Our Safety Training Tips editor offers some “heroic” tips for engaging employees with your safety training.
If training isn’t engaging, it isn’t effective. When Jonathan Klane started out in safety and health training, he did so in a suit and tie. But as the years progressed, his style changed. These days he’s more likely to be seen in a superhero costume. Not many of us would go as far to grab attention as Klane, who calls himself “Trainerman,” and is the founder of Klane’s Education Information Training Hub of Fairfield, Maine. But Trainerman has based his lively and engaging training technique on a simple principle: If you can’t make training interesting, it won’t be heard, the lessons won’t stick, and you’ll waste valuable time and resources.
Don’t wait for the yawns. Whether you’re a Trainerman or a Trainerwoman, there’s a lot you can do to make safety training more engaging. Here’s the short version of Trainerman’s suggestions:
- Center training around the learner. Klane has found that no matter how important safety information is, you generally can’t create learner interest unless it’s something the learner finds personally relevant. “They want to know specifically what it means to them.” How does that translate to preparation for learning? Klane suggests involving potential trainees in planning for the session. The formal way of doing this is to conduct a needs assessment of workers’ and organizational priorities. But even an informal chat with learners before training starts can be effective, Klane says.
- Encourage participation. “Don’t be the only person in the room doing the training,” Klane advises. He structures his lessons to let trainees in on finding solutions to workplace problems, rather than just telling them what to do. In one exercise, he demonstrates safety do’s and don’ts. Trainees are asked to yell out “Don’t!” as they see mistakes being made. Those that do so correctly get a prize.
- Listen, and don’t get defensive. Top trainers know that questions from the audience are important, and they give questioners the respect they deserve. “Restate the question to be sure of your understanding,” says Klane. And no matter how challenging the audience, “Don’t get defensive, no matter what.”
Get in the “Trainerman” spirit. Klane offers an additional 19 tips generated during his years of experience to make safety training more engaging, and consequently more effective:
- Start with a bang or attention-getter.
- Use a timer.
- Hand out follow-up materials for later reading.
- Provide good refreshments.
- Give away candy and cheap plastic gifts.
- Take a field trip or tour, if possible.
- Conduct safety experiments as part of the session.
- Tell stories.
- Digress.
- Get trainees physically involved.
- Move around.
- Show relevant movie clips.
- Teach to visual, auditory, and tactile learning styles.
- Be available during breaks.
- Ask questions rather than make statements.
- Share something personal.
- Review a theory in the morning, and save hands-on activities for the afternoon.
- Over-prepare.
- Practice, practice, practice!
Why It Matters …
- To create and maintain a safe workplace, a lot of safety information has to be effectively transferred to employees, and safety training is the way most of that message is delivered.
- You depend on safety training to protect workers, prevent accidents and damage, and comply with OSHA and state safety regulations.
- You can’t afford to waste valuable training dollars on training that doesn’t engage and inform employees.