If you’re one of the millions of people (or businesses!) who need health and safety training for their job, you’re in luck!
Gone are the days of waiting in line for mandated courses. Say goodbye to employer run training sessions.
It’s never been easier to take you’re training courses on the internet, on your time. Finding health and safety courses online only takes a few seconds of your time, and a little know-how.
To help you take your courses the easy way, we’re breaking down our favorite ways to find.
Why Seek Health and Safety Courses Online?
Safety training means doing your part to ensure your work environment is safe for clients and co-workers alike. Many of us take training, and with good reason.
Almost 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries occurred in 2016.
It drives home the point most employees and employers already know: Training is beneficial for everyone. Whether you run a dental practice or a Fortune 500 tech firm, it can’t be overlooked.
But why then, does everyone dread workplace training day? Probably a few reasons.
First, it’s boring. While it can break up the grind of the day-to-day work, it’s not fun to watch boring training videos and read over the informational material.
Second, for employers, it’s expensive. You’re losing productivity and spending money implementing some sort of (likely) HR led training program.
Workplace interruptions cost the U.S. economy an astounding $588 billion per year.
Finally, workplace training often isn’t as comprehensive as it should be.
Between being dull and the cost, employers and employees alike are guilty of putting less than their best effort into workplace training efforts.
Online Training to the Rescue!
Pursuing health and safety courses online solves all of these problems and more. Let’s break down our three main workplace training complaints.
It’s Engaging
Health and safety courses online don’t require sitting around an office staring at outdated videos. Videos are constantly updated and focus on engagement.
They could be funny, thought-provoking, or even emotionally challenging. But they won’t be dull.
It’s Cost-Effective
Online training is flexible. Your employees can take courses at the office, or at home.
The benefit being they’re not losing productivity time. Scheduling courses for evenings or weekends can cut out wasted work hours.
It Encourages Participation
Training only works if everyone participates. Health and safety courses online create dynamic, engaging content that employees can tolerate, and might even enjoy.
Compared to the stale corporate training DVD, there’s really no comparison.
Where to Look
Online training programs are really a dime a dozen. There are tons of health and safety courses online, but that doesn’t mean every choice is the right choice.
Googling reveals pages of results, ranging from simple “training” to “Safety Skills safe colleges,” so you need to dig deeper.
Your business is unique, and your training needs to match that. When you’re looking for online training programs, keep these basics in mind.
Online Reviews
People talk and love talking about bad service. Check out online reviews for training courses.
Other businesses leave reviews about their methods, cost, ease-of-use, and communications.
When deciding how reputable a company might be, reviews are an excellent place to start.
Success Stories
Training programs vary from generic to very specific. Not every program fits every company’s needs.
When you’re looking for training services, look for success stories from companies similar to yours.
Always ensure that the training in question has worked for similar businesses in your niche.
Tailored For Your Company
Now that you know where to look for health and safety courses online, let’s take a look at what to look for in your online training courses.
Ensure They Pass Standards
Now that we’ve covered why online training is important, it’s time to figure out how to choose the best training available.
Before going into the specifics of types of online training, we need to cover the most important question that needs answering.
What standards do your businesses require, and what trainings meet those standards?
Outsourcing always comes with drawbacks, and online training, while very useful, has it’s own. Make sure whatever training company you’re looking for meets the certifications that your employees need.
Not every state is the same, and not every sector is consistent. A training course that spans several sectors might not meet requirements for your business but does for another.
Always check the website for more information about accreditations, and don’t hesitate to contact the training company in question.
Choose Your Format
Online training courses get praise for their flexibility, but that flexibility can also make choosing the right program confusing.
Formats vary widely, and it’s up to you to choose which style of training is right for yourself, or your employees.
Videos are popular, and the content produced by online courses is much higher quality than your average corporate film.
Check for courses that use short-form videos supported inter-spliced with other content. The back and forth nature can help keep employees engaged.
Many courses also utilize “guided learning.” An avatar makes a connection with employees and then guides them through the rest of the training.
Think Apple’s Siri, or Amazon’s Alexa, but with more personality and customized to fit each course’s specific needs. Learning games round out suggestions for formatting. They’re great for keeping employee attention.
Games vary but look for something that actually promotes learning. Even simple crossword puzzles can drive home ideas without seeming tedious.
Check for Real-World Examples
Crucial to finding a worthwhile online training course are real-world examples. Without hands-on scenarios, training is likely to fall flat.
Make sure each scenario presented is applicable to what you’re training. This means looking for specific online training programs.
Wrapping Up
Online training courses are everywhere, but choosing the correct one takes a certain amount of searching.
You need a service that’s reputable, fits your needs, engages your employees, saves money, and delivers results.
While overwhelming at first, finding an online program is easy when you take our tips.
Training is as important now as it ever has been, and reducing workplace injuries is crucial.
With online training programs, you can reduce your liability, improve your employee morale, save money, and put your businesses on the fast-track to success.
There’s nothing stopping you, so get started looking for your online training program today!
The benefits for your business are truly endless. Don’t wait, start searching, and contact us today for more business support!