The New Year is often a time of renewed vigor – to look forward, make goals, and plan for success! Employers can use this time to reflect on the past year’s performance and make a game plan for the year ahead that includes employee training.   But one may ask, "What training is required for my employees?”

It’s a question MEMIC consultants often hear and, although we would love nothing more than to provide a simple, straightforward answer, the truth is that it sometimes depends.

I like to start this inquiry by asking: Who? What? When? Where? How? And Why?

Who: Which employees require training? Training should be specific to employees’ roles. Is training needed for everyone, for new employees, only certain job functions?

What: What information do employees need to learn? Consider local, state, and federal regulations as well as specific exposures within your workplace. Look back at the previous year’s injury and incident data to see if there are areas to improve upon.

When: How often will training take place and for what duration? 15 minutes a week, an hour a month, a week per year? It is entirely dependent on what makes sense for the workplace and the materials that will be covered.

Where: Is there a space that is conducive to learning? Is virtual training appropriate, or is a physical space needed? Ensure space is adequate for the number of people in attendance and right for the training.

How: Does the training rely on a safety manual or employee handbook? PowerPoint presentation? Hands-on demonstration? Internal or external trainers? A reasonable expectation could be a combination of many different learning styles – again, keep the audience in mind and make sure to attain employee engagement.

Why: Perhaps the most critical question to answer. Why is this training important? Why does this information matter and make a difference to employees’ health and safety? I think sometimes this question is skipped, and concentration is given to regulations and rules. However, it is essential for people to understand the necessity of information, especially when it may result in operational changes. Most people don’t like just being told what to do. They want to know why it’s important.

Fortunately, MEMIC offers a variety of resources to help you determine what training must be delivered and how often it needs to take place, along with a vast array of training materials.

A great jumping off point would be to examine whether you’ve met your obligations under OSHA. MEMIC policy holders can check out the General Industry or Construction Training Matrix for a list of regulations requiring training and the frequency requirements.

Next, look at some of our example training calendars for Manufacturing, Hospitality, Automotive, Healthcare, and Education industries, all of which can be found on MEMIC’s  Safety Director with additional guidance to find topic-specific materials.

Once you have identified training needs, start to formulate how to accomplish this in a way that will engage employees. Consider experienced individuals within your company that might look forward to an opportunity to connect with and train the team. You may also find success looking outside your organization by bringing in guest presenters. Local vendors and suppliers, as well as state and local agencies such as police and fire departments, often enjoy the opportunity to get in front of groups and share their knowledge, expertise, and passion.

Finally – don’t forget about us! Your MEMIC Loss Control Consultant is always there to guide you in your training needs and may even be able to conduct training with you. We hold workshops and webinars throughout the year so be sure to check back often to see what we’ve got coming up next.

Now: Let’s make 2023 the safest year yet!

Posted ByRosanne Wess