How to Get An Effective Health and Safety Online Training

Sponsored Article by Highfield

You have many options for online health and safety training. If you’re reading this article, you probably know this already. However, you may feel overwhelmed by the number of providers, courses and costs. So how do you know if your organisation is ready to go online and which of the many options do you choose?

Online training takes many forms. You can pick up an e-book for less than the cost of a takeaway coffee or a bespoke VR solution for the same cost as a new sportscar. In the real world, most people find the sweet spot somewhere in the middle. This middle ground is where the competition is fiercest and the difference between the good and the bad is most pronounced. So let’s break it down a point at a time. Here are my top 5 tips for selecting the best online health and safety provider for your organisation:

1. Look at yourself first
   Before you start looking at suppliers, take time to understand if your organisation is ready for online learning. Buying an online learning programme is not like buying a router for your home. You cannot just switch it on, put it in the corner and leave it alone. It needs care and focus.

   An effective online learning programme is:

   1. targeted – it knows who needs training, in what and by when.
   2. supported by technology – an LMS/LRS/LXP is already in place or will be commissioned as part of this project.
   3. supported by the team – it has dedicated people with accountability for success, people responsible for checking progress and following up on success and engagement.
   4. supported by management – management buy-in is essential. A learning programme should always change behaviour. People should perform tasks better, faster or safer. This should be measurable and supported by managers. Management buy-in will filter down and ensure a more successful programme.
   

2. Look at your supplier’s experience
   There are many good e-learning providers and many poor ones. The one thing you can guarantee is that they will all have shiny websites which will all say the right things. So how can you possibly tell the good from the bad? In e-learning, the focus can too often be on something new, something glossy, something different, but all e-learning programmes should be first and foremost about changing behaviour. The objective of learning is to change behaviour and while technical IT expertise is essential for e-learning, this process starts with a team that truly understands how people learn.

   A learner and outcome focused approach is essential for a successful e-learning project. While CPD is all well and good, alignment with qualifications gives you a much higher level of assurance, as well as the option to pursue qualifications if they suit your organisation.

   

3. Look at your supplier’s customers
   Who trusts them and for how long? Do they stick to one subject or can they diversify? Do they appreciate blended learning?

   You can judge a supplier by their clients. A supplier with a long history of supplying clients known for quality and service is always a good start. Getting a corporate name on your client list can be easy, but having them return year after year is a different matter. A 10-year-plus relationship with multiple clients tells you that you are recruiting a partner, someone who will get to know you and your business. They will focus on building that partnership rather than running away with the profits from one big job.

4. Look at the costs
   What are you paying for? Expertise, engagement, results? Or a gimmicky VR environment which is great fun on an exhibition stand, but does not represent your work or deliver improvements at scale.

   A good health and safety e-learning provider will know which solutions will work in which environments, and their focus will be on delivering a cost-effective solution that gives you the highest level of compliance for your budget. This focus will translate to real differences in accident and injury levels.

5. Look at the process
   Does the supplier understand how to deliver in your business? Have they managed complex projects before and are they being honest about how the process will work and what is required?

   Bespoke e-learning projects can be complex. An experienced supplier will be able to walk you through the process and be clear about what will be required from you and when. Project managers should be included from the very beginning and should drive the project from both sides.

   So, follow the list above, and you’ll be able to find a Health and Safety e-learning programme that reduces accidents across your business and helps you to maintain a safe and healthy work environment.