In an economy where companies continue to find smart ways to cut costs, it can be tempting to search for employees that can hit the ground running. However, while it may appear to save money up front, we would argue that job postings should not require safety training certificates for candidates. We are optimistic that by the end of this article, you will agree with us.

Why Shouldn’t Job Postings Require Safety Training Certificates From Candidates?

Employee Potential

Ascertaining which employees will benefit company culture, productivity, and profitability is more vital than ever to stay relevant in today’s challenging global market. Hiring new talent should never be based solely on skills. A potential candidate’s attitude, personality and professional attributes should weigh heavily in recruitment decisions.

Coachability is an attribute that positively translates to training and the uptake of new skills. Whereas a candidate that arrives with a host of certificates might be highly skilled and experienced, they also might be set in their ways with a rigid outlook towards learning the protocols and best practices in a different environment.

Cost Savings

Facilitating a company culture that emphasizes developing new skills and continuous learning can directly contribute to employee retention and growth. However, staff turnover and training can be costly, particularly for small businesses that may not have numerous employees with overlapping skills.

Ambition, passion and enthusiasm are not attributes that can be trained, but they can be honed for your company’s long-term benefit. Likewise, investing in employees and maintaining a safe workspace is an investment in a company’s future.

Workplace specific

Amongst jobs postings listed in Canada, over 70% require specific training certification to apply. However, no two workplaces are the same. Oftentimes, safety certificates are generalized under the same standard even though the equipment is different by make, model or execution. The preoperative protocol can vary, and hazards can be workplace-specific.

Employer responsibility

Despite the fact that job postings often list a requirement for specific safety training, it is the responsibility of the employer to ensure worker safety and safety training. Ask yourself how you can be confident that the safety training offered by another organization is equitable to what you would expect in your workplace. Moreover, how can you ensure prospective employees understand the job-specific hazards if training and certification are not executed in-house? Nothing can compare to hands-on, practical experience that is completed and evaluated within the workplace.

Online safety training in Canada

Many of the online courses on offer are developed for the larger American market and geared towards their safety standards. According to eSafetyFirst Canada, if your employees are based in Canada, then regulations and standards of the safety training must follow Canadian employment laws.

One of the biggest benefits of online training is that it can be done on the employees’ own time, at their own pace. They can stop and start the course as needed and access the course material at any point and from anywhere. Combining an online platform with workplace-specific training and tasks ensures that employees have the best foundation for a safe working environment.

Finding the best employees is integral to the success of any business or organization. A positive attitude and commitment to staying with the company long-term is best prioritized over a candidate’s current certification level.