Below is a list of mandatory training for government contractors:

 

Workplace Harassment. This is wider that sexual harassment training and should be required of ALL employees at the beginning of employment.

 

Workplace Discrimination for Supervisors. This training is important for supervisory employees who hire, develop, evaluate, and fire employees. Training should cover laws regarding discrimination, for example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

 

Code of Ethics. Under the Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX), publicly traded companies are expected to provide proof that they have a Code of Conduct policy for Senior Leaders. This training typically covers financial practices and accounting controls.It's highly recommended for small businesses as well.   

 

Code of Conduct. This training encompasses the organization's legal obligations and the employees' accountability regarding proper methods of behavior or practices that support the business' values. Topics typically include occupational health and safety, conflict of interest, equal employment opportunity, substance abuse policies, etc. Generally, a clear description of what constitutes misconduct, why certain behaviors are prohibited, and the employer's right to take corrective action/discipline.

 

It is not enough to only provide written policies. All employees - individual contributors and managers - should be trained on these policies.

 

Employers can select from various methods to track training. Depending on the number of employees, tracking tools range from a simple Excel spreadsheet up to acquiring a Learning Management System (LMS). Failure to train and to show proof of training exposes the business to increased risks. Vital Business Solutions is ready to provide assistance to implement and maintain training programs in small organizations that need to comply with training requirements.

In the previous article, we addressed required training for all staff, but what about professional development? Do you have suggested or required training topics per job title or per department denoted for staff to review? Do you provide career-pathing charts for all staff to review? Is training a part of the company culture? Do you provide and encourage the usage of tuition reimbursement to your employees?

According to a recent survey administered by CompDataSurveys.com, the Benefits USA 2011/2012 survey results found that the rate at which companies are offering tuition reimbursement to all of their employees is rapidly increasing. For example in 2009, only 34.9 percent of employers offered tuition reimbursement to all employees. This increased to 45.3 percent in 2010 and in 2011 to 51.7 percent.