Driving more employee engagement during safety training
As business technology evolves, organisations are quickly modifying their operations to keep up. Because of this, new job opportunities are surfacing all the time. While this is great news, many of these roles - especially those in factories, warehouses, or construction sites - entail certain safety risks.
To counter these risks, companies are putting more focus on safety training programmes. These programmes help keep their employees safe and also meet various industry compliance regulations.
Still, not all employees look forward to these training initiatives. And while they may attend out of necessity, employees don’t always gain a lot of value from required trainings.
Offering incentives is one approach you can take to generate more interest in your training programmes.
To counter these risks, companies are putting more focus on safety training programmes. These programmes help keep their employees safe and also meet various industry compliance regulations.
Still, not all employees look forward to these training initiatives. And while they may attend out of necessity, employees don’t always gain a lot of value from required trainings.
Offering incentives is one approach you can take to generate more interest in your training programmes.
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Why are traditional safety training programmes sometimes less engaging?
You might put a lot of effort into creating your safety programme. The problem is, if your employees aren't interested in taking part, they won't get much value from it.
This isn't anything to take personally. Businesses may not understand why training programmes aren't hitting the mark. Some of these reasons include:
Dry or complicated information
Think about the last time you sat through a long, drawn-out speech about random facts and figures. Or recall the last time you went through a long product manual packed with information you really didn’t understand. Chances are you lost interest quickly.
Many safety training programmes feel similar for employees. It's only natural that some people quickly tune out.
When safety information is dry or complicated, it's hard for employees to remember the important details. The messaging just goes in one ear and out the other.
Too much data at once
Most employee safety training programmes try to pack a lot of information into a short amount of time. Depending on the business, what’s covered can include a lot of instructions, especially for busy warehouses or work in the manufacturing sector.
While this information needs to be included, employees can feel pressure to remember everything they hear. This leads to more stress and confusion, making it harder for employees to retain important safety instructions.
Heavy focus on compliance
When it comes to industry safety standards, businesses don't have much leeway. Training is critical to help employees stay safe, but businesses also have a legal responsibility to meet regulatory requirements.
Unfortunately, the need to stay compliant can sometimes overshadow the most important part of this process - keeping employees safe. When this happens, employees might be more focused on checking regulation boxes than actually learning how they can be more safe in the workplace. They may also worry more about doing something wrong, rather than focusing on how they can better protect themselves and their fellow employees.
Overly templated format
Everyone learns in a different way. Not all safety training styles will resonate with every employee. This can affect the level of engagement.
Generic training programmes may also skip over important safety concerns. Because every job is different, a standardised approach could leave some workers without vital safety knowledge needed to keep them safe.
This isn't anything to take personally. Businesses may not understand why training programmes aren't hitting the mark. Some of these reasons include:
Dry or complicated information
Think about the last time you sat through a long, drawn-out speech about random facts and figures. Or recall the last time you went through a long product manual packed with information you really didn’t understand. Chances are you lost interest quickly.
Many safety training programmes feel similar for employees. It's only natural that some people quickly tune out.
When safety information is dry or complicated, it's hard for employees to remember the important details. The messaging just goes in one ear and out the other.
Too much data at once
Most employee safety training programmes try to pack a lot of information into a short amount of time. Depending on the business, what’s covered can include a lot of instructions, especially for busy warehouses or work in the manufacturing sector.
While this information needs to be included, employees can feel pressure to remember everything they hear. This leads to more stress and confusion, making it harder for employees to retain important safety instructions.
Heavy focus on compliance
When it comes to industry safety standards, businesses don't have much leeway. Training is critical to help employees stay safe, but businesses also have a legal responsibility to meet regulatory requirements.
Unfortunately, the need to stay compliant can sometimes overshadow the most important part of this process - keeping employees safe. When this happens, employees might be more focused on checking regulation boxes than actually learning how they can be more safe in the workplace. They may also worry more about doing something wrong, rather than focusing on how they can better protect themselves and their fellow employees.
Overly templated format
Everyone learns in a different way. Not all safety training styles will resonate with every employee. This can affect the level of engagement.
Generic training programmes may also skip over important safety concerns. Because every job is different, a standardised approach could leave some workers without vital safety knowledge needed to keep them safe.
