Study: Online, blended learning better than face-to-face

Incorporating technology in classroom instruction can enhance learning, according to a U.S. Department of Education analysis of controlled studies comparing online and face-to-face instruction.

The Department of Education analyzed 46 studies comparing online learning to face-to-face education and concluded that “blended learning,” or program that utilize both online and face-to-face learning, is more effective than using one method alone.

From the Department of Education press release:

The meta analysis showed that “blended” instruction – combining elements of online and face-to-face instruction – had a larger advantage relative to purely face to face instruction or instruction conducted wholly online. The analysis also showed that the instruction conducted wholly on line was more effective in improving student achievement than the purely face to face instruction. In addition, the report noted that the blended conditions often included additional learning time and instructional elements not received by students in control conditions.

From the authors’ discussion section of the study:

That caution [not to assume that an effect is due to a given medium] applies well to the findings of this meta-analysis, which should not be construed as demonstrating that online learning is superior as a medium. Rather, it is the combination of elements in the treatment conditions, which are likely to include additional learning time and materials as well as additional opportunities for collaboration, that has proven effective. The meta-analysis findings do not support simply putting an existing course online, but they do support redesigning instruction to incorporate additional learning opportunities online.

Read Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning: A Meta-Analysis and Review of Online Learning Studies (2009).

The department noted that this new meta-analysis goes against previous studies, which generally found that online and face-to-face education methods were comparable in their learning effectiveness.

Are “lunch and learns” bad for business?

“Lunch and learn” programs are used by countless businesses to fit training and development into everyone’s busy day by turning employees’ lunchtime into informal training sessions.

While some feel that squeezing more learning into our jam-packed days with “lunch and learns” is a boon for business, others strongly believe that they can be quite a bother.

Nick Milton of Bath, UK, recently explained why he thinks “lunch and learns” are a bad idea in a post last week. While learning during lunchtime makes sense at first glance, it may be sending employees the wrong message. He writes:

But what message are you giving? You are giving the message that learning and knowledge sharing is not something that should be a priority during working hours, and should be fitted into spare lunchtimes. You are giving the message that learning is not real work, to be done during work time. You are giving the message that learning is something you can do while eating, and that you don't need to give it full attention. You are making the tacit assumption that people will not turn up to learn something unless you bribe them with cookies.

If learning is important, don’t relegate it to lunchtime. How many other business activities would you hold at lunchtime, so people could eat as they participated? Would you have "lunch and budgeting?" "lunch and project planning?" lunch and personal appraisal?" "lunch and recruitment interviewing?" No you wouldn't, so why relegate learning to lunchtime? (read the full post)

We’ve written before on the benefits of “lunch and learn” training, and how it can help businesses save money and improve employee productivity. But what works for one person or company may fail with another and it’s our job to learn from both sides of the equation.

So, we want to know what side you’re on. Have you tried “lunch and learn” seminars? Are you a fan? Why or why not?


Please leave a comment and tell us about it.

Gifts for the boss you loathe so much

They're mean, they're malicious and they're definitely nothing like Oprah. But somehow you've been forced into buying a gift for that boss or coworker you hate working with. What do you do?

Try the Ugly Flower Store where you can "Send virtual Ugly Flowers for free to anyone who deserves ugly flowers."

There are six beautifully ugly arrangements to choose from:

• 1 Dozen Dead Yellow Roses
• Dead Plant
• Dead Rose Bouquet
• Single Dead Rose
• Dead Flower Arrangement
• Dead Yellow Flowers

Choose the arrangement that fits your situation, fill out a quick form and the ugliest flower arrangement you've ever seen will be on its way (via email) to your unsuspecting recipient.

Show someone how much you don't care today.

And have a happy Friday!

Carnival of HR: Lions, tigers and bearded HR ladies?

The latest installment of the Carnival of HR is up over at the Inflexion Point Blog, hosted by Mark Stelzner.

