Companies are finding out that one of the best ways to improve their safety training is to make it personal. That’s why we’re looking at 7 ways you can make safety training more personalized for every worker. Let’s take a closer look at what you can do to start making your training more engaging and relevant than ever:

1. Share stories

Stories are a great way to emotionally connect with employees. They also establish context and keep things fresh and new. In general, telling stories can make your lessons much more memorable. Rather than telling people what they should know, stories help to show the key lessons you want employees to come away with. They can also inspire and motivate people. Last, they keep your audience engaged.

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2. Show the application

When it comes to training, usually the more applicable the knowledge is, the better. When you present information, get specific with examples that relate to the workers in the room (or the ones taking the course online). When you can, use detailed examples to show how they can—and should—be using the information.

3. Change up how you deliver your content

Sometimes the most effective training is training that happens on-site. There’s no denying that, but if you haven’t already, consider using new forms of media when it comes to other forms of training that isn’t done on-site. That can include: video, gamification, visuals, interactive data and/or tools, playlists, audio, and more, all of which can keep people’s attention and can provide multiple ways for them to learn. Also make sure they can access it across devices; after all, many people prefer to consume content on mobile today. One of the ways you can make content more personal is by providing a “track” to follow or by allowing people to choose their own learning path in some way. Giving them choices or paths to follow based on past preferences can also help craft a personalized, engaging experience.

4. Fit it into their day

Consider making certain content available 24-7 or make as much content as possible digital, so that people can access it at a time that’s best for them. You can also take advantage of micro-learning, where the format allows people to learn in short bursts, and then they can move on to another task. Be mindful of how long your presentation is, or how long the content runs. If you have a longer presentation, get employees involved or vary up the presentation as much as possible. We have to fight to keep the attention of employees, but it’s possible to do if you break down the content into smaller chunks.

5. Highlight what’s in it for them

Does your training help support employees’ personal goals? And if it does, is that connection made clear to them? Is the training structured in a way that shows them the connection between the training and their future in the company? When you can, show exactly what’s in it for them when it comes to training, especially with any training that is more self-guided. You also might consider using training and development that integrates with how you evaluate their performance.

6. Use your data

Maybe your training already starts with an assessment of where employees are at now, and where they need to be. If so, you are well on your way to offering even more relevant training for them. If you don’t have that kind of structure in place, consider it for the future. Use the data your company is collecting to see what areas you need to focus on in terms of training. It’s great to get feedback from employees on what they want to focus on, but you can use data from the company, too, to guide the training. Using both approaches can help to make training both pertinent and personal.

7. Make the connection between safety at home and safety at work

Successful and personalized training programs also show how safety is a full-time mentality and full-time practice (1). For example, similar to how you can take steps to improve ergonomics at work, you can do the same when you are at home. Aim for your safety training to make that link understood.

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Source:

1. A SmartMarket Report: Building a Safety Culture.