How incentives can improve safety training
Everyone likes to feel appreciated for their efforts. This is why, when it comes to safety, a little positive reinforcement goes a long way. Rewarding your employees for participating in safety initiatives is a great way to add more interest and excitement to your training programmes.
The right reward programme is customisable and lets you come up with unique ways to thank employees for their cooperation - whether you simply want to increase training participation or celebrate certain milestones.
When your employees see that staying engaged during training is both valued and rewarded, they're more likely to make it a habit. This creates a positive cycle, where reinforcement leads to even safer practices over time.
This kind of positive feedback loop enables a number of benefits, including:
The right reward programme is customisable and lets you come up with unique ways to thank employees for their cooperation - whether you simply want to increase training participation or celebrate certain milestones.
When your employees see that staying engaged during training is both valued and rewarded, they're more likely to make it a habit. This creates a positive cycle, where reinforcement leads to even safer practices over time.
This kind of positive feedback loop enables a number of benefits, including:
- A safer place to work for everyone
- More satisfied employees
- Smoother operations
- Less staff attrition
Effective ways to add more interest to your training programmes
Want to make your safety training programme really stand out? It all starts with solid planning. Even before you start adding incentives, a little bit of careful preparation can make a huge difference in how effective your training actually is. Here are some key steps to set you up for success:
Create objectives
Make sure you know exactly what you want to achieve with your programme. Just like using a GPS solution, you need to know where you're going in order to get there. This means defining specific goals.
You could focus on reducing accidents on-site or improving your safety training attendance rates. Whatever your objectives, clearly stating them from the start is key. This is how you'll gauge if your efforts are working or if there are areas you might need to improve.
Measure your success
After you start your safety training programme, it's important to track performance. This is how you’ll see if and when you hit the objectives you've set. The key is choosing metrics that are measurable and give you a real sense for how things are improving over time.
The metrics you choose could be anything from tracking how many people attend training sessions to employee satisfaction rates. Knowing these metrics can help you decide if, for example, you want to add additional incentives for better participation.
Introduce rewards that resonate
If you want your safety programme to really resonate, focus on incentives that drive engagement. Keep in mind that not everyone will be motivated by the same things. This is why offering different reward types or even letting people choose their own reward can be a great approach.
Monetary incentives like gift cards are always a popular option. You can also think outside the box, providing extra time off, a team outing, or other options that get people excited about participation. Don't be afraid to get creative.
Create objectives
Make sure you know exactly what you want to achieve with your programme. Just like using a GPS solution, you need to know where you're going in order to get there. This means defining specific goals.
You could focus on reducing accidents on-site or improving your safety training attendance rates. Whatever your objectives, clearly stating them from the start is key. This is how you'll gauge if your efforts are working or if there are areas you might need to improve.
Measure your success
After you start your safety training programme, it's important to track performance. This is how you’ll see if and when you hit the objectives you've set. The key is choosing metrics that are measurable and give you a real sense for how things are improving over time.
The metrics you choose could be anything from tracking how many people attend training sessions to employee satisfaction rates. Knowing these metrics can help you decide if, for example, you want to add additional incentives for better participation.
Introduce rewards that resonate
If you want your safety programme to really resonate, focus on incentives that drive engagement. Keep in mind that not everyone will be motivated by the same things. This is why offering different reward types or even letting people choose their own reward can be a great approach.
Monetary incentives like gift cards are always a popular option. You can also think outside the box, providing extra time off, a team outing, or other options that get people excited about participation. Don't be afraid to get creative.
Creating a company culture that prioritises safety
Incentivising your employees to be more active participants in safety training isn't just a nice perk - it's an effective way to create a safer working environment for everyone. By being creative in the rewards you offer your employees, you can show them how important their safety is to you and create a more positive working culture.
Author: Cindy Mielke is passionate about the incentive industry. In addition to her role as Vice President of Strategic Partners here at Tango, she is a Certified Professional of Incentive Management who proudly serves on two industry boards. When she’s not working, Cindy enjoys spending time with her family—including three cats, two dogs, and a horse—and sharing her love of nature as a Nebraska Master Naturalist.
Keywords: Project management, Engagement