Mark has put together quite a show, with freakishly interesting posts from some of the leading HR bloggers on the carnival circuit. Check out the wild side of HR at the HR Carnival today.

When cookie-cutter sexual harassment training just won’t cut it

The number of sexual harassment charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are up 11% from last year and stand at the highest rate since 2002, according to EEOC data.

But as the statistics show, many of the cases don’t resemble the situations portrayed in most of the “cookie-cutter” sexual harassment training videos out there. Sexual harassment charges filed by men amount to 16% of total charges reported to the EEOC, up almost 5% from the late 1990s.

A recent case involving retail giant Dillard’s reveals just how important same-sex harassment training can be.

According to the EEOC, Dillard’s violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by permitting a sexually hostile work environment to exist for male employees at one of the company’s Florida locations. The charges against Dillard’s included verbal and sexual harassment of a male store associate and young dockworker by a male supervisor.

The male workers accused their supervisor of exposing himself to them, making sexual propositions, and making sexually explicit and derogatory comments. Managers continually ignored complaints made by the workers about the harasser.

After the store manager told the associate involved in the case to “get back to work” because he was being “hypersensitive” and “overreacting” to the situation, the associate quit.

It wasn’t until another employee reported similar offenses made by the same supervisor that the store manager decided to take action. The store manager notified the district office and fired the supervisor.

The EEOC filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Dillard’s in response to the two employees’ complaints. Dillard’s argued that it was not liable because the company had an anti-harassment policy and had fired the accused supervisor. The company also claimed that the supervisor’s actions did not create a hostile work environment.

The court rejected Dillard's argument and found that Dillard's anti-harassment policy could not absolve it of liability if the policy hadn’t been effectively implemented. The store manager’s failure to report Reed’s two claims was a violation of the company’s own reporting procedures.

The court noted that the store manager held one of three positions detailed in the anti-harassment policy’s reporting procedure. When he twice failed to escalate the complaints to the district office, he violated Dillard’s policy. (Business Management Daily)

Use this case as a reminder that even though harassment may not look exactly like what you saw in the training video, it’s still harassment. Male-on-female, male-on-male, female-on-female or female-on-male, sexual harassment is sexual harassment and should be treated as such.

Employees’ #1 summer wish: TIME

If employees had it their way this summer, they’d be given the chance to leave early on Fridays and would have more flextime to work with, according to a new survey.

OfficeTeam recently polled more than 450 workers and found that time is at the top of most employees’ summer benefits wish lists.

Workers were asked “Which of the following summer benefits would you most like to have?” Their top answers were:

• Flexible schedules - 38%
• Leave early on Fridays - 32%
• Activities (e.g. company picnic, potluck) - 6%
• More relaxed dress code - 5%

“Employees appreciate flexibility in their jobs because it gives them greater control and enables them to handle other commitments without sacrificing their work performance,” said Robert Hosking, executive director of OfficeTeam.

Allowing employees to have more flexible schedules during the summer months and throughout the year can be an inexpensive way to improve motivation. Just like the “Leave the Office Earlier” holiday promoted earlier this month, most of us could use a break away from the office.

Employees are more stressed than ever, spending more time at work to complete increasingly heavier workloads. Allowing for workplace flexibility benefits both employees and employers by improving retention rates, productivity and reduces stress.

So, if you’re looking for a simple way to improve morale around the office, give employees more time away from it. Let them leave early on Friday or work from home for a few hours next week and make your employees’ wishes come true.

Does your office loosen up during the summer months to allow for more flextime? Is going home early on Fridays ever an option? Leave a comment and let us know.

Is Oprah the world’s greatest boss?

She’s No. 2 on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list, made an estimated $275 in 2008 and this year Oprah may have earned herself the title of world’s greatest boss.

At least that’s the title they give you these days when you take your entire staff and their families on a Mediterranean cruise.

From The Oprah blog at the Chicago Sun-Times:

For the second time in recent years, she's making a strong case for that title by taking her entire staff and their families on vacation. This time they're going on a lavish Mediterranean cruise.

