Why are Safety Inductions Important?

Why are Safety Inductions important?

For a majority of businesses, employees are our most important assets and how we introduce them to the company has a profound impact on their success. We understand that the onboarding process is critical, yet many organisations take an ad-hoc approach to induction training and relying on their new team members to work it out as they go. Lack of processes and too few checks and balances could see organisations miss out on an opportunity to build a productive working relationship. Some induction practices are so lacking, that they would constitute a breach of the law.

Getting induction training right is particularly challenging for small businesses as they often do not have the resources, time and expertise that larger organisations have.

Here are the top reasons why you should have a strong induction training programme in place;

• It is a legal obligation; employers are required to make sure their employees are trained do to their jobs safety and they know what to do in the event of a fire or other emergency.
• Improving retention rates and productivity.
• It helps develop a harmonious workplace.
• The induction process is a perfect opportunity to explain policies that apply to the workplace, ensuring that both managers and workers are clear on expectations, performance and behaviours.

Failure is costly!

A sub-standard induction program can lead to new employees not learning the “right” way of doing things, loss of productivity and serious issues such as safety breeches (in worst case, fatalities). Employers could face financial loss, prosecution, heavy fines and even a jail sentence, depending on circumstances.

Face to face vs online delivery;

Inductions should be designed to provide employees with practical information on how the organisation operates, as well as policies on safety, emergencies, security and behaviour. It can be a challenge to deliver this information in a compelling, consistent and engaging way.

Poorly designed classroom training programs are not a great introduction to your business. They are often ill-suited to people’s learning styles, which means poor retention of information and nil enthusiasm from the employee. Delivering employee training in this way is better than no training at all, but it is far from ideal. Quality and compliance can vary depending on many factors including the quality of the trainer and the age/correctness of the training material.

Online inductions are a much better alternative as it removes the variables associated with the outdated face-to-face training and cumbersome paper-trails. This training method ensures;

• Training content and delivery is consistent.
• Information is kept up to date.
• Record keeping is done automatically.
• Training is instantly accessible – there is no restriction to new employees completing their training on the first day of work (or even accessing the training from home BEFORE they start).

Online delivery also enables training to be delivered in ways that improve knowledge retention. A good online training product will engage employees who are auditory, visual or kinaesthetic learners.

Staff induction training and the law;

ALL Australian employers have a mandatory duty of care to ensure employees undertake training so that they can do their job safely. For this reason, work health and safety training should have a high priority in staff induction programs. Emergency procedures, including instructions regarding evacuation, exits and fire equipment are critical. Clear workplace policies are also critical to ensure that employees understand the expectations and responsibilities that apply in the workplace.