Role Specific and Competency Based Training

In-house training has transformed from traditional classrooms to individualized lesson plans via work-computers. Competency evaluation remains one of the strongest tools to ensure that your employees have a thorough understanding of their roles—and role-based training plans can help you make sure that they stay up-to-date on the latest policies, procedures, and regulations for risk management and compliance. If you have thought about implementing a role-based training strategy, take a look at the top five reasons why role-based and competency evaluation training strategies work:

1. Individualized Training Strategy for Each Employee

Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach to training your employees, a role-based training plan allows you to create a customized training path for each employee. You may opt for the training to be identical for all employees within the same role, or you may want to personalize each type of training program to strengthen weaknesses of specific employees.

2. Identification of Weaknesses

Competency evaluations should be conducted on a frequent, recurring basis. For example, you may conduct an evaluation after three to six months at work. However, you need to know what to do with the information garnered from the evaluation. The competency evaluation gives you insight into the specific problems your employees may be experiencing. Furthermore, competency evaluations can help you identify key problems within your existing training strategy. For example, when the majority of your employees fail a given section, it may allude to a missing element within your training program. Ultimately, a competency evaluation is how you keep your role-based training plan in check.

3. Flexible Schedules for Your Corporate Training Strategy

Traditional training methods require advanced notification, rearrangement of entire working schedules, and result in frustrations throughout your business. Role-based training programs enable you to take advantage of computerized training modules to fit the specific positions of your employees. Furthermore, the training can be taken as quickly, or as slowly, as the employee wishes, which contributes to employee satisfaction as well.

4. Minimize Training Expenses

A successful training strategy must reduce your overhead costs, and role-based training plans typically cost less than a traditional training program. For example, you do not have to take time away from your duties to conduct the training, especially if the training is taken online, or through a third-party training vendor. In some cases, you may even allow your employees to work on their training courses while they are away from the office, which reduces the amount of time wasted while performing the essential functions of their position.

5. Helps Maintain Compliance with Local, State, and Federal Statutes

Throughout many industries, especially the manufacturing, shipping, and industrial trade, safety issues remain a top concern. Since these environments pose a significant threat of injury following an accident, or improper training, workers in these industries must routinely repeat training on promoting compliance, avoiding accidents, and maintaining the safety of the work environment. This same principle may be extended to virtually any sector of the workforce. For example, shippers may create role-based training strategies to ensure proper lifting techniques and US Customs and Border Protection compliance.