Employee training in the UK involves developing skills, knowledge, and competencies for job performance. It is required by all employees across various sectors to improve productivity, comply with regulations, and enhance career growth.
In this Article:
What is Employee Training
There are various types of employee training available depending on the different working environments, usually undertaken by staff to ensure they are kept healthy and safe at work. Many training courses for employees are required by law to provide workers with all the vital information, instruction and training to ensure the safety of themselves and others at all times regardless of the situation.
Employee training will ensure workers are equipped with the required knowledge and skills to correctly, efficiently and safely perform their daily duties without causing injury or danger to themselves and others around them. Employee training is given to new employees and existing employees to ensure they are always kept up to date with the appropriate knowledge.
The Most Common Types of Employee Training
The most common employee training courses required at work will include fire safety, manual handling, first aid and working at height. The right courses employers need to ensure their employees complete will depend on the workplace, whether it is an office, warehouse or manual work such as roofers, window cleaners and many more who work at height.
What Types of Employees Require Training
All employees will generally require some sort of health and safety training, depending on the work environment and their level of management. Employers are required by law to ensure all employees receive the appropriate training and this also includes contractors and self employed people.
For example, line managers will be required to receive fire warden training whereas junior employees will be required to receive fire safety training. The managers are responsible for all employees and will require more training to ensure the safety of everyone under their care.
Alternatively, manual workers who use ladders, scaffolding or other height equipment will be required to receive training for working at height to ensure the employees learn the vital skills on how to correctly use the safety equipment to avoid accidents and injuries.
Training must also be completed by employees with particular training needs, such as new recruits, people changing jobs or taking on extra responsibilities, young employees and health and safety representatives.
Staff Training Required by UK Law
There are different regulations created by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which underline which types of training are required by law.
These Regulations/Legislation include:
These regulations focus on different areas of working environments and state which employee training is required to maintain the health and safety of the work environment for themselves, their colleagues and visitors.
Employee Training & Risk Assessments
A risk assessment should be performed for each individual role to identify the risks and hazards associated with it and then the appropriate training can be determined. Employers must provide the workers with clear instructions and information along with the correct training and supervision to maintain health and safety standards in the workplace.
How to Track Employee Training
In the workplace it is vital that employers keep track of employee training to ensure all employees are kept up to date with the latest training to maintain health and safety at work.
Tracking employee training will include:
Which courses are required
Which employees have completed the training
Keep up to date on when refresher courses are needed
One of the most accessible ways to track employee training is to keep a record of all employees and the training they have completed by using an excel spreadsheet or Google Sheets if there are multiple people that require access and editing abilities.
The spreadsheet can be split into categories including training log, courses and learners and every time an employee completes a training course, the spreadsheet must be updated with a record of who, which training course and when.
A Learning Management System (LMS) is also a beneficial way of keeping track of staff training as it provides many more features than a traditional spreadsheet. Employers are able to upload training materials, manage content and assign it to certain employees. Statistics and reports are also readily available to provide an effective solution for tracking employee training.
Why Tracking Employee Training is Important
Tracking employee training is hugely important because it ensures you know exactly which employees have received the required training and who still needs to complete the courses. Keeping an up to date record will also highlight when a refresher training course is required for employees to maintain their knowledge and skills when it comes to ensuring health and safety in the workplace at all times.
Keeping track of employee training provides organisations the following advantages:
Ensures compliance with industry regulations
Identifies skill gaps
Measures training effectiveness
Enhances employee performance
Supports career development
Leads to a more competent and efficient workforce
Boosts employee motivation
Benefits overall organizational productivity and success
Regular training is essential as not only does it keep employees safe, it also provides employees with all the correct information, instruction and skill on how to use the work equipment, how to perform risk assessments and how to evacuate safely in the case of an emergency.
Training for New Staff
Training is also required for new hires and whenever new equipment is introduced and so keeping track of the training will help employers know which employees have received the appropriate training for each piece of works equipment and when they require a refresher course.
The Most Common Types of Employee Training
There are multiple types of employee training which are required for certain working environments to ensure employees develop the necessary skills to identify workplace hazards and risks.
The most common types of employee training include:
Health and Safety
This ensures employees receive the appropriate training to effectively identify any hazards in the workplace which can be reduced with the implementation of safety measures. This makes sure all employees are always safe at work.
Manual Handling
Injuries at work can be caused by lifting and moving heavy objects and so the manual handling training will teach employees the correct way to move objects to prevent injuries such as sprains, strains and broken bones.
Risk Management
All employees should have a basic understanding of potential risks that can be caused in the workplace depending on the daily duties and equipment used. Employees must be able to identify any hazards and inform employers to ensure the risk is reduced or prevented to improve safety.
First Aid
First aid training provides all employees with the necessary skills that may be required if an accident or incident occurs. This includes resuscitation techniques and how to deal with injuries such as broken bones, heart attacks or burns before an official medic / ambulance arrives.
Fire Safety
This training provides all employees with the knowledge and skills regarding what to do in case of a fire emergency. This will include learning how to use the fire safety equipment, how to find and use the escape routes and how to identify and manage risks in the workplace that can cause fire.
Employee Training vs Employee Development
The key distinction between employee training and employee development lies in their focus: training equips employees with specific skills and knowledge needed for their current job responsibilities, while development emphasizes the long-term advancement and growth of employees in their careers.
The employee training helps workers to perform their job better by knowing how to use the work equipment safely and how to keep themselves and others safe while at work.
The employee development is less about the technical skills required in the working environment and focuses on the growth of employees as individuals. Employees are helped to develop their skills and attitudes to be able to succeed in future challenges and develop their career paths long term.
The majority of workplaces tend to reserve employee development for the higher level employees such as managers and supervisors to improve their leadership and management skills. However, development is a highly important skill for everyone and the relevant resources should be accessible to allow all employees to develop further.
How Employee Training Impacts Productivity
Employee training provides a hugely positive impact on productivity in the workplace. All employees are fully trained in how to use the work equipment to prevent injuries and maintain everyone’s health and safety throughout the working hours, which means the work is completed quickly yet efficiently and there are fewer accidents, so everyone is fully fit to work.
The training courses are designed to improve workplace safety and workers’ competence by enabling employees to effectively identify any hazards and manage risks by implementing certain safety measures. Employees will feel safer and their morale and motivation is boosted knowing they are fully protected at work which successfully improves productivity in the workplace.
Employee training is an essential service that employers are legally required to provide. There are various training courses available and the right ones will depend on the working environment and the type of work being carried out.
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