August 12, 2024
We all love a quote or two, don’t we?
As a safety trainer, I’ve always been drawn to this Jerry Smith quotation. Particularly as my 41 year career has blended both sales and safety together.
Last week in Cumbria, one of our delegates asked me a great question:
“Neil, your training is really different from other courses I’ve been on. Does it work for everyone?”
Well, here’s the truth: not always. But there are reasons for that.
Some organisations make a few common mistakes when they bring in outside training, especially when they’re aiming to improve safety leadership or build a strong safety culture.
We’ve had companies ask us if we offer behavioural-based safety training because their boss wants to kick off a safety campaign. But let’s be honest—campaigns like initiatives, do come to an end!
Safety isn’t a destination, it’s a journey (yes, I know, it’s a cliché, but it’s true).
The key to making safety training stick is making it personal. If it doesn’t grab people’s attention or relate to what they do every day, it’s not going to work and that’s money wasted.
Another big thing is developing the training that it meets an organisation’s specific needs. You can’t just slap the same training on every company and expect it to work. Every workplace has its own unique risks, so the training has to reflect real life and work scenarios that employees actually face. That’s where you see a return on your investment.
Leadership support is crucial too. If the leadership team aren’t fully on board with safety as a core value, the employees will pick up on that, and safety becomes just another tick box. But when leaders are visibly backing safety, it sets the tone for everyone.
You also need ongoing reinforcement. A single training session isn’t enough. Without follow-up and reminders, the messages fade away, and so does your ROI.
And let’s be honest, too much information at once can backfire. The trick is to focus on the key takeaways so people actually remember and apply what they’ve learned. Giving them a chance to practice those skills is how you see real change.
Lastly, don’t forget to measure. Regular check-ins and feedback are essential to make sure the training is hitting the mark. Regular check-ins and feedback are essential to make sure the training is effective and delivering the results you paid for.
So, does our training work for everyone? Maybe not.
But when you’ve got the right pieces in place, a strategy that gives the training longevity, sustainability or in our words – ‘stickability’
And it truly complements your present 3P’s, procedures, processes and policies.
Then it’s proven to work like a charm and gives you the return you’re looking for! It’s Priceless.
We offer tailored and bespoke safety training suitable for all levels – from the board room to the shop floor, for all industries and business sectors. Main subjects covered include:
#Safety Culture #Safety Leadership #Human Factors #Employeeengagement #behaviouralsafety #healthandsafety #wellbeing
Let’s have a chat to see if we can help or not.
Making an informed decision is the best decision you can make.
Telephone: 01928 515977
