Most people enjoy learning in one way or another. Whether it’s something that can help in personal or professional lives, workplace training can be a mental health boost.
Between the pandemic, cost of living increases and world events, many people are feeling more anxious and stressed than they have at any other time. That’s why it’s important that employers do what they can to assist employee mental health. Workplace training is one mutually beneficial and effective way for employers to engage employees and support their mental health.
What is Workplace Training?
Workplace training is any form of training or learning that an employer provides for staff. The training can come in many different forms and offer a range of benefits to both parties.
What Are the Different Types of Workplace Training?
Workplace training is as diverse as the workforce of any given workplace. It covers a wide range from professional development to personal care.
#1 eLearning Courses
eLearning has been found to be effective in helping workers retain information because it involves small pieces of information and often makes use of more than one of the senses. eLearning is often used for educating staff about workplace safety and onboarding, but can be extended to nearly any topic.
#2 Yoga and Meditation Classes
With many people feeling anxious about the future, meditation and yoga are being used to reduce anxiety symptoms. Having an expert come in to teach staff the right techniques is a valuable tool employees can use, with activities they can begin to incorporate into their daily lives. Facilitating classes that target stress and anxiety directly can help to reduce the likelihood of employees taking time off work due to stress in the future.
#3 Guest Speakers and Representatives
Employers can organise speakers to come to the organisation from other organisations to inform staff on a range of topics. Ask staff what they are most interested in. It could be a work-related topic like career development or combatting workplace injuries (which Altius Group can help with), a motivational speaker, or an expert on topics that can help in their personal life such as building resilience or managing expectations. Other topics such as finance, parenting, or nutrition (to name a few) should not be off the table if there is interest amongst the employees.
#4 Career Development
Most people like learning a new skill that may help them move into their next role, whether it’s within the organisation or at another organisation. If employees aren’t learning new skills on the job, they may feel concerned that they are being left behind, which could result in them looking for a new employer that does offer training. Completing an external course gives staff an opportunity to leave the building for a couple of days and meet new people with similar career aspirations.
#5 A Conservation Day
Getting out into nature is good for everyone’s mental wellbeing. The organisation could choose a conservation cause such as tree planting, maintaining local bushland or wetland and get staff involved. A conservation expert can provide staff with information about how they’re helping the environment before everyone gets their hands dirty. Staff have the opportunity to get to know their colleagues better away from the office environment.
#6 WHS Training and Manual Task Training
WHS training is important to minimise risk and injury within the workplace. This training can be conducted as part of your employee on-boarding or regularly with existing staff to enforce safety practices. You might think this is only important if you’re working with dangerous equipment or materials. However safety training covers a broad range of topics ranging from ergonomics to psychological risk in the workplace. It’s important to find a tailored program that covers the needs of your organisation.
How Training Can Boost Employee Mental Health
Training can improve employee morale. Learning something new can help a worker be more effective or efficient on the job, or even assist them in their personal life. Happier employees translate into happier customers or clients and impact the bottom line.
Showing That the Organisation Cares
Most employees would like to work for an organisation that cares about its people. When employees see the organisation putting time and money into programs that benefit staff wellbeing, they’re more likely to tell others about their work and feel good about coming to work.
A Break From the Everyday
Some people’s roles are the same - day-in and day-out. For others, just going to the same building and seat gets boring. Doing something different from the everyday tasks can give them a break and something to look forward to. An excursion away from the office and into the great outdoors is a welcome break.
Improved Confidence and Career Development
Workplace training can help employees in other many aspects of their lives, including improving their wellbeing and confidence. Employees who have been given WHS training are naturally more aware in their job roles and can approach potentially higher-risk roles with confidence and a growth mindset. Training employees in new skills for wellbeing such as strategies to ease and overcome anxiety and stress, diet and nutrition, sleep hygiene, and ways of introducing more consistent exercise gives employees a mental boost as they pursue a more healthy life outside of the work environment.
Providing training in career development can also empower employees to think of their futures. This can give them skills they can share in their organisation.
Altius Group offers a range of workplace wellbeing packages, designed by our team of allied health professionals, that are evidence-based, innovative and results orientated. For more information about the modules and platforms you can access through Altius Group, read more about our Workplace Wellbeing Programs and Manual Task Training services, call 1800 258 487 or get in contact online.
