It is the employer’s legal responsibility to provide for the health and safety needs of their employees. The employer should make sure that, if an accident happens or someone has gotten sick, the employee receives immediate care. If a nearby clinic is not equipped to care for significant injuries, the employer should see to it that the employee gets transported to the nearest hospital.

However, in cases wherein there are no nearby hospitals, clinics or infirmary, Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) states that someone in the industry should know about first aid training. Employing someone who is equipped with first aid training is a definite plus in the workplace since accidents and illness aren’t running on a schedule. Accidents happen anytime and especially when you least expect them.

First Aid
As much as possible, first aid training is required for all workers. A risk assessment should be conducted to find out the company’s first aid needs. If the workplace is low-risk, the first aid kit should have the necessary tools for the usual cuts and abrasions. If it’s a high-risk workplace, then the first aid kit should include tools for initial treatments of the injury.

Employee Training
One way for an employer to prepare for future accident or illness situation is for them to conduct first aid trainings to their employees. For financial reasons, some employers select employees in each department to attend the training session. It would be better, however, if most of the employees receive training to reduce the severity of an accident.

For example, cardiac arrest happens to people of all ages, anywhere, and at any time. If you look at the 2017 reports done by the American Heart Association, 37.4% of cardiac arrest victims survived due to the help of bystanders who performed immediate first aid before help arrived. If ever this happens in the workplace, employees who have undergone first aid training will have to be the first responder. Usually, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) training is being given together with the first aid training. However, if this is not the case, there is ACLS online training provided for people who are too busy to attend a scheduled on-site class.

Providing first aid training to employees can also be advantageous for the company since this will be tailored based on the nature of the business. If the industry is in food retail, then the training would be different for a BPO company.

Customize to Your Workplace
To ensure that you have provided adequate training and facilities to your employees, employers should consider the hazards of the workplace and the size of the organization. Ensuring the safety of your employees can produce high morale in the workplace. This often leads to a positive attitude towards work which in turn will lead to the efficiency and effectivity of the employee. This will also reduce accidents since employees who have a positive attitude towards their job often exercise self-discipline and follow safety procedures.

Immediate Benefits
Employers will also give their employees the confidence to do what needs to be done in the event of an accident. Usually, people who lack the training tends to panic. However, with training, the employee will be able to act accordingly. They will be more aware of the problem surrounding the incident and will be able to ask the appropriate question in relation to the accident. This will help reduce further damage because they will be able to effectively manage the situation without getting overwhelmed.

The immediate response of the trained employee will also help in the recovery time of the victim which will lessen the impact of having an employee being absent from work. This can also help your employees outside of work since they can use it on themselves and on a variety of people who may need their assistance.

Providing first aid training and refresher trainings will give your employees time to bond with each other since this will also serve as a team-building exercise for them. Ensuring the safety of the employees will help create a healthy working environment which will result in high productivity for the company.

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Small business owners cannot afford to believe in the corporate lore of hiring the perfect salesperson who will become a miracle worker and spell instant success for the company. This is something that major corporations may try when they steal key sales executives from each other, but those are large-scale enterprises that can take risks and manage significant turnover rates. Owners of smaller companies cannot take such risks and thus they should establish a training program that will allow their newly hired sales staff to quickly achieve success. Developing the right sales culture is even more crucial for startup businesses since this will set the course for their initial growth phase.

With all the above in mind, here are a few training techniques that small business owners and managers should apply in their companies when they hire new sales staff:

Keeping Training Sessions Relaxed

Scheduling Monday mornings as the first day of formal training is an antique practice that does not conform to the modern world of sales. The reaction of candidates when they learn that training starts on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. can let managers know a little about the potential dedication and loyalty that their new hires may exhibit in the future. Saturday training can be planned as a day to wear casual attire and enjoy an informal lunch; the idea is to make the new sales team members feel very comfortable.

Using E-Learning Courses

New hires who are members of the Millennial Generation may not appreciate the traditional training sessions delivered by a corporate trainer in a conference room. Younger salespeople are bound to be more receptive to e-learning, a method that they have likely used in high school and college. With the recent technological push, many training tools, including quite a few medical sales training courses, these days feature e-learning components as well as classroom sessions, and they tend to be very effective.

Setting Goals and Give Rewards

The “always be closing” sales mantra is a lot more effective if actual incentives are attached. In other words, sales trainees learn better when there is a carrot at the end of the stick. If the training session features mock sales situations, and it should, the pretend buyer should ideally be the owner of the company, and she should determine which of the trainees excelled in the simulation. The best pitch should get a reward such as lunch with the manager or a gift certificate that can be redeemed at a gourmet foods market.

Using Success Stories

Case studies never go out of style; to this effect, stories about incredibly successful sales should be presented during sales training sessions. The case studies do not necessarily have to be in the same industry that the trainees will be operating in; however, it is very important to make sure that the story is engaging and that is has human interest elements.

Using Big Data

Younger salespeople tend to be very data-driven. Owners of small companies that utilize large data sets and analytics as part of their operations should share them with their new sales staff as soon as they start their training session. If the marketing department is using Big Data for branding and promotion, a marketing rep should explain to the sales trainees how the data sets and analytics are being utilized. Whenever possible, sales and marketing teams should work together and share opinions about what they find within Big Data.

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