Training for the safety of employees is crucial across many industries, but it’s most essential in construction, as workers are exposed to massive machinery and a variety of hazards externally every day. The issue is that workers often don’t do a good job of keeping track of their training or retaining their education, and can render even the most effective classes and lectures useless.
How can you make your employees safety training easier to recall and more regularly implemented?
Try Microlearning
Microlearning is a relatively recent concept that focuses on providing short, bite-sized bits of information that can be immediately implemented. Instead of gathering everyone together for a two-hour workshop that covers a myriad of topics and relying on them to remember the material effectively enough to use it at work then you’ll give them small pieces of information only when required.
There are several advantages to this approach:
. Attention spans are short.
When people are compelled to master a subject over a period of time (or even days), they can begin to feel exhausted. It’s not a problem of a lack of attention span. It’s more a matter of being overwhelmed. You can try this test for yourself. Try to remember the 21 digits of a string in a sequence in the fastest time possible. You can repeat the exercise and focus at remembering small parts of 3 digits at each time. The second method could need more repetitions of learning; however, you’ll be remembering every single string of numbers significantly faster and more consistently.
- Relevance is immediate and practical.
This strategy is also useful to demonstrate immediate significance and its practicality. It is possible to show your employees in real-time why this piece of information is vital and then encourage them to implement it so they can apply it right away.
- Chances to receive immediate feedback.
Supervisors also appreciate micro-learning because it offers opportunities to receive immediate feedback. Employees learn new knowledge, attempt to put it into practice, and are then given the possibility to communicate directly with the instructor if they made a mistake. This instant incorporation of feedback instantly makes new information more memorable and more precise.
Select the Proper Trainers
It is also possible to ensure that safety training for employees is easier to remember by bringing in and supporting the appropriate types of trainers. Different individuals have different styles of teaching, and some are more effective communicators than others. If you only hire those who are the most efficient communicators as well as the most accommodating instructors, you’ll have an easier time getting information to those who need it correctly.
Add a little humor (and keep it light).
People are more likely to remember funny things than things that aren’t funny. This doesn’t mean that you need to transform your safety policies into a total joke; it’s just that making a few jokes and maintaining a light tone is likely to boost recall within your staff. This can also help in creating camaraderie, setting an atmosphere of friendly and encouraging collaboration among employees.
Adapt to Various Learning Styles
It is important to keep in mind that not all employees are likely to be able to learn or retain information in the same manner or by employing the same methods. An approach to teaching that is effective for one individual could be completely unsuitable for a different person. For instance, some individuals tend to be visual learners and can grasp the new information quickly when given an example. Some people, however, are more practical learners and find it nearly impossible to grasp new information without putting it into action.
Your trainers and teachers must be able to adapt and able to integrate various teaching techniques to meet the needs of students with a variety of learning styles.
Employ Mnemonic Devices and Catchy Phrases
Mnemonic devices are designed to encode information in order in a way that makes it easier for people to remember. Catchy phrases are much more memorable than the chaotic, messy forms of information transmission. For instance, the phrase “‘L L’ stands for Lifting – Lift using your legs and take your back out,” is much easier to remember than a complex collection of images that show the effects of lifting using your back.
It might be difficult to come up with a few of these spontaneously or on your own; however, as time passes, you’ll be able to learn, master new phrases, and come up with catchy ones that you can use forever in the future.
Offer Incentives
Consider encouraging memorization by providing incentives to those who learn quickly, adhere to and integrate their safety education. Gift cards, praise in the form of a speech, as well as time off, can help to inspire those who are unable to focus when they receive safety tips.
Training for the safety of employees is among the most essential aspects of your construction company, as it’s the base that ensures the safety of employees and helps keep your costs low. If you focus your effort to increase the recall of your safety-related training employees as well as your company will gain.