New Employee Training Guide

Business owners realize that designing, creating, and implementing policy manuals during the developmental stage of the organization, can provide long term guidelines that’ll help establish a sound and productive workplace culture. In large corporations, updating policy manuals is usually a job for the Human Resources department. Smaller companies, on the other hand, often rely on online training programs in lieu of an HR department. One significant company policy manual is the new employee training guide. The impact on the workforce of a documented new employee training guide is unprecedented, and the incorporation of OSHA and federal and state labor compliance regulations makes the policy, all the more essential any company and organization, regardless of its industry or size.

The ability to present a new employee with a training guide is a valuable resource that can protect businesses from compliance issues and liabilities later on.   Click To Tweet

The ability to present a new employee with a training guide is a valuable resource that can protect businesses from compliance issues and liabilities later on. Key Points in the Contents of New Employee Training Guides Depending on the nature of business operations, OSHA provides compliance guidelines to keep all workers safe and healthy. Key points in new employee training guides vary slightly due to differences in business operations. These may include:

• Job descriptions including specific employee tasks required
• Wage, promotion and benefit compensation
• Employee relations policies
• Safety compliance regulations
• Outline of job performance evaluations and assessments

Many employers choose to present new employee training guides shortly after hire. This can be done with audio visual and online training programs during the probationary period of the new hire. Increase Workplace Safety with Training Guides Part of new employee training should always include a specifically detailed workforce safety program. This program should highlight OSHA compliance and local, state and federal labor laws pertaining to workplace safety. In certain industries such as manufacturing, construction and warehousing, safety training is a major means of avoiding injury or death to workers. However, workers need to be fully informed of company expectations based on a safety training guide. Safety training guides should be readily accessible to all workers.

Avoid Accidents to Crews and Teams of Workers

A company's workforce should be fully trained to avoid accidents and understand the need for crews and teams to work as a singular unit for safety. As each job applicant is hired, a new employee training guide should be presented, discussed and made available. New employees should be made aware of the following:

• Potential for hazards and unsafe conditions
• Availability of Safety Data Sheets (SDS)
• Duties of safety managers and supervisors
• Proper reporting of work related injuries and/or accidents
• Hazard communication contained in safety guides
• Safe work practices
• Appropriate safety attire, footwear and gear
• Safe use of workplace equipment
• Access to fire extinguishers and/or Hazmat attire for chemical spills

All of these issues can be outlined in a new employee training guide. In addition, these features should be reinforced by Online Courses for Safety Compliance. Allow the new employee the opportunity to read and understand the safety guide and then choose online courses that address safety compliance in depth. Today's workplaces focus on reducing liability and increasing worker health and safety whether or not there is a formal Human Resources department. For companies who do not have a Human Resources department, supplement this with an online safety program found at 360training.com.