SHP hears from Kjell-André Steffensen, Partner and Head of Energy, Industry and Marine at Attensi on prioritising a safe working environment.
Working in a safe environment is a fundamental human right and something that must be a top priority amongst all organisations, regardless of industry.
Kjell-André Steffensen, Partner and Head of Energy, Industry and Marine at Attensi
Despite this, more than 2.3 million people still suffer work-related accidents or illnesses every year. Organisations that fail to provide effective health and safety training put their employees at increased risk of harm. Furthermore, workplace accidents can lead to organisations facing compensation claims and legal issues, as well as suffering irreparable damage to their brand and reputation.
To deliver effective health and safety training, there are three crucial elements to consider. The first is that the training needs be specific and relevant to the end user. Being able to demonstrate how and why the training is important to the employee is key to the uptake and long-term retention of the training. If the employee does not feel that the training is applicable to their role, it will serve as nothing more than a tick box exercise.
The second key factor is that the training must be engaging. Research has shown that people’s attention spans are decreasing. While Hermann Ebbinghaus’s research shows that retained knowledge halves each day, further highlighting why training must resonate with employees. Indeed, if you can engage staff, you can drive repetition and durable learning, which makes learning stick.
The final key component in effective training is accessibility and distribution. Allowing employees to learn anytime, anywhere improves uptake and completion rates.
One form of training that delivers on each of these elements is game-based training. The true-to-life simulations replicate real-life workplace scenarios in a safe-to-fail environment, allowing employees to make mistakes and learn from them without fear of real-life consequences. The computer game-style learning environment is not only enjoyable but also increases motivation, engagement, and repetition – all key in delivering real-world results.
App-based training like this can be used remotely via mobile, tablet or PC, giving workers the flexibility and accessibility to complete and repeat their training at a time convenient to them.
The competitive environment also encourages users to improve their own score and beat their teammates to the top of the leaderboard.
A bit of healthy competition can bring big results, from a 19 per cent increase in productivity, and an 85 per cent closing of the knowledge gap to a 56 per cent reduction in staff turnover*.
As the results show, proper training can drive a strong culture of health and safety, which could provide a competitive advantage. Not only will this benefit the business but it will also reassure employees that their health and safety is of paramount importance. It is in this safe working environment that individuals will feel empowered to deliver their best work.
