The importance of refresher training upon returning to work

As we head towards the end of the Roadmap out of lockdown, many businesses in England now have staff working at the office in some capacity. And although there are still some people who have not returned to work, or perhaps not quite returned in a full capacity, there are hundreds of thousands of people who have or will soon be returning to their workplaces after extended periods of working from home or being furloughed. 

Health & Safety is naturally a concern for organisations at the best of times, but Health & Safety in conjunction with the pandemic and employees returning to work will pose a headache for many employers up and down the UK, and indeed, across the world. 

But what if there was something that could ease that headache? Something that can be implemented quickly, cost-effectively, and without hassle?

Bitesize Refresher Courses

One of the easiest ways to bring employees back up to speed with Health & Safety and other areas of compliance is through refresher training. The majority of iHASCO's courses are designed to be completed in less than 30 minutes and offer an engaging, interactive way of completing essential training. 

Here are a few examples of refresher courses that may be essential for returning workers... 

Fire Awareness

Fire Awareness Training is a legal requirement for every employee and should be refreshed annually. We've heard organisations listing 'propping open fire doors' as COVID-19 precaution, which is incredibly dangerous and can void insurance in the event of a fire. Knowledge of fire safety will naturally be rusty after a prolonged period of time off work or working from home. 

DSE 

Like Fire Awareness Training, DSE Training is also a legal requirement for DSE users. DSE legislation also states that training should be carried out when an employee returns to work after an extended period of time. 

With our IOSH approved course and assessment tool, working towards DSE compliance is simple. 

GDPR & Cyber Security 

The technicalities of the GDPR and Cyber Security can be difficult to understand and remember at the best of times, but if an employee has been away from work for an extended period of time are they really likely to remember everything? Our GDPR Refresher course takes just 15 minutes to complete! Perfect for returning staff. 

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Each year, slips, trips, and falls are responsible for almost a third of all workplace injuries and over a quarter of all workplace fatalities. Your staff need to remember what to look out for. Common workplace hazards can be easily forgotten. 

Returning to Work

For many, returning to work during COVID-19 can be daunting. Our course looks at safety precautions, planning, and how to handle the first few days back. Help ease staff back into the workplace with our 25-minute course. 

What else can I do as an employer? 

• Keep up to date with Government guidance - Regularly check the Gov.uk and HSE websites for updated guidance on returning to work safely during COVID-19.
• Implement a training plan - Implement a training plan - Decide on what refresher courses your staff will need if they have or are returning to the workplace and use one of our training plans to keep staff updated. 
• Continue to review the measures you’ve implemented to make your workplace as safe as possible - If your staff can continue to work from home, then they should be encouraged to continue doing so. If staff need to return to the workplace, then you should make it as safe as possible.