Develop training for production staff in 5 practical steps

A factory or production line is a dynamic environment where a lot happens. To work responsibly and safely in such a dynamic setting, you need specific knowledge and skills. Whether it concerns safety, operating machinery, or quality standards for the end product, employees must know exactly what is expected of them and how to meet those expectations.

The key lies in effective training. But how do you approach this as an HR professional? How do you ensure your training programs are not only accurate in content but also align with the reality of the shop floor? We share our top 5 tips for developing and implementing a training program that benefits not only your production staff but also the company and the customer.

1. Build training for your production staff, not castles in the air

Let’s be honest: nobody on the shop floor is waiting for high-flown words or empty promises. It just needs to work well, period. Our tip? Research what is actually needed at the source, and do this before you create a single training module. It will save you a lot of work later on.

Walk the shop floor, talk to team leaders and other colleagues at all levels and across various departments. You will quickly discover where the bottlenecks are and what questions are on the minds of your production staff. Is it mainly about safety? Or are they struggling with the use of new machines or software? Also, don't forget to ask about the "softer" aspects, such as interpersonal collaboration or language barriers. A production environment may seem technical and business-oriented, but all kinds of people work there, each with their own way of doing things. That, too, can become a point of friction and work counterproductively.

2. At a glance

Without resorting to generalizations, we can safely say that production staff generally prefer to learn by doing. Long blocks of text are not for them. It is better to pair a new employee with a buddy or mentor so they can literally learn the ropes from a more experienced colleague on the shop floor.

It is also a good idea to set up an online academy so that up-to-date knowledge is available to all colleagues, regardless of time or location. This is indispensable, especially for a 24/7 operation with a tight production schedule. Keep the learning preferences of production staff in mind here as well. Focus primarily on visual, short, and interactive content. Think of videos, step-by-step guides, animations, or gamification such as a short quiz with practical knowledge questions. This allows even less digitally skilled colleagues to acquire the necessary knowledge in an accessible way. Do many people in the company speak little or no Dutch? Then make the effort to translate the most important information.

3. Just-in-time learning: learning at the right moment

Nobody wants to learn everything in advance. Moreover, acquired knowledge and skills fade quickly if they are not used immediately. Therefore, move along with the employee journey and provide appropriate training for every stage of a career. If you want to get a picture of the different stages and the needs that arise, employee journey mapping can be helpful. Use lesson modules that are offered step-by-step over time. Set up your knowledge platform so that employees can easily learn, review, or look up information at the moment they actually need it.

Short microlearnings that can be easily opened on the shop floor on a tablet or phone are a good idea, for example. Again: keep it short, engaging, and interactive. A brief instruction manual on using a machine or a quick quiz incorporating safety instructions: if you package it clearly and attractively, the information will stick and motivate them to click again later.

4. The exemplary role of managers

Do not underestimate the exemplary role of a manager. Engaged team leaders or foremen are the key to success and, in turn, ensure engaged employees. This also has a downside: if managers do not see the value of training, speak negatively about it, or do not participate themselves, other employees will quickly drop out.

Therefore, involve managers in the development of the training at an early stage and feel free to think outside the box. Let them not only actively contribute to the content but also record a podcast or even play a (humorous) role in a vlog or instructional video. This quickly creates support from management, and that positivity radiates to the shop floor!

5. Refresh the content regularly

Do not view training (let alone an entire knowledge platform) as a one-off project. There are several reasons for this. What is accurate, high-tech, or super interesting today may be obsolete tomorrow. It is therefore important to keep a close eye on trends and developments (including laws and regulations!) and adjust the curriculum accordingly, so your production staff can always rely on the most current information.

There is another important reason why we recommend shaking things up in your training regularly. Sometimes a teaching method becomes worn out or outdated, the wrong choices were made when setting up a program (despite all good intentions), or the tone of voice or level does not sufficiently match your employees.
Therefore, regularly ask your employees and training participants for feedback and (very importantly!) process the results by adjusting the teaching material where necessary. Do the training participants understand the material? Is what they learned easily applicable in practice? And what is the result of the training or course: are there demonstrably fewer errors, is work being done more efficiently, or are there fewer workplace accidents? This type of information is indispensable for training your employees on the shop floor in a targeted manner.

Make a difference with your training program too

An effective training program for production staff requires customization, a practical focus, and a healthy dose of collaboration and internal communication. As an HR professional, you can make the difference. By making knowledge accessible, responding to developments in daily practice, and supporting employees in their development.

We know from experience that setting up a great training program isn't always easy. Need some fresh ideas or a sounding board? Experience the power of Pluvo for yourself! Click here for a demo or call +31 (20) 560 5001.