Ergo Tip of the Month

August 2005

Sandalwood Enterprises is a consulting firm that specializes in Ergonomics, Process Optimization, and Information Management. The Ergo Tip of the Month is offered to our customers and friends for the benefit of the Ergonomics community. If you choose not to receive future editions, contact us at ergotip@sandalwood.com

Training/Education INSPIRE YOUR AUDIENCE!!
The problem with safety training is that it is usually mandatory and participants don’t have a choice whether or not they can attend. Therefore, you usually end up with a few semi-conscious people who are most attentive when it comes to signing the sign-in sheet and getting up for breaks. The reality is that safety training is one of the single most important things people need to be trained in effectively. It should be the goal of a trainer to not only educate their

participants, but also inspire them to change old habits and respect the rules of safety in their workplace.

Developing and delivering an entertaining and enlightening training program is both critical and challenging! Here are some tips to help you inspire your audience.

1)  Communicate the OBJECTIVE of the training class beforehand.
If people know exactly what they will gain from taking the class, ie. “What’s in it for me?” they will come better prepared to accept the content and less likely to regard all safety training as generic and repetitive.

2) SURPRISE your audience
Most people come to the class expecting videos, hand-outs and power point slides. Some people simply tune right out when the lights go dim. Try some HANDS-ON activities that get people out of their seats and working with their co-workers. Studies have shown that there is a 90% retention rate when participants are able to SEE, HEAR, SAY and DO during training. Compare that with a 30% retention rate with an instructor led lecture!

3) Be prepared for CHALLENGES

  • Don’t overload the class topics and fill them with acronyms. When participants refer to the class as a “tsunami of information” and an “alphabet soup” of acronyms, you should re-evaluate the content!
  • Hand-outs: Don’t assume all attendees can read, take advantage of pictures and diagrams to illustrate points and keep material at a 6th grade reading level.
  • Breaks - Plan a break every 45 – 60 minutes
  • Shift workers: Avoid long videos and dark rooms
  • Interruptions: Use outside facility if possible
  • Physical: Make food and beverages available for classes longer than 4 hours
  • Facility: Avoid over-filling a room. When people are squeezed together uncomfortably, distractions are hard to avoid
  • Silence pagers and cell phones!
    •

    Reference:
    Copeland, Laura & Tobias, Diane. “Training that Rocks” ASSE 2002 Conference Proceedings, Session 761.
    Bureau of Labor Statistics

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