This week’s training news
Birmingham
airport offers epilepsy training to staff
Birmingham International Airport (BIA) is the first UK
airport to offer all operational staff epilepsy training. The travel industry
is one of the sectors the National Society for Epilepsy (NSE) is targeting with
the aim of improving the understanding of epilepsy among the workforce. The
sudden relaxation, excitement, tiredness or additional stress associated with
travelling can trigger seizures for some holidaymakers or business travellers
with epilepsy. With the holiday season in full swing and customer numbers at
their peak, the likelihood of someone having a seizure is higher than ever.
Jennifer Hunt, assistant director of training at NSE, said: "We hope to
roll out the course among more employees at BIA and beyond once other airports
and airlines see the benefits."
Part-time workers are losing out in
the training stakes
Companies are not investing in training for part-time and job-share
workers, according to a new survey among HR and training managers on training
trends and issues. The survey, by training company PTP Training &
Marketing, shows that part-time and job-share workers are least likely to
receive in-house or external training, and represent well under 10 per cent of
the total number of delegates selected for training. The next most
under-represented groups in the training stakes are the over-50s and manual workers
– accounting for just over 10 per cent of those receiving training – followed
by admin staff, accounting for up to 20 per cent of recipients.
Cowboys threaten to damage reputation
of coaching
Coaching is in danger of being given a bad reputation by cowboy operators
entering the market who are inexperienced, have little training and lack the
appropriate knowledge and skills, according to a new guide from the Chartered
Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD). The lack of agreed sets of
standards, ethics and qualifications in the coaching industry is partly to
blame for this, the report finds. Jessica Jarvis, CIPD learning, training and
development adviser, said: "Our survey found coaching is the fastest
growing training practice. It can be an effective way of promoting real
learning, rather than tick-box training. But if it is not managed properly, it
can be a waste of money. With a formal strategy, clear objectives and careful
design, there are benefits for both the organisation and the individual."
Borough uses drama to improve
customer services
The London Borough of Lewisham is using drama-based training to provide a
consistent level of customer service across all of its directorates. Sharon
Wilkins, manager of Lewisham’s Front Line Academy, a group which runs change
initiatives for staff, said: "In the past, it has been difficult to
provide a consistent level of customer service throughout the authority,
because people work in different areas and circumstances." The council
devised a set of corporate customer service standards that could be adopted and
promoted to customers as a ‘promise’ of good service. These include eight
service principles relating to behaviour, such as being respectful and
courteous, as well as three more performance promises. The council approached
training specialist Steps Drama to launch the standards at a staff conference.
The council is now planning to incorporate drama into its management
development and recruitment processes.
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