Winfrey and her staff will leave Chicago on Saturday. The cruise ship will stop in Spain, Italy, Turkey, Greece and Malta. She is covering transportation, food, drinks and activities at port stops.

In 2005, Winfrey celebrated the end of her "Wildest Dreams" season by surprising her staff with an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii.

According to Chicago-based Best Travel, a cruise like the one Winfrey is taking her staff on costs about $5,400 a person.

So, most bosses don’t have the same kind of resources that Oprah does, but there are a ton of bosses out there that know how to recognize employees even on the most limited budget.

Have you ever had a boss do something so great that you wanted to nominate them for a world’s greatest boss award?

We’d love to hear the story. Tell us all about it in a comment below.

Look like a pro and keep your cool with the "New Ice Suit"

You can now keep up with dress code during the summer months without looking like a hot mess with the "New Ice Suit" out of Japan.

(Image via CrunchGear)

It's specially designed to alleviate the usual discomfort that comes with walking around a steamy downtown during the hottest months of the year. A few, strategically placed ice packs keep any suit-wearing businessperson comfortable and cool. Read more at CrunchGear.

What will they think of next?

Does your office change the dress code during the summer? Would you ever consider dropping $520 on the "Ice Suit" to keep cool, but still look like a pro?

Negative feedback can be a gift

At least that’s how Sam Chapman, CEO and author of The No Gossip Zone, chooses to look at it. In Chapman’s opinion, positive and negative feedback both play important roles in our careers. Instead of looking at negative feedback and constructive criticism as an insult, we should be thinking of it as a gift.

“Without negative feedback, we would never improve ourselves and our lives,” said Sam Chapman. “And after enough practice at accepting negative feedback, you might even find yourself letting out an involuntary “hmm” noise as you realize the truth in a bit of negative feedback.”

Here are four of Chapman’s steps to dealing with negative feedback in a positive way (via Talent Management):

• Don’t blame the messenger. By accepting that everyone has something valuable they can teach us about who we are, we open up to a realm of creativity, growth and success that we never thought possible.
• Curb your defenses. Take a step back, a deep breath and remove yourself from the situation for a moment.
• Feel the emotions, but don’t get stuck. Be careful not to get so caught up in being angry that you don’t have the energy to realize what you need to do to improve.
• Turn your feedback into a request. Make sure your feedback isn’t in the form of a complaint. The gift of feedback is much easier to receive when it’s in the form of a request rather than a complaint.

And here’s some more great advice on how to handle negative feedback from Alissa Livingston, a merchandise planner for men's clothing and furnishings at Polo Ralph Lauren, from All Business:

Fraudulent OSHA trainers under fire

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has implemented more rigorous guidelines and improved monitoring standards to eliminate fraudulent trainers from the ranks of its Outreach Training Program.

The 36-year-old Outreach Training Program is a voluntary program that has grown to a national network of more than 16,000 independent trainers. Eligible trainers teach workers and employers about workplace hazards and are also authorized to provide OSHA 10-hour course-completion cards.

However, some trainers have been fraudulently issuing course-completion cards without providing the appropriate workplace safety training.

"The use of independent trainers has allowed OSHA to significantly extend its training capabilities," said Jordan Barab, acting assistant secretary of labor for OSHA. "But OSHA will not tolerate fraudulent activity or unscrupulous trainers when workers' health and lives may be at stake.” (OSHA press release)

As the program’s success grew, some states and cities made the 10-hour courses a mandatory term of employment. Fraudulent training activity became more apparent to OSHA after businesses started making it a requirement for workers.

To fight the fraudulent training activity, OSHA has increased unannounced monitoring visits to check that trainers are adhering to program requirements. Any fraudulent activity will continue to be reported to the Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General. Trainers caught falsifying information may be subject to criminal prosecution.

"Strengthening the integrity of the Outreach Training Program will help ensure that workers receive quality training, help them gain employment and return them home safely at the end of their workday," said Barab.

