Training that shouldn’t be cut when times get tough

When times are tough and budgets have to be reduced, it isn’t uncommon for employee training to be considered less essential in keeping a school district operating smoothly. In reality, workforce training becomes even more important.

Claims filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) increased by 13 percent between 2007 and 2009. Retaliation claims increased 26 percent during the same period. The Department of Labor (DOL) has launched a new Web site and public awareness campaign to encourage reporting of wage and hour violations and has hired additional investigators. Few districts can afford to divert funds from education to cover the cost of responding to claims and lawsuits. Providing training in essential areas can reduce the risk of lawsuits and fines over time.

There are four types of training that shouldn’t be cut: discrimination and harassment prevention training, wage and hour training, ethics training, and performance management training.

• Discrimination and harassment prevention training. Training supervisors, interviewers, and other key employees who participate in employment decisions will not only prevent incidents of discrimination that may lead to EEO claims and lawsuits but can impact overall work satisfaction. Employees who work in an environment where they are treated with respect are more likely to stay in their jobs and contribute to the overall well-being of the workplace. Regular harassment prevention training for all employees may also provide for a stronger defense in some lawsuits.
  
  
• Wage and hour training. It is essential for human resource and payroll staff to understand wage and hour rules to do their jobs. However, many of the violations inadvertently occur when supervisors allow employees to work off the clock; don’t recognize timekeeping problems; or fail to manage overtime or comp time within DOL regulations. Besides avoiding liability for back wages and penalties, managers have the opportunity to reduce district overtime expenses when they understand how the rules apply to their work situations.
  
  
• Ethics and code-of-conduct training. Employers that conduct ethics training on a regular basis establish expectations of the behaviors that are considered appropriate in the workplace (as well as those that are not). They may avoid some unethical incidents as a result.
  
  
• Performance management training. Most employees who supervise the work of others come to the job ill-equipped to direct their employees’ performance. By providing the training these supervisors need to effectively manage employee behavior, the costs associated with workplace disciplinary issues, productivity, and turnover improve.
  

Making a commitment to invest in regular and ongoing training can result in declines in employee turnover, fewer grievances, and more productive employees. Plus, they may reduce costs associated with employee dissatisfaction, leaving more money to help you educate students.

—“The Four Types of Training That Should Never Be Cut,” by Lynn D. Lieber, Workforce Management online, January 2010.