Maintaining accurate training records is important for many reasons including compliance with federal, state, and local laws, conformance with quality standards, as well as improving worker safety and overall productivity. However, many companies continue to rely upon spreadsheets and cumbersome manual processes to track employee training. It is important to ensure a solid process is in place for tracking and maintaining training records. Without such a system, vital training may be missed, leaving employees either unsafe or unqualified for their positions. In addition, your organization may be cited for non-compliance if a regulatory agency performs an audit, and the required data cannot be retrieved.
Develop a Process for Tracking and Maintaining Records
We have been asked by clients numerous times how they should manage training information to help ensure their team is more productive, capable, and safe. The most effective way to track training is to use an automated system to manage the information and tasks involved in the process. A system such as this may be incorporated into a Quality and/or Worker Health and Safety Program to ensure all training requirements are met and the necessary data is captured to maintain certifications and/or OSHA compliance.
Typical Training Data to Track and Record
What should you keep track of, and what is the most effective process? Although organizations may have unique recordkeeping needs, training tracking systems commonly include the following information:
- Training required for each role
- Frequency of each training type
- Completion and refresher dates of training
- License and certification validity
- Training course materials
- Course assessments
- Employee evaluations
What tasks can be automated?
- Assignments of training based on an employee’s role
- Rescheduling of refresher training, as needed, based on the frequency of requirements
- Notifications to employees who require training
- Easily accessible records of evidence in the event of an audit
- Training class rosters
In addition to automating all of the required tasks for training tracking, metrics such as training effectiveness and course assessments can be accessed. Other performance indicators, like how often licenses or qualifications lapse, or the percentage of employees trained, can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of your training program.
Additional Benefits of an Effective Training Tracking System
In today’s business climate, one of the most important benefits of a training program is attracting, training, and retaining employees. You can leverage training tracking to see where employees are deficient and train them in the areas needed. Furthermore, if employees are not continually learning, it may prompt them to look elsewhere for opportunities that foster personal growth.
In short, using automated training tracking tools will help managers become more efficient with their training efforts, which promotes safety, increases job satisfaction, and creates a more educated, skillful, and productive workforce.
Further Information
Cornerstone offers Training Tracking software that helps users capture and retrieve the necessary information to remain current and compliant with applicable regulatory requirements. Our software automates the training process with features such as email reminders, mass scheduling, and monitoring the completion of courses. Contact us to discuss integrating this Training Tracking system into your operations.
Joshua Sampia is the Director of Product Development. He is responsible for the applications development team at Cornerstone, ranging from web-based and mobile applications to device management for safety and environmental compliance and applicability.