Safety Knights

I try to keep the group engaged and mix it up as much as I can. If i am doing training I like to throw in a story or fun fact relevant to the topic, showing a video, or asking the group a question or for their experience.

As far as meetings go I try to keep the group engaged by asking for their feedback or input.

I've been a part of some really engaging trainings and meetings and I've been in some pretty big snoozers. It's all in the delivery and "audience" engagement. Showing you are passionate about the topic is a big help too!

I try to keep it light but stay on topic. I also try to give it to the students in small bites and then ask questions about what we just talked about. We have to remember that some people who we are training have the attention span of a goldfish.

We do have some safety videos but we use those mainly for compliance to ensure everything thats required to be covered is covered. Following each video we discuss how it directly relates to our workplace. I have had 2 occasions in 5 years where a person could not stay awake. In that case, they were sent home and asked not to return.

I build into my presentation a couple of questions (TF or multiple choice). If they cant get 75% I require their Supervisor to retrain and give Version 2 of the quiz. After a 2nd fail, I push paperwork to HR.

GAMIFICATION! Involve them in the training. Create a game, break them up into teams and have them compete against each other. Sharing stories that apply to the content being taught is a really good thing to add personality to your training. If you don't have the history to have a wealth of stories research stories of others.

But don't be that person to walk into the room, plug in a VHS or a DVD safety video, hand out an attendance sheet, and leave the room. "Go ahead and turn off the TV when the training is done." Seriously, that happened to me many, many years ago.

I randomly call on people to read the bullet points on the slides. Then I add any color for the topic.

I use scenarios and games. I just did a Hazcom training and used 3 different scenarios. I called on different people to tell me where the downfalls were, what they would have done and how to prevent it. For situational awareness, since I work in a casino, I have placed odd ball objects like suitcases in the BOH pool areas, gift box on the casino floor and other objects in the back of the house. This teaches team members to be aware of their surroundings and to report. It also trains our security team with investigation and surveillance.

I use interactive stuff whenever feasible.

For example:
- I have the Kahoot! business license because it's a phenomenal way to get engagement (and also can do e-learning thru it)
- SDS scavenger hunts if I'm training on HazCom
- Ergonomic evaluations after we watch a video, I have them work in groups.
- Showing videos, personal experiences of mine.
- Asking for their personal experiences
- Mixing hands-on activities within the training rather than all at the beginning/end
- Telling folks to feel free to stand up/move around during the training
- Taking a small break every 1-1.5 hours

Can I be honest when I say I've almost caught myself nodding off to some of the safety videos? Which is why I eliminated a good share of them. I've been trying to revise a lot of our training to "lighten it up a little." For example, our safety handbook portion I call "Safety Ninja 101" training. I used to even give out a small toy "Safety" ninja figurine after completion to help remind them of the training. Another training I did once with our managers and supervisors was called "Be a Safety Super Hero" and at the end I gave everyone a superhero rubber duckie.

This site has some great tools to use as well for keeping engagement:
https://trainerswarehouse.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwrMKmBhCJARIsAHuEAPTwJzeoJLwWM_0wPWOS1nixzEyXmPU6VJT_Hg_xKifQ3oPHHT-5Q6QaAjY2EALw_wcB

#1 I would urge Engagement, Engagement, Engagement, and more Engagement.
#2 Make it FUN as possible
#3 Make a good talk!
#4 Lots of Coffee, Cola, and Mountain Dew!
#5 Feed'em but be careful, see "B" below.

Two worst times:
A. I use to really struggle with Third Shifters (Midnight Crews). I am a a fellow graduate of Third Shift! I hated it! Being so bone tired you can hardly keep your eyes open is no good for training. I feel sorry for the employees trying to teach a post-shift (Third Shift) class! Most of them would struggle to stay awake! I discovered if I came in an taught at midnight myself and did the training on the front end of their shift and I had much better results!
B. Post Lunch is a bad time. If you are brining in lunch make it low in carbs, and high in protein, some fat, and a little sugar (but not to much). Man you give them a big lunch of pizza they will be nodding off left and right. I use to teach Ergo and other active classes after lunch. Have them stretch and stand up frequently!
My $.02!

Know your topics and ask questions in a scenario format, What if???? Facilitate and guide discussion don't read to people, talk with them. Create a persona character when teaching or training, and know when to emphasize the important things. and for goodness sake know your audience.