The importance of employee training is obvious; any successful risk manager knows that employee training is a direct way to prevent incidents. Whether to help improve job performance, minimize workplace incidents, or create a set of standard practices, employee training should be a top priority of any business.

However, some organizations aren’t entirely sure of what aspects should be included in employee training, and what knowledge they can reasonably expect the employee to have.

In this article, we’ll cover the major topics that should be included in employee training, and breakdown what specific knowledge any employee should know.

4 Topics That Must Be Included in Employee Training

1. Corporate policies and procedures

The corporate policies and procedures of the organization should be one of the first things taught to an employee. Many organizations simply give employees a handbook full of policies and expect them to read it on their own time. However, this is misguided at best. 

The use of an employee handbook should be used to complement any training. A clear orientation, which details exactly what is expected of the employee, is the best course of action. This will prevent any issues from employees either misunderstanding certain policies or not being aware of them.

The details of the following policies and procedures should be included:

  • The expected work hours
  • Whether employees can follow a flexible or strict schedule
  • Policies on overtime
  • The proper way to treat co-workers
  • The appropriate means of dealing with conflict
  • Expectations on attendance and punctuality
  • Use of corporate assets

2. Workplace violence and sexual harassment

Workplace issues relating to violence and harassment should be a major concern to risk managers. By not clearly stating what is expected of employees, how to react in a situation of harassment, and the punishment associated with said harassment, there can be major consequences for the organization.

Employees need to know the correct avenue of complaint if they feel threatened in any way. As well, they should feel confident that their complaint will not lead to negative repercussions.

Training on workplace violence and sexual harassment should touch on these key topics:

  • What actions constitute violence and harassment
  • The different types of violence and harassment
  • How to react if you are the victim of said violence or harassment
  • What to do if you witness violence or harassment in the workplace
  • Where issues of violence or harassment can be reported

3. Management and Supervising

Although employee training usually focuses on those being supervised, the supervisors and managers themselves should also be properly trained to ensure success. A lack of training to managers and supervisors can cause negative consequences to trickle down the chain of command and affect those employees being supervised.

Those in positions of authority need to know what is expected of them and how they should react in certain situations. Ensuring that employees are properly managed is key to organizational success.

Management and supervisors should be trained to have the following knowledge

  • The policies and procedures that employees must follow
  • How to defuse conflict in the workplace
  • Types of punishment that is appropriate for employees (and types that are not)
  • What to do in case of emergency situations (such as fires or earthquakes)
  • How to handle cases of violence or sexual harassment
  • The expected processes that employees should follow

4. External Resources

Each employee should understand that there is a level where internal handling will end, and external assistance will be involved. As well, companies that offer benefits should make employees aware of those benefits upfront so that there are no issues later.

The external resource discussed may be one, or all, of the following:

  • Dental plan
  • Counseling
  • Health benefits
  • Pension plans

Employee training is one of the cheapest and most effective ways for organizations to diminish their level of risk at any given time. By including the four topics of training mentioned above, organizations will be well on their way to drastically decreasing the risks they face. 

Similar to employee training, incident and claims management software allows risk managers to mitigate the risks in their organization. ClearRisk's risk management software allows for the seamless tracking of incidents and claims throughout their entire process. As well, the process of collecting and submitting data to other departments and other service providers becomes automated while using the software. If you're interested in learning more, click the link below.

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