In the midst of football season, coaches often recite an age-old adage: “The best defense is a good offense.” Successful leaders recognize that, by proactively acknowledging and addressing potential pitfalls, their teams will be better able to defend themselves in the face of opposition.
Off of the football field, the same holds true. As HR leaders, we are often the “coaches” in our organization. It is our responsibility to build a strong offense by equipping, motivating, and leading our teams to success. One of the best ways to do this is through employee training.
Just ANY Training?
However, as anyone who has suffered through a boring employer-mandated training session knows, not all training is created equal. In order to be effective, employee training must be consistent and meaningful. According to a study from the Harvard Business Review, the average listener generally forgets one-half to one-third of new information within eight hours. After two months, the average listener has forgotten roughly 75% of what was said. In our world of ever-changing laws and regulations, employees need to receive up-to-date information on a regular basis. But this information also needs to be presented in a way that captures employees’ attention and applies to their lives.
Is it REALLY Necessary?
To already overworked HR professionals, providing consistent and meaningful training can seem like a daunting task. Many employers are concerned about the cost of training and hesitant to pull employees out of work to attend training sessions. However, with the rise of the #MeToo movement and increased focus on sexual harassment, states have begun to make anti-harassment training mandatory for employers. Though not every training is mandatory, what you choose not to spend proactively building a good offense will be multiplied if your company finds itself reactively responding to employee complaints, dealing with the burden of an external investigation, or footing the bill for costly Court proceedings.
What types of training should we offer?
This list** of suggested training topics is divided into two categories – “high priority” and “additional training.” High priority training sessions are those that generally form the core of your company’s training program. Additional training sessions are those generally intended to complement a core training program.
High priority:
- EEO/Anti-Harassment
- Business Ethics & Professional Conduct
- Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Additional training:
- The Service Contract Act (SCA)
- The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Leadership Team Development
- Engaging & Motivating Employees
- Relationship/Conflict Management & Resolution
- Managing Diverse Personalities and Generations of Employees
- Creating and Implementing a Compliant Hiring Process
- Interview Techniques
- Performance Management & Improvement
- Communication Skills
- Professional Writing
- The Importance of Documentation
** The above list is intended to be a helpful resource, not a conclusive compliance guide. Your company should develop a training program tailored specifically to its employees & business needs and aligned with any applicable state and/or federal regulations.
Training can be Overwhelming. Can you help?
Yes! We understand that providing consistent and meaningful training can feel overwhelming. Our experienced HR consultants are available to help you develop a comprehensive, cost-effective training program that makes sense for your organization. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact us.
