Workplace training is an essential part of running a safe, compliant and successful business. From ensuring employees understand the risks associated with their roles to developing skills and maintaining professional standards, effective training benefits both employers and their workforce. However, finding the time to organise that training can sometimes be a challenge.

For many businesses, particularly those with busy working environments, multiple locations or employees working different shifts, taking people away from their normal duties for classroom-based training isn’t always straightforward. Coordinating dates, arranging venues and making sure everyone can attend can turn what should be a relatively simple process into a logistical exercise.

This is one of the reasons online training has become an increasingly attractive option for businesses.

With the right online training platform, employees can access relevant courses without the same disruption associated with traditional classroom-based training. At Midlands Health & Safety Consultancy, we have recognised the growing demand for flexible learning and have recently launched our new Online Training Portal, giving businesses access to a wide range of courses from one convenient platform.

Training that fits around your business

Every business operates differently. A construction company, manufacturing facility, warehouse, office or hospitality business will have different working patterns, different risks and different training requirements. What they often have in common, however, is the need to keep their workforce trained without unnecessarily disrupting day-to-day operations.

Online learning can provide much greater flexibility. Rather than requiring employees to attend a specific course on a particular date and at a particular location, online courses can be accessed when it is practical for the learner and the business. This can be particularly useful for organisations with employees working shifts or across different locations. It can also make training easier to incorporate into a wider workforce development programme.

The MHSC Online Training Portal has been developed with this flexibility in mind, allowing learners to complete courses at their own pace while giving employers a practical way to support training and compliance.

For employers, this can mean less time spent coordinating training and less disruption to the working day.

For employees, it can mean a more convenient way of completing training that fits around their working commitments.

But is online training as effective?

One of the questions businesses may have when considering online training is whether it can really provide the same value as face-to-face learning.

The answer depends on the course, the subject matter and the quality of the training provider.

Online training shouldn’t simply be viewed as a cheaper or easier alternative. The important consideration is whether the course is relevant, properly developed and delivered through a reputable platform. For many areas of workplace learning, online courses can provide an effective way of introducing employees to important subjects, testing their understanding and providing evidence of completed training.

It can also make it easier for employees to revisit information and learn at a pace that suits them, rather than trying to absorb everything during a single classroom session.

Of course, online learning isn’t necessarily the right solution for every type of training. Some practical or highly specialised training may require face-to-face instruction, demonstrations or assessment. The important thing is to choose the right method for the particular training requirement. For many areas of workplace health and safety, compliance and professional development, however, online learning can provide a highly practical option.

Making training easier to manage

Training isn’t just about attending a course. For employers, there is also the ongoing challenge of ensuring the right people receive the right training at the right time.

This becomes increasingly important as businesses grow.

A small business with a handful of employees may be able to organise training relatively easily. For a larger organisation with multiple teams, sites or departments, the process can become considerably more complicated. Online training can help simplify that process by giving businesses access to a wider selection of courses without having to arrange a separate classroom session for every requirement. It can also make it easier to build training into an employee’s development rather than treating it as something that only happens when a problem arises or a deadline approaches.

This is particularly relevant to health and safety.

Training should be viewed as part of an organisation’s wider approach to managing workplace risks. Employees need to understand the hazards associated with their roles and know how to work safely. Employers need to be able to demonstrate that appropriate measures are in place to protect their workforce. The right training can therefore form an important part of a wider health and safety management system.

More than just health and safety

Although workplace health and safety remains a key area of training, businesses often have much broader development requirements. That is why the new MHSC Online Training Portal has been designed to offer more than traditional health and safety courses.

The platform currently includes training across Health & Safety, Business Skills, Health & Social Care, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Hospitality and IOSH Approved e-learning.

The health and safety selection includes courses covering areas such as Asbestos Awareness, Working at Height, Manual Handling, COSHH Awareness, Fire Marshal Training and Abrasive Wheels, alongside other workplace training options. The wider portfolio includes subjects such as Food Safety and Alcohol Personal Licence Holder Training.

This breadth means businesses can potentially address several different training requirements through one online platform, rather than having to search for different providers for every course. The portal also includes courses approved or recognised by a range of professional and awarding organisations, depending on the course, including IIRSM, CPD, IATP, the Institute of Fire Engineers and the Institute of Hospitality.

A flexible approach for modern workplaces

The workplace has changed considerably, and the way businesses approach training needs to reflect that. Employees may work across different sites, operate different shift patterns or have responsibilities that make taking an entire day away from the workplace difficult.

That doesn’t reduce the importance of training. If anything, it makes finding practical ways to deliver it even more important.

Online learning provides businesses with another option.

It allows training to become more flexible, helping organisations provide employees with opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills without every course requiring employees to be in the same room at the same time. For businesses, that can help reduce disruption while supporting a more consistent approach to workforce training. For employees, it provides greater control over when and where they complete their learning.

Choosing the right online training

Of course, not all online training platforms are the same.

Businesses should consider the relevance of the courses available, the credentials associated with the training, the reputation of the provider and whether the courses genuinely meet the needs of their workforce. It is also important to remember that completing an online course alone does not automatically mean a business has fulfilled every health and safety responsibility. Training should form part of a wider approach that considers workplace risks, suitable control measures, competent advice and the specific requirements of each role.

At Midlands Health & Safety Consultancy, our new Online Training Portal complements the wider health and safety consultancy and training services we already provide. This means businesses can access online learning alongside professional advice, risk assessments, audits, inspections and ongoing health and safety support.

For organisations that regularly need to train several employees, there are also discounted training bundle packages available to annual retained clients, providing an opportunity to manage multiple training requirements more cost-effectively.

Could online training work for your business?

There is no single approach to workplace training that will suit every organisation. The most effective solution will depend on the nature of the business, the risks involved, the roles employees carry out and the skills they need. For many organisations, however, online training provides a flexible and convenient way to support employee development and workplace compliance. It can remove some of the logistical barriers associated with traditional training while giving employees access to relevant learning when it suits them.

The launch of the MHSC Online Training Portal provides businesses across the UK with a new way to access a growing range of online courses, backed by the experience of a consultancy that already supports organisations with their health and safety and compliance requirements.

Whether you need training for one employee or are looking for a solution for a larger workforce, it is worth considering whether online learning could make managing your training requirements simpler.

Explore the full range of courses available through the MHSC Online Training Portal today.

If you’re unsure which courses are right for your business, contact the MHSC team for advice on your training requirements and available options.