OSHA has asked the public to call a new outreach fraud hotline at 847-297-4810 to file complaints about fraud and abuse related to the Outreach Training Program.

Bring your (inner) child to work day

Time to get your dodgeballs and jump ropes ready, this Thursday, June 18, marks the sixth annual Recess at Work Day.

Held every year on the third Thursday in June, it’s a day set aside for “employees and employers to take a break from the stress of today’s economic worries and celebrate their successes.”

“It has been proven that breaks are essential for satisfaction,” says Rich DiGirolamo, founder of Recess at Work Day. “Breaks lead to satisfaction; and satisfaction easily transfers to increase morale, reduced employee stress, more engaged and healthier employees; ultimately having a positive impact on productivity, absenteeism and profits.”

There are no set rules to the day, just a mission to take a break from our daily work routines and get engaged in something fun with your peers.

It could be as simple as starting up a game of dodgeball or adding a new event to your office Olympics competition, as long as it gets you away from your desk and into something fun.

What are your thoughts on Recess at Work Day? Just a silly idea, or something to get excited about? Could you see your office participating?

Leave a comment and let us know.

Unpaid training time puts employer in trouble

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recovered $117,023 from America’s Car Mart in overtime back wages for 103 current and former management trainees, following an investigation that found the company violated the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The DOL found that America’s Car Mart failed to pay its employees overtime compensation they were legally entitled to receive for the time they spent in training.

“This company failed to follow federal wage and hour regulations,” said Cynthia Watson, regional administrator for the Wage and Hour Division in the Southwest. “In this case, non-exempt trainees were not compensated at time and one-half their regular rate of pay for overtime hours while in training.” (DOL press release)

The company cooperated with the DOL investigation and agreed to future FLSA compliance.

Remember:

The FLSA requires that covered employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $6.55 for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked more than 40 per week, unless otherwise exempt. Employers must also maintain accurate time and payroll records. Effective July 24, 2009, the minimum wage will increase to $7.25 per hour.

To determine whether an employee is exempt or nonexempt, they must meet certain job responsibility and salary tests. Current information on FLSA exemptions can be found on the DOL’s site at www.dol.gov/fairpay.

Because FLSA violation lawsuits can critically damage your business, it’s important to understand all of the federal the state labor laws on employee time and pay requirements. Know how to navigate the confusing FLSA compliance waters now, and eliminate the risk of fines and penalties later.

Corporate data security: You’re gonna need more than a policy

An alarming number of employees are ignoring data security policies and are routinely engaging in activities that could put their employer at risk, according to a survey released by Ponemon Institute Wednesday.

According to survey results, the most frequent data security offenses were employees copying secure data to USB drives, turning off security settings in mobile devices like laptops and sharing passwords. All offenses that have the potential to put a company’s data at risk.

Of the 967 IT professionals surveyed, around 69% said they copied confidential company data to USB sticks, even though they knew it was against the rules. Still worse, some employees admit that they lost USB sticks housing company data, but failed to report it immediately.

Another disturbing trend is the amount of workers engaging in online activities that raise the risk of infecting company computers with malicious software.

About 31% of respondents engaged in social-networking practices on the Web from work PCs and around 53% said they downloaded personal software on company PCs, increasing the risk of spreading malware in the workplace, according to the research.

“Mobile technologies that let employees do more while on the road are contributing to the issue, said Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of Ponemon Institute, in a blog entry. As the use of mobile devices grows, the inability to enforce data security policies could increase the possibility of data breaches. "I’m seeing a confluence of conditions that appear to be contributing to this challenge to data integrity," he said.

Over half (58%) of the IT professionals surveyed put the blame on companies for failing to provide employees with adequate data security awareness and training. About 57% also said their company’s data protection policies were ineffective and 43% said there was poor communication and enforcement of data security policies.

