Category: Employee Training

How can we make sure our online Employee training is effective?

Online Employee Training can be a useful tool for developing talent, but they can also end up being a waste of time and resources, even if the content and presentation are good. The difference between effective and ineffective training often comes down to whether employees are able to absorb and retain the information they receive.

There are obstacles to absorption and retention of training. Busy employees may listen to a webinar while they work on other things, catching only tidbits here and there; or they may put a training video off until they’ve finished a project and are too exhausted to give it due attention.

To avoid these training pitfalls, consider these three tips:

The Neuro Leadership Institute argues that we learn quickly and retain information best when:

  • we focus on one topic (attention),
  • we actively connect what we learn to what we already know (generation)
  • we experience positive feelings while learning (emotion)
  • space our intake of information (spacing)

For example, cramming training on multiples topics into a tight two-day workshop would be much less effective than spreading that training out over a few weeks. Give employees time to reflect and practice the skills they’ve learned.

In some professions, like music and athletics, you spend most of your work time learning, building, and reinforcing skills before the big performance. Whether it’s a concert, game, or race, good performance necessitates constant practice. In most professions, practice seems like a luxury you can’t afford because you’re expected to be performing during your work time. This is one reason training fails to deliver desired results. To master new skills, employees need time to focus on building those skills. This means some work time needs to be set aside post-training for them to engage and practice what they’ve learned.

Align training with the present needs and future goals of both the company and the employee. When assessing online employee training goals, consider what additional knowledge and skills will enable them to do their jobs better now, but also set them up for success in their future career. Employees are more likely to be excited by and personally invested in their training if they see there is a personal return on their investment. It is the perceived personal value of training, that encourages its success.

AllMyHR’s Online Employee Training system has hundreds of quality, pertinent and effective modules. And our training consultants are available to help you design a customized package specifically for your company, for less than the cost of a Latte a Day! Schedule a quick call today 540-373-2121 or Schedule a Demo.

We’ve been both super busy and understaffed recently. Is there anything we can do during this time to help our employees avoid extra stress or burnout before we can hire more employees?

Yes. Here are a few things you can do to make this time run as smoothly and stress-free as possible:

Remove nonessential work duties: For the positions that seem most stretched, make a list of tasks that could be put on hold (or perhaps reassigned). You can invite input from employees, too, but I’d recommend acknowledging that they’re overwhelmed and saying that you’ll do your best to alleviate some of the pressure. Then hold off on nonessential tasks until business slows down or you’ve increased your headcount.

Allow for flexible scheduling: If employees need to work longer hours on some days during the week, consider allowing them to work fewer hours on other days of the week. Note that some states have daily overtime, spread-of-hours, or split-shift laws.

What can we do to be better prepared to respond to an active shooter in the workplace?

Unfortunately, we live in an environment that requires all employers to think about, prepare for, and take appropriate actions to ensure the safety of all employees in active shooter or other emergency situations. Therefore, it is important for employers to offer employees both training and action plans. Most security experts, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stress the following key points in response to active shooter preparedness:

  • Have evacuation and emergency plans in place in all locations.
  • Conduct drills and ensure that all employees are trained to be aware of the environments in which they work and to react quickly to evacuate the area in the event of an active shooter situation.
  • Ensure that all employees know the locations of the exits nearest to their work areas.
  • If evacuation is not possible, employees should know the locations of the best shelter areas and what to do, such as closing and locking the doors and windows immediately, turning off lights and silencing cell phones, establishing sturdy barricades that could possibly withstand gunshots, etc.
  • If the situation allows, employees may be trained to take necessary steps to incapacitate the shooter (tackle the shooter or otherwise attempt to incapacitate).
  • The simple advice is to run, hide, and as a last resort, fight.

Whenever possible, create your emergency action plans with assistance from local law enforcement authorities. The plan should include all of the following:

  • Preferred method of contacting 911.
  • Lockdown and evacuation plan.
  • Contact information for local hospitals.
  • Contact information for, and responsibilities of, individuals to be contacted under your employee assistance plan, if applicable.

In all cases, preparing and having a plan for an active shooter or other emergency will help both employees and managers better prepare for dealing with such a high-stress situation. We also recommend preparing your plan in coordination with law enforcement to ensure best practices.

Is it mandatory in my state to educate and provide COVID-19 workplace training to employees?

Many states have imposed regulations requiring employers to provide COVID-19 training to their employees. But not every state has. However, even when not mandated by state law, employers have the obligation under federal OSHA regulations to provide information to their employees regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and how to mitigate the spread of the virus at work.

Unfortunately, we have found no charts that outline which states require employers to provide COVID training to their employees.

