Effective learning with LesLinq
Safety training can—and should—be effective. By choosing the right approach, you ensure your team is not only trained, but also actually working safely. These five principles can make all the difference.
✅ Principle 1: The power of regular repetition
Learning is an ongoing process. By repeating important safety messages regularly, crucial knowledge stays fresh in people’s minds. Research shows that with regular repetition, people remember 79% of information compared to only 8% without it.
Approach: Use spaced repetition with short, focused modules. For example, send a weekly or monthly 3-minute SMS training: “Quick check: what are the three most important forklift safety checks?” Three questions, instant feedback, done. Employees appreciate these short, relevant moments—and their safety knowledge stays sharp.
The result: Workers apply safety procedures automatically because they truly know them, not just because they heard them once.
✅ Principle 2: Tailor Training to Roles and Functions
Different roles in your company face different safety challenges, and your training should reflect that. Relevant training engages people, sticks better, and is more effective. A forklift driver needs scenarios about loading docks and narrow aisles, while a team leader benefits more from training on risk assessment and addressing unsafe behavior. Both roles are vital, but they have different needs.
Approach: Create role-specific training modules that connect to daily tasks. Use real situations employees recognize from their work. Show how safety procedures are directly applicable to their specific context.
The advantage: Employees feel respected and see the direct value of the training for their own job. This leads to higher engagement and stronger compliance.
✅ Principle 3: Strategy first, technology second
Start by defining clear learning objectives, then choose the technology that best supports them. This forces you to think first about what people need to learn, and only then select the right tools. Sometimes a simple video with interactive elements is more effective than an expensive VR solution.
Approach:
- Define what employees should be able to do after training
- Identify how your audience learns best (visual, hands-on, step-by-step)
- Choose technology that supports these learning preferences
- Measure results and optimize
The result: Training that truly fits the way your people learn—using tools that enhance, not distract from, the message.
✅ Principle 4: Measure behavior change, not just paperwork
Focus on real safety instead of only ticking compliance boxes. True safety is visible in how people work, not in how many signatures you’ve collected. Workplace observations, incident statistics, and proactive near-miss reports tell the real story.
Smart ways to measure:
- Behavioral observations: Are people wearing PPE? Following procedures?
- Cultural indicators: Do employees feel safe to report unsafe situations?
- Trend analysis: Are incident numbers improving?
- Practical tests: Can employees actually apply safety procedures?
The benefit: You gain insight into what really works and can continuously improve your training program based on real results.
✅ Principle 5: Embrace diversity
Embrace the diversity in your team—language, culture, literacy—and make safety accessible to everyone. By considering different languages, learning levels, and backgrounds, you ensure your entire team is reached. Maria, who struggles with Dutch, Ahmed, who learns better visually, and Dennis, who doesn’t use email—they all deserve the same safety.
Inclusive elements that work:
- Multilingual content: Offer training in employees’ native languages
- Visual support: Combine text with images, (interactive) videos, and questions
- Read-aloud features: Great for those with reading difficulties
- SMS distribution: Reach even those without email
- Simple language: Communicate clearly with minimal jargon
The result: A team where everyone feels included and protected. This builds a stronger safety culture for all.
The power of the right approach
These five principles don’t just work on their own—they reinforce each other. Regular repetition of relevant, inclusive content that measures real behavior change gives you the best chance of a safe workplace. Instructions are remembered better, trainings are completed more often, incidents decrease, and employee satisfaction increases.
You don’t have to do everything at once. Start with one principle. Measure the results. Build on what works. Step by step, you’ll create safety training that truly protects your team. Because that’s what it’s all about: real safety for real people.
Want to know more?
Curious how LesLinq can help you create effective safety training? Book a demo or contact us at +31 (0)85 105 1917 or by e-mail.