Results are in! Refresher Training is a Good Idea

Over the past 6 months, COVID-19 has taken over as the #1 health and safety topic in the workplace. Training has been provided on sanitizing, social distancing and mask-wearing – but what about training on hazards that existed before COVID-19?

Frequent refresher training is an important tool that helps workers commit important safety knowledge and best practices to memory, keeping workers and organizations safe. Let’s face it – when we learn something new and then don’t practice it on a regular basis, we have a tendency to forget at least some of what we’ve learned. When it comes to safety training that is often the case.

Did you know…

• More than 80% of training is forgotten after two days

• Adults retain less than 50% of what they learn within one hour of class

• 40% of employees will leave their job within one year without proper training

When it comes to taking care of your people, you’d rather be safe than sorry; for crucial safety training, it can’t hurt to provide refresher training. Establishing a training schedule can help ensure that employees are trained on the most up-to-date tasks and requirements, and it can also help normalize safety training and make it a part of your company culture. There is value for the business as well, such as…

• 43% of organizations report increased productivity, and 25% report cost decreases

• 42% of millennial workers value refresher training when deciding where to work

• 75% of employees believe they are safe (and more confident) on the job

Refresher training can always be incorporated regardless of the situation, but it’s important to keep an eye out for obvious signs that it’s time to refresh. They might include…

• Workers are making repetitive mistakes

• Workers are restarting a task they haven’t performed in months

• Injuries and incidents are increasing

• New equipment or technology is introduced

• A serious safety incident occurs

For a more in-depth look at safety training requirements and best practices in your organization, register for our FREE upcoming Qualifications, Orientation and Training virtual classroom webinar on Wednesday, August 5^th at 10am!