ARE YOU GETTING THE RESULTS YOU WANT FROM YOUR MANUAL HANDLING TRAINING INVESTMENT?
With the speed and demands of this busy world and the need to ‘tick a box’ to meet compliance, too often businesses run a training session, record it in their training register and then don’t re-visit it until they do a refresher, in a years’ time; not all businesses, but for many, it’s standard practice.
Hence the claim that ‘the training we invested in hasn’t worked.’
In order for Manual Handling training to be effective, individuals need to practice what they’ve learnt often enough so that it becomes a habit.
The definition of a habit is something we do automatically, without conscious thought. It’s the same for any physical training – whether it be kicking a ball over a goal post, hitting a lob at a tennis net, or knowing what to do in an earthquake.
With recent advancements in neuroscience, the basis for the formation of habits is becoming more clear; however, you don’t have to be a neuroscientist to know it takes practice to create a habit.
One of the issues in this busy world is that we might have all the good intentions to practice but, then, ……………we forget!!
An essential component of creating a habit is the need for a cue to remind us to practice. This is illustrated by Charles Duhiggs’ Habit Loop.
A cue, in this instance, is defined by an everyday activity. For instance, it may be (cues in italics):
One point of difference with Proventions’ very successful First Move Manual Handling programme is that it prioritises and reinforces an implementation of this cue to practice.
Individuals might leave