SAFETY
■
95 percent of what we teach
others
These numbers are very
telling and don’t leave much
room for doubt. They should
cause us to ask ourselves, how
are we doing in this area with
our company safety training?
Are we trying to incorporate
various mediums of training
in every class? If we are not,
I think it is safe to say, based
on these numbers, that we
are definitely not getting the
whole value from our time in
the classroom.
In my research, not only
did I discover several
recommendations like the
ones above, but I also found
several lists of things that
17
SEPTEMBER 2013
ACT
visual, hands on or a variation
of other methods. There
are numerous studies on the
retention of knowledge that
show clear results as to the
importance of adhering to this
principle. The results may
vary slightly but every study
I have seen produces similar
numbers to the ones listed
below.
We, as participants in
training, retain:
■
10 percent of what we read
■
20 percent of what we hear
■
30 percent of what we see
■
50 percent of what we see
and hear
■
70 percent of what we say
■
90 percent of what we do
and say
THE AUTHOR
Daniel Erwin
is director of
safety for TNT
Crane & Rigging
in Houston.
Can you remember a time when training has landed on different ends of your personal
spectrum of enjoyment?
Daniel Erwin
discusses the best methods of providing training.
T
hink back to the last
training you received
that inspired,
motivated and filled you with
knowledge. Now, on that
same note, remember the last
training that fell flat, bored
you or constituted a waste of
your time.
My guess is that we all
have ample memories of
training that has landed on
different ends of our personal
spectrum of enjoyment. As
companies, we are increasingly
affected by regulatory
agency requirements that
have become very specific in
governing the information
we must provide in training
– what must be documented,
how long the training must
take and other details. Time is
money and training is not free;
therefore, I think it behooves
us as companies to evaluate
the topics we are teaching
and also the best methods of
providing it to gain the most
benefit for our employees.
In any topic there are several
do’s and don’ts that make for
the effective completion of a
task. In continuation I have
included a few of these that I
personally have found to be
effective tools.
One of the most frequent
pieces of advice given to
trainers is to avoid using only
a single mode of presentation
in a class. This refers to the
methods of getting a point
across – whether it is verbal,
Tips for trainers
Things to avoid in training sessions
Fear and anxiety by:
■
Implying there is no fix to a problem or indicating the consequences of actions are more serious
than they are.
■
Stating things like, “You won’t understand this principle“ or, “It should be obvious that…”
Frustration creators such as:
■
Presenting information in too large of a unit or faster than the group can retain.
■
Speaking too softly to be heard.
■
Providing un-readable print due to the type being too small, ornate or technical.
■
Forcing all to proceed at the same pace, thereby frustrating the slow and boring the quick.
Humiliation and embarrassment by not:
■
Publicly comparing a worker unfavorably with others.
■
Laughing at a worker’s efforts or spotlighting weaknesses.
■
Belittling a worker’s attempt to participate with comments like “stop trying to show off.”
■
Using overly crude, offensive and vulgar language to try to relate.
Boredom by not:
■
Presenting information in a monotone voice.
■
Providing information in increments that are so small they require no thought or challenge
■
Providing opportunity for feedback (such as computer-based training at a third-party facility)
■
Reading rules and regulations out loud.
Physical discomfort by keeping away from:
■
Excessive distractions and/or noise and temperature extremes (if possible).
■
Forcing students to sit physically passive for long periods with no breaks.
are good to avoid in training
sessions. I have included some
of these tips in the box on this
page.
The information in the
box is obviously not an all-
encompassing list of effective
training do’s and don’ts, nor
could one exist. My new goal
as a result of my research is to
think back to some of the most
effective training sessions I
have attended, remember what
made them so memorable, and
then attempt to incorporate
those same techniques
throughout our company in
every instruction we give. I
invite anyone interested to join
in this goal with me in your
respective companies.
■
