How does training change the workplace? (A trainer’s perspective)
Over the past few years I have had occasion to sit on both sides of the “training fence”
being a full time tutor but often still needing to take on the role of learner myself. I might do this to refresh old skills or learn some new ones or possibly to develop myself in areas that I have realised I need to improve in to keep myself sharp.
When I was a child at school I would find myself looking out of the window wondering what the big wide world would hold for me in the future. Little did I know then that if I looked forward a bit more and listened a bit more the world would probably hold more for me (the whole world was not just outside that window)!
When I first joined the workplace I used to think to myself ‘Oh no, not more training! It’s just like back to school again!’ However after a few years when I had matured into the workplace I began to realise how much I could benefit from the training
In any modern workplace, training should be an essential tool. Firstly serious time should be spent on training the individual for the role they are going to carry out and showing them exactly how to do it. From this training we breed the confidence to do our job in a calm confident and assertive manner.
Once we are all confident in our role and happy in how to do it then we need to start training for what happens when this all goes wrong! This training could be as simple as learning how to fix something that is broken or as complex as how to deal with people that are angry and aggressive. This is training that is really time well spent, as this will keep the staff safe in a more dangerous situation. We already have our job specific training but training for future problems is really hitting another level and will prove priceless in the future when required.
I have noticed myself the difference in workplaces where the staff are trained often and staff that are not trained. The difference in confidence and in morale is always plain to see. Teams that have spent time training together are always tighter teams that know that they can rely on each other when needed and when things go wrong.
Nowadays, an essential part of training in the workplace is also legislation; we all need to be aware of legislation relevant to our own roles. Knowledge is power as they say and as the Health and Safety Executive say ignorance is no defence. If training raises awareness of what the risks are we can reduce the likelihood of incidents and ensure we have kept ourselves within the law.
Drifting back to my school days again, I do remember how important it is for the training to be achievable, relevant, interesting and most of all fun. This is a mantra that I have lived by for the last few years and it hasn’t failed me yet.
John Morris , Senior Trainer Quell.