Training Days
We’ve all been to required job training. There’s a trainer standing in front of disinterested employees in a fluorescently - lit room droning endlessly about (something?) mundane. Training is the worst, right? It doesn’t have to be.
Whether it’s orientation for new-hires or required courses in Food Safety or Responsible Alcohol Sales and Service - it’s GOT TO GET DONE.
Not only is mandated training the law, it’s part of your ethical responsibility as a vendor, to ensure employee and public safety. It’s important! So, the question at hand is “How Do We Do It Better?”
Old Method: Classroom Training
While some might find this old-school method of training comforting, it has its drawbacks. The expense of traditional training is astronomical. According to Training Magazine’s 2018 Training Industry Report, U.S. Employers spent a whopping $29.6 BILLION on training related expenses (which includes travel, facilities, and equipment). That doesn’t include the cost of the actual training. Interestingly, this number is DOWN from $44.5 billion in 2017. Companies are moving away from traditional training in favor of modern approaches.
Food for Thought: Classroom Training
- Training (trainer, class materials, test, application fees, etc.)
- Travel (gas, mileage, airfare, rental cars, lodging, meals)
- Scheduling (managerial duties to fit training into schedule)
- Alternate Scheduling (shift coverage for absent trainees)
- Cost of Trainer and/or Test Proctor (someone present to teach and test)
- Training Venue (hotel conference rooms, office suites, etc.)
- Equipment or Materials (computers, handouts, workbooks, study aids)
- Re-training and re-testing (means doing all the above again.)
Note: Even in states with stringent mandatory training laws, like Illinois’ BASSET program,
the decision is up to the employer as to who pays - you or your employees.
If your business asks employees to pay, make sure you’re suggesting the most cost-effective and convenient method available.
It’s the ethical thing to do!
New Method: Online Training
In a 2016 Pew Research Center study 70% of people said that by 2026 NEW training programs capable of training large numbers of workers in job skills will be in demand to keep America employed. Online training can do that, and has seen rapidly increasing usage in recent years. The 2018 Training Industry Report states “On average, organizations spent 11 percent of their budget or $235,077 (up from $135,837 last year) on learning tools and technologies.” This is a significant shift in how we choose our training methods.
Food for Thought: Online Training
- Anytime, Anywhere - No travel, venue, equipment costs. No lost wages or extra child care expenses for employees.
- Accessibility - Training and certificates are available 24/7 on-demand.
- Productivity - Train at home, on the bus, or on break - minimal (if any) time away from work.
- Mobile-friendly - Accessible from everyone’s best friend - their phone!
- Up-to-Date Compliance - If there’s a change to your rules and regulations cloud-based content is global, so employees (and your business) are never receiving outdated, non-compliant training.
- Recordkeeping - Track and analyze employee training, test scores and expiration dates.
Although we might think of traditional classroom training as the time-honored, tried-and-true method, we need to adapt to our generations that are (and will be) the bulk of our employees. Classroom training is outdated, time-consuming, and expensive. When you have an expert training provider in your corner, online training is compliant, user-friendly, and cost-effective. As with any angle in business, if it doesn’t make money - it doesn’t make sense.
Click here to download our eBook “Challenges & Opportunities: Regulatory Compliance Training in the Food & Beverage Industry” to deepen your knowledge about the array of risks, challenges, and consequences - and let us help you create training, tools, and an action plan to mitigate any danger to your business!
Sources
https://kitaboo.com/digital-training-or-instructor-led-training-whats-better/
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-on-the-job-training-brings-you-value-1917941
https://www.pewinternet.org/2017/05/03/the-future-of-jobs-and-jobs-training/
https://trainingmag.com/trgmag-article/2018-training-industry-report/
https://elearningindustry.com/traditional-learning-vs-online-learning
https://99firms.com/blog/generation-z-statistics/
https://www.halpernadvisors.com/employers-required-pay-employees-training-courses/
https://www2.illinois.gov/ilcc/about/Pages/FAQs-BASSET.aspx#qst8
https://dynamicsignal.com/2018/10/09/key-statistics-millennials-in-the-workplace/
https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/04/11/millennials-largest-generation-us-labor-force/