Many states that require training do not implement a defined training course. Rather, each employer is required to educate and train their employees on the workplace safety protocols unique to their work environment related to the spread of the virus. The state of Virginia requires employers to do the following:

  • Mandate appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitation, social distancing, infectious disease preparedness and response plans, record keeping, training, and hazard communications in workplaces across the Commonwealth.
  • Ensure ready access to hand sanitizer and the regular cleaning of common workspaces.
  • Require employers to train employees on COVID-19 safety and to develop infectious disease and preparedness response plans. Implementation is required of employers by March 26, 2021.
  • Include guidelines for returning to work and communicating about employees who test positive and potential exposures.

I have employees that are parents working from home and they seem stressed to meet deadlines at times. What can I do to make their workday easier and help alleviate that pressure?

If you’re managing employees who are parents or caregivers, be compassionate and flexible. You’re in this together for the long haul, and you’ll get better engagement, focus, and commitment by trusting them to manage the demands on their time and attention.

Advise your employees to do the following when working from home:

  • Let go of the conventional wisdom of keeping the “normal” office day structure.
  • Don’t wait for children to wander in during calls or meetings. Find the right opportunity to invite them in, so you can describe what you’re doing and why. It’s great learning for them and sensitizes them to how their behavior might affect you.
  • Schedule extra breaks to be with children (on both your schedule and theirs), whether it be for lunch, walks, or helping with their schoolwork.

How do I make a telecommuting policy?

Although some employers will be comfortable sending everyone home with their laptop and saying “go forth and be productive,” most will want to be a little more specific. A good telecommuting policy will generally address productivity standards, hours of work, how and when employees should be in contact with their manager or subordinates, and office expenses.

For instance, your policy might require that employees are available by phone and messaging app during their regular in-office hours, that they meet all deadlines and maintain client contacts per usual, and that they check in with their manager at the close of each workday to report what they have accomplished. Be sure to let employees know whom to contact if they run into technical difficulties at home.

You’ll also want to specify how expenses related to working from home will be dealt with. If you don’t expect there to be any additional expenses involved, communicate this. You don’t want employees thinking this is their chance to purchase a standing desk and fancy ergonomic chair on your dime. That said, you should consider whether employees will incur reasonable and necessary expenses while working from home. Some states mandate reimbursement for these kinds of expenses, but it’s a good practice to cover such costs even if it’s not required by law.

[Updated June 9, 2020 in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak. See Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resources Resources for the most up-to-date information.]

Do we need to investigate rumors of harassment even if no one has made a complaint?

Yes, we recommend you investigate. A company always has some inherent liability in relation to discriminatory or harassing comments or behavior. The level of liability usually correlates to the nature, severity, and context of the comments, the position of the employee who made them, and what the employer does or does not do about it.

Since you have knowledge of a potential situation, we recommend you investigate the matter and take appropriate disciplinary action if it turns out your anti-harassment policy was violated. As you conduct the investigation, document the discussions you have as well as your findings, and reassure those you interview that their participation will not result in retaliation.

Do we need to investigate rumors of harassment even if no one has made a complaint?

Yes, we recommend you investigate. A company always has some inherent liability in relation to discriminatory or harassing comments or behavior. The level of liability usually correlates to the nature, severity, and context of the comments, the position of the employee who made them, and what the employer does or does not do about it.

Since you have knowledge of a potential situation, we recommend you investigate the matter and take appropriate disciplinary action if it turns out your anti-harassment policy was violated. As you conduct the investigation, document the discussions you have as well as your findings, and reassure those you interview that their participation will not result in retaliation.

Our management worries that offering the option to telework may negatively impact employee productivity. Any suggestions?

The concern is understandable, but working from home may actually increase productivity. For instance, Stanford Business School released a study of call center employees who volunteered to regularly work from home. The results bolstered the fact that working from home may increase productivity as they saw a 13 percent performance increase in the teleworking employees. Nine percent of the performance increase was attributed to working more minutes per shift, with fewer breaks and sick days, and 4 percent was attributed to the employee’s fielding more calls per minute due to quieter working environment. Home workers also reported improved work satisfaction and experienced less turnover. Learning more about telecommuting, establishing a clear and concise workplace policy that addresses employee and management concerns, and offering telecommuting as an option for positions where it is sensible would be a good way to begin implementing, or at least testing, this type of flexibility in your workplace.

See tools for implementing flexible workplace policies in [LINK FOR CLIENTS ONLY]

Do New York’s new sexual harassment prevention laws apply to companies that are not based in New York?

Even if you’re not based in New York State or New York City, the new sexual harassment laws now beginning to take effect may apply to your organization. If an employer is located outside of New York and has employees working in New York, the regulation would apply to those employees working in the state of New York. The state and city have different provisions for employee communication and training along with various dates for compliance.

The state law applies to all employers, regardless of size, even if you only have one employee working in New York for one day. This includes remote employees who work from their homes. It also applies to all employees at out-of-state employers with New York State government contracts, even if no one steps foot in the state.

As a client, you have access to the New York Sexual Harassment Prevention Training that satisfies State and City Requirements.

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