According to an almost two-decade-long study, less than one-third of working citizens in the U.S are engaged in the workplace. Employee engagement measures an individual’s enthusiasm and commitment to their job duties as well as the organization itself. These dismally low numbers signal an employee crisis within the country. Employees who are unhappy – or merely indifferent – are the majority, and this is harmful to businesses.
Unengaged employees lead to low production, bare-minimum job performance and high turnover rates. Investing in employee development has been shown to not only improve individual employee output but also to increase overall job satisfaction and morale. Set your employees up for success and continue reading to learn how hazmat employee training programs can improve your company culture.
Establish a Positive First Experience
One of the main causes of a negative company morale is a negative onboarding process. Before a lack of professional or technical development opportunities is realized, many employees are deprived of proper training early on and don’t have an onboarding training program. Having a well-thought-out employee onboarding training is essential to molding new hires by relaying company standards along with the organization’s values. Similar to meeting new people, first impressions have a long-lasting impact that can shape the outcomes of future interactions for years to come.
Effective new employee training programs make new employees feel prepared for all aspects of their role and believe that the company actively wants them to succeed. A lack thereof can harm the new hire by failing to establish a clear understanding of what the new job entails. This could also indicate disorganization within the higher rankings of the company or a lack of interest in new and lower-level employees, which can irreparably harm company culture.
Greater Potential for Internal Promotions
Growing an employee’s skill set is an opportunity that every employer should want to offer – but few actually do. In fact, most companies barely spend anything at all when it comes to training employees. Those who do end up investing much less than the recommended $1,500 per employee recommended by the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). Hazmat employee training programs empower employees to use new technology, optimize new processes, or learn about new products.
Not only does growing an employee’s skill set have the potential to maximize employee output, but it can simultaneously increase their satisfaction in the workplace. ASTD found that companies that invested at least $1,500 per employee had 24% higher profit margins than those who didn’t. Better-trained employees make for more qualified employees. This can lead to higher numbers of internal promotions and employees feeling that they can grow with the company.
Not only are these training programs beneficial for hazmat employees, but they’re quite crucial for the business as an entity. IBM recently conducted a study and found that with new technology constantly being introduced, a company loses 10 to 30% of their original capabilities each year. Additionally, the average company loses a staggering 41% of their employees every three years. Without employee training programs in place, this can be a disastrous combination that leaves a company with perpetually ill-prepared employees in the face of new technology.
Decrease Employee Turnover
In a rare win-win situation for both parties, hazmat employee training programs have been noted to play a large role in improving job performance and reducing turnover. While you can’t put a price on happiness, happy employees repay their companies with increased productivity and loyalty. Trained employees feel supported, empowered, and most importantly, valued.
Taking the time to develop employees signals to them that their efforts matter and that the company is willing to help them grow. Many employees (and potential) employees view companies that take the time to invest in their workforce in a highly positive light. This can turn your company into a highly sought-after workplace, increasing the overall quality of your employees with greater job satisfaction.
The types of training a company can offer are vast. Some companies offer job-specific training to make each employee more effective in their regular duties, and other companies offer opportunities for degrees in higher education. Regardless of the type of training, companies ultimately reap the benefits by retaining skilled staff members and not having to partake in the costly hiring process.
While a quantitative ROI may be difficult to pinpoint, employee training programs can improve your company culture in very real and lucrative ways. If your employees meet the definition of a hazmat employee and work directly with hazardous materials or are otherwise indirectly involved in their transport, they will benefit immensely from Hazmat University’s online training. With convenient online courses, your employees can be trained and certified in all aspects of hazmat shipping process at their own pace. Check out all available Hazmat University training and empower your employees to thrive within your company.