“The Ponemon Institute believes these results show overall lack of urgency by companies on the need to address data security. Unfortunately, our studies have also shown that it often takes a data breach incident before an organization will finally get their wake-up call and take data security seriously.” (Dr. Ponemon’s blog)

Like the survey results showed, it’s going to take more than just a policy to ensure that your company’s data is secure and protected. Read some of these past posts for more information on not only setting up a data security policy, but also training employees on how to keep your company safe:

Employee anti-phishing training, one scam at a time

Six tips for setting up a computer security policy

Employee security training: Spam 101

Employee security training: How to catch ‘phish’

Disgruntled Chrysler employee fired after Internet post

Quick tips for dealing with annoying trainees

Whether you’re lecturing a large group, or training just a few, every once in a while you experience the joy of having to deal with an annoying and/or obnoxious trainee.

From interrupting the trainer with unrelated questions, to disagreeing with certain training methods and even arguing with instructors, disruptive trainees can be a handful. Not only are they annoying to you as the training instructor, but the entire classroom of students also has to deal with their shenanigans throughout the course.

Dealing with these pesky students can be difficult, but getting disruptive behavior under control should be done early and sternly if you want to get through the training course with your sanity intact.

Here are some quick tips for dealing with an annoying trainee:

• Don’t ignore it. Rather than letting the behavior grow into a big problem, confront the disruptor. Have a conversation with the student during a break to let them know about their disruptive behavior and how it affects the rest of the class.


• Empathize. However bad their behavior may be, remember that you’re still dealing with an adult here. Most adults know better than to be rude to an instructor. So, pull the annoying trainee to the side and explain that you understand their frustration, but would rather discuss it another time and not in front of the entire group.


• Know that you may hurt their ego. You’re in charge, it’s your classroom and you have to do what’s best for the group. Your comments regarding their behavior may hurt their feelings, but trust me, they’ll get over it.


• Let them be heard. The reason behind an trainee’s annoying questions may be because they don’t feel like their opinion is being heard. Let the student say what they have to say and their comments or questions may die down once they’ve had the chance to talk.


• Engage. Create training activities that engage students in a hands-on activity. If they’re busy working with other students on a clear and focused task, they may be less likely to act out.


• Include. Sometimes a person is being annoying because they are knowledgeable in the topic you’re training and want to share what they know. If possible, make the student responsible for a piece of the training course. It could help add more life to the training and you never know, you could actually learn something new in the process.

Dealing with difficult people at work or in a training setting can be a challenge, to say the least. Remember to bring along a little patience and understanding to the situation and you’ll soon be on the road to success (and sanity).

How do you get through a training course with an annoying trainee in the bunch? Share your tips in a comment below.

Do not disturb: Daydreamers hard at work

The next time you walk by Bob’s desk and see him staring into space, daydreaming about his summer plans, you may want to think twice about telling him to snap out of it and get back to work.

What looks like lazy daydreaming on the outside may actually be a sign that Bob’s brain is busy finding the solution to a difficult problem.

New research out of the University of British Columbia suggests that our brains are still hard at work while we daydream. The study found that activity in numerous areas of the brain increases when our minds wander. Researchers also discovered that the problem-solving areas of our brains, once thought to stay dormant while daydreaming, are actually highly active during such episodes.

"Mind wandering is typically associated with negative things like laziness or inattentiveness," says lead author, Prof. Kalina Christoff, UBC Dept. of Psychology. "But this study shows our brains are very active when we daydream – much more active than when we focus on routine tasks." (Science Daily)

“One of the things that I hope might come out of our study is that people realize that their brains are definitely not getting shut down when they mind-wander,” she said. “They’re very active….You have this unique brain state where instead of having one or the other shut down, both networks are available to be used. It’s a mental state that’s really not lazy, from the point of view of the brain.”

That may be why it seems as if many people’s best ideas come from inadvertent straying of the mind.” (Ubyssey Online)

So, the next time you have to solve a difficult problem or come up with a creative idea, sitting down and aggressively thinking about it could be the least effective way to find a solution.

As the research suggests, it might be best to let yourself work on a simple task that gives your mind room to wander. You may be surprised with the creative ideas your mind comes up with while you were daydreaming.

We’ll leave you with a quick clip from a commercial you’ve probably seen before. But this time, the practice of “ideating” may not look like such a bad idea. Take a look:

Harnessing the power of group productivity

Does the number of people in a group improve the group’s productivity or does it just enable more in the group to slack off?

The authors at PsyBlog explained the answer in a post about the psychological effects group dynamics can have on productivity. It turns out that many workers will use the cover of group work to slack off.

Psychologists call the workplace phenomenon social loafing. And it’s the reason why you may want to think twice the next time you start adding more employees to a group when you want them to complete more work.

Since the idea was introduced in the 1890s, researchers have fount that social loafing can affect people in a wide range of group settings. From pulling ropes to yelling and even clapping, when people were in groups of six or larger their output was only one-third of what it was on their own.

The author does note that the findings don’t necessarily translate to groups focused on knowledge-based production:

For example a group problem-solving session relies on the brains of the best people in the group - social loafing wouldn't necessarily reduce productivity in this group as markedly.

However, it may be easy to find examples of social loafing in our own group work or in the actions of a former group member.


Why do people slack off in groups?

Standard explanations for the social loafing effect involve three main factors:

• Expectations - That person is probably slacking off, so I can slack off too.
• Anonymity - When the work is spread out, so is the blame.
• Standards - Most groups fail to establish clear standards, so some will be confused about how much they need to do.

Understanding the reasons behind social loafing can help us reduce it. Here’s how the author suggests deterring it:

• Task importance. If workers think the task is important enough, they’ll work harder and slack off less.
• Group importance. When workers can identify with the group or feel a better sense of belonging, they’re less likely to partake in social loafing.
• Understanding workloads. Or as the author explains it, the “sucker effect” is when you feel misled when you think others in the group are slacking off. Understanding that everyone has a responsibility can eliminate such feelings.

Unfortunately, most of us have either been guilty of slacking off in a group setting or have had to deal with a social loafer at one time or another. Knowing how to deal with those slackers can make a big difference in the group’s productivity.

How do you deter employees from “social loafing” in group work settings? What have you found that worked or failed to keep employees contributing equally?

Just when you think you've got it bad...

If you ever start thinking you've got it bad, just remember there's always someone who's got it worse.

Take the employees at Canon Electronics, for example, who can't sit down while working and set off security alarms if they're walking too slowly around the office.

From Gizmodo:

The president of Canon Electronics, Hisashi Sakamaki, is also the author of a book proposing some of the same measures he takes with his own company. His theory is that forcing employees to stand not only saves money but increases productivity and enhances employee relationships.

In the hallway, if an employee walks slower than 5 meters every 3.6 seconds, an alarm and flashing lights are set off, reminding the poor startled worker that he's an inefficient waste of air. Even better (or worse), there's a sign on the floor in said hallways that reads, "Let's rush: If we don't, the company and world will perish." The big boss, as a reward for thinking up all this stuff, gets to lounge in a nice, relaxing chair.

(Image via Danny Choo, sign reads "Lets rush - if we don't then the company and world will perish.")

Like I said, just when you think you've got it bad...

Have you Wowed your employees lately?

I came across an interesting post earlier this week at Jay Sheperd’s Gruntled Employees blog with a great message on recognition. In the post he explains how awarding workplace “Wows” could one day replace traditional annual performance reviews.

Here’s a piece of the story:

My daughters go to elementary school in Newton, Massachusetts. The principal — who is, sad to say, retiring this year — is a brilliant, caring, dynamic educator named Christine Moynihan. One of our favorite things about her — and there are many — is that from time to time, she makes schoolwide announcements over the loudspeakers in which she awards chidren “Wows.”

What is a "Wow"?

