TRAINING AND EDUCATION
Facing the Challenges Ahead
Online training provider iHASCO conducted a survey to gain a greater insight into the biggest challenges and future issues facing businesses, surrounding COVID-19 and workplace training. Here, they talk us through the findings.
iHASCO surveyed over 400 Health & Safety, HR and Training professionals and uncovered some of the common workplace trends and challenges, across a broad range of industries including education, care, construction and manufacturing, as well as many private sector businesses. The survey was split into three categories: Impact of COVID-19, Employee Health & Safety and Workplace Training.
IMPACT OF COVID-19
The impact of COVID-19 has been far reaching, with a much greater number of businesses suffering a negative impact rather than a positive one, as a result of the pandemic. Longer- term planning has been impossible for organisations as a result of lockdowns and forced closures, as well as having a crippling effect on company finances. The pressures put on businesses have been catastrophic for some, and it’s become a fight for survival. 60.8% of respondents said COVID-19 has negatively affected their business in some way. Organisations have had a lot to think about, not only keeping up with the latest government announcements, but also having to adapt plans and respond to the needs of their employees and customers. For some companies (22.8%), this has resulted in an increase/drastic increase in business. However, for just under half the respondents, it has meant a decrease/drastic decrease in business.
Around half of the respondents found staff absences a particular challenge throughout the pandemic. With the government’s COVID-secure guidelines, there were a lot
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of considerations for businesses in keeping their staff and customers safe. Other common challenges included staff training (38.2%) and setting up remote workers (33.5%).
Looking ahead to a new year, staff mental health and wellbeing topped the challenges for employers for 2021 for 53.6% of the respondents. Staff health and safety (38.9%), along with budget cuts (28.3%), were also in the top three challenges for 2021.
EMPLOYEE HEALTH & SAFETY
It is clear that businesses are placing employee health and safety training high on the agenda for 2021, and it will remain a key focus. According to the professionals surveyed, the biggest challenges surrounding health and safety at work are supporting mental health and wellbeing and developing a safety culture. Business owners and leaders need to be mindful as to how they can achieve this, whilst juggling all their priorities as the new year progresses.
91.8% of the surveyed professionals are aware of the legal responsibilities regarding Health & Safety, HR, and Business Compliance training, and rate workplace training 9.3 out of 10 for importance.
WORKPLACE TRAINING
Organisations have an ongoing responsibility to keep their staff safe and create a positive working environment, in a challenging business climate. Workplace training plays an important role in this for many businesses. 67.4% use
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