become dependent on them. Reminders are passive, where reinforcement is active.
Reinforcing Training
Practice: Adult learners need to practice what they’re taught. Most adults retain concepts best when they’ve had an opportunity to try it, get feedback, and continue to practice.
Review Concepts: Training is not a “one and done” undertaking. Review the concepts learned in training frequently. Feature them in safety talks and company email blasts.
Provide Feedback Often: Employees need feedback to understand if they’re implementing training correctly, or they need more practice. Additionally, feedback gives workers a chance to ask questions, seek clarification, or dialogue about how they feel the training is affecting their work. This is also a chance for workers to express any roadblocks to success they may be experiencing. This provides an opportunity to help them work through any issues.
Debrief: Training reinforcement can happen at any time, anywhere. Use real-time scenarios to continue to help workers retain what they learned by debriefing with trainees. This could be as observing in the moment, or a more formal review of past actions.
Provide the Why: Adult learners tend to embrace new concepts and processes if they understand the why behind it. As well, they like to know how what they learned is directly related to the job they do. Providing this information will help drive retention and reinforce training.
Be Positive: To continue to reinforce concepts learned during training, use errors and near misses as learning opportunities, rather than using them as opportunities to discipline. Treat all errors as opportunities to learn, and training concepts will be more readily embraced, practiced, and retained.
BEST Safety Training Can Help
BEST Safety Training offers a variety of training titles. You choose the platform.
In-person – at our place or yours!
Distance Learning
Online
We designed all of our courses with adult learning principles in mind. When the training ends, we’re still here to offer support, ideas for reinforcing training in the workplace, and to answer questions. Let the BEST Safety Training company take care of your training needs.