A “Wow” is a short description (maybe three or four sentences) of something a pupil did to earn the Wow (yes, it's self-referential; get over it). Examples include working extra hard on a particular project, helping a classmate during a difficult situation, or showing unusual courtesy or friendliness or determination. Dr. Moynihan says the Wow winner’s name and describes what he or she did to earn the Wow. That's it. It’s short, it’s public, it’s concrete, it’s earned — and it makes the kids feel great.

The only thing closest to a “Wow” in the workplace is the annual performance review, says Jay, something that as an employee and employer he hates. Jay is not alone on this one. Remember the Wall Street Journal article from last year suggesting that we should get rid of the employee performance review all together?

Instead of waiting an entire year to discuss performance, Jay thinks there’s a better way:

I propose that we replace formal annual performance evaluations with a workplace equivalent of the Wow.

Jay’s “Wow” delivery system would use the power of Twitter to force managers to deliver focused and public employee performance recognition (read his guidelines for a “twevaluation”).

Whether you choose to use Twitter, the company newsletter or the company’s PA system, anyone can mold Jay’s “twevaluation” idea into something that works for your company.

Employee recognition should be heartfelt and should happen often, no matter how you decide to deliver it. Say it in a tweet, write it in a card or simply stop by an employee’s desk to tell them how much you appreciate the work they do. You’ll be surprised at how simple and easy employee recognition can be.

How do you “wow” your employees? Please leave a comment and let us know what works for you.

Training Trends: Training for a healthy bottom line

Got training?

See if it’s time for a training check-up in your business in the latest issue of our Training Trends newsletter. In it, you’ll also find expert answers to these key training questions:

What are the three kinds of training a company needs to keep its bottom line healthy?

Are your employees up to the challenge of doing business across language lines?

Providing your employees with the right training is important, but how do you know they’re using what they learn?

Here’s a quick look at the June issue of Training Trends:

Got training?

It’s dairy month, and that means lots of photo ops for celebrities sporting milk mustaches. Ads will tout how healthy milk is, and why everyone who is anyone just can’t wait to down their next ice cold, creamy glassful. A few years ago, the slogan was “Milk. It does a body good.”™ Catchy.

We’d like to say the same thing about training. Okay, so it’s not creamy and probably shouldn’t be served ice cold, but otherwise it’s pretty much on target.

The right training is healthy for your company. A well-trained employee is less likely to make mistakes, generate errors, get hurt at work or waste materials. Teams with the right training perform more efficiently, require less supervision and are more likely to stay with your company. That means a healthier bottom line for your company. (more)


Going global with language training

It’s a fact. The world has gotten noticeably smaller in the past 50 years or so. Okay, maybe the geographers wouldn’t agree with that, but marketers, sales people and just about anyone who uses the Internet knows exactly what I mean.

We have gotten used to doing business with people in different countries, chatting with friends across the globe and seeing images of places thousands of miles away in real time.

The one skill that has not kept up with this nearly borderless worldview is language. Most Americans speak only one language fluently. That’s not the case in the rest of the world, where learning effective communication skills in two, three or even four languages is considered a basic part of childhood education. (more)


Down the road: Is your safety training staying on track?

You’ve done it all. Harassment training, forklift training, hazardous materials training and first aid training. Your employees are ready for anything. But before you pat yourself on the back and sit back to enjoy that wonderful sense of being up-to-date on everything, we have two questions for you.

First, where are your training records? If there was an accident at work and OSHA came knocking on your door, could you show them proof that your employees had received the right training at the right time? If you were served with a lawsuit for sexual harassment, could you show proof of your company’s efforts to train employees in what is and is not acceptable behavior at work?

And second, are you following through? Even if you have training records, are you following up to make sure the lessons learned in the training seminar or interactive CD-ROM are being applied at work? Are you posting signs and reminders to keep safety practices or acceptable behavior standards in front of employees every day? (more)

Each month, the experts at TrainingTime.com share all of the latest and greatest tips, trends and buzz from across the training industry in our Training Trends newsletter. If you’re not on our mailing list, please take a few seconds and sign up.

