When discussing your training needs with an external training provider or a consultant, you should be aware that there are a range of resources available to them that contribute to the successful outcomes of training.
It is easy for the food business owner or manager to be influenced or even dazzled by flashy aids, fun resources and well produced YouTube videos or games, only to discover at the end of the training that these resources, although greatly enjoyed by your employees did not contribute to reaching the outcomes you were wanting. The type of the training you are wanting will dictate the type of resources that should be used.
As a general rule, the type of resources needed for training can be divided into two types: learning resources and training resources.
Learning resources are the materials, information booklets and consumables that participants use to acquire the appropriate skills and knowledge. Training resources include any training aids, training facilities and the trainer.
Training aids can greatly assist the trainer in developing the skills and knowledge required by the training. Well-chosen and designed training aids can greatly enhance the training by stimulating interest, focusing concentration and presenting information in a different way. The right training aids can make a big difference to the success of a training session.
Effective training aids must be:
- simple
- understood by all
- suitable for the participants and the venue.
Active training aids such as short video clips or working models and real demonstrations are the most effective. Recently, I came across the YouTube video clip on Vomiting Larry, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLDSNvQjXe8 a robot that is helping beat norovirus. This clip also highlights the importance of hand hygiene and environmental cleanliness which leads to better management of infections such as norovirus.
Food business owners and managers should be involved in the selection of the training resources and learning resources. This will depend upon the domain of learning you are focusing on.
If the learning is knowledge-based (cognitive domain) like food law regarding food storage and handling.
Resources- that enhance the absorption of knowledge (a short presentation, a video clip or case studies).
If the learning is skills based (psychomotor domain) like demonstrating tasks such as hygienically cutting fruit and vegetables.
Resources-training aids such as hand washing sinks, knives, cutting boards and examples of finished product.
Customer service training would be learning aimed at achieving a change in behaviour (affective domain).
Resources- case studies, a visit to a food operation that is demonstrating an inspired customer service approach to food preparation and safety.
It is not just the learning resources that are influenced by the domain of learning. Selection of the appropriate physical and human resources for a training activity must be made with the learning domain in mind.
Maximise your training dollar by carefully selecting the right training provider or consultant to train your employees. Be involved. After all, it is important your employees can perform to the required business standards and meet customer and food law requirements.
Think ST Solutions offers you practical solutions at a management level and to your staff whether you operate in hospitals, aged care facilities, restaurants, hotels or the food industry generally. We specialise in developing useful tools to assist you in the areas of food safety, strategic planning, business management, risk and compliance training and easy to implement business consultancy solutions.