If you’re a training expert or HR professional and are interested in writing content for Training Trends or TrainingTime.com’s learning library, visit our “Write for Us” page for instructions on how to contribute.

Go ahead, leave work earlier today. It’s a holiday.

Today is the 5th annual “Leave the Office Earlier” day. No, we’re not making this up, you can read the press release.

Productivity expert and best-selling author, Laura Stack created the holiday based on the idea that most employees are dealing with increasingly heavier workloads by spending significantly more time at work. “Leave the Office Earlier” day is a way to get employees and employers to agree to limit their time at the office to eight hours, at least just for a day.

New productivity statistics show that most of us could probably use a break. During the first quarter of 2009, U.S. workers, who are already the most productive in the world, improved productivity by 1.1 percent in the business sector, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

"Given today's economy, the eight-hour work day will probably remain a myth to working Americans for the foreseeable future," says Stack. "June 2nd isn't about playing hooky or ditching work sooner. It's an opportunity for people to focus on changing work patterns, adjusting priorities, and engaging in conversations to find ways to achieve work/life balance while improving workplace productivity."

Another study by Corporate Voices for Working Families, revealed that workplace flexibility benefits employers and individual employees in such areas as productivity, customer service, employee work-life effectiveness, stress and well-being.

Eight out of ten employers and employees surveyed also said flexibility is important to recruitment and retention. Additionally, flexible schedules and innovative time-off policies help companies become an “employer of choice” for younger workers, according to the study.

Whether you think it needs an official holiday or not, workplace flexibility is quickly growing as a popular benefit that many job hunters in today’s labor market are looking for. But with the recession thinning out offices and putting more work on a smaller group of employees, some are finding it harder than ever to take that much-needed break.

Maybe a holiday like “Leave the Office Earlier” day is exactly what we need. What do you think?

Will you be participating in “Leave the Office Earlier” day? Do you think we should recognize the day each year? Or do you think we should stop watching the clock and get back to work?

Are hard times improving employee health?

In the past few years we’ve been witness to layoffs, cutbacks, furloughs and a number of other tough decisions among the long, long list of recession repercussions. But even through all the difficulties, some people are actually using this time to make positive, healthier changes.

New research shows that the recession is causing many workers to adopt healthier lifestyles. A recent survey by the National Business Group on Health of 1,500 workers ages 22 to 69 found a majority said that a healthier lifestyle is more important now than it was to them just one year ago.

One third of survey respondents said they are exercising more and about half say they’re eating healthier. The survey also found that 44% of respondents were eating fast food less often.

Whether you’re just trying to live healthier or wanting to cut back on health care costs, making healthy decisions regarding food and exercise is one of the simplest ways to get started.

Unfortunately, many of us spend most of our day inside office buildings where unhealthy junk food lurks around every corner and the thought of getting a workout in during lunchtime sounds more like a joke than a great idea.

So, lets skip the jokes and instead focus on some real-world tips for staying healthy at work:

• Get outside. Even if it’s only for five minutes at a time, grab your walking shoes and take a quick stroll around the building. If possible, set aside 15 to 30 minutes for a walk in the sunshine everyday.


• Pack your lunch. Bringing a brown-bag lunch from home will help you eat healthier and cut costs. If you’re not into the assembly, buy a week’s worth of healthy frozen meals at the grocery store to keep in the office freezer.


• Snack smart. Offices are full of snacking dangers, from vending machines to the office manager’s candy dish. Curb the urge to seek out these dangerous snacks by keeping a stash of healthy snacks like fruit and nuts at your desk.


• Say no to Joe. Though certain studies have shown that drinking coffee is healthy, drinking too much can be harmful. If you usually drink more than three cups of coffee a day, try to cut back by alternating each cup with a glass of water.
  

Do you have any other advice for making healthy choices at work? Leave a comment and share your tips and tricks for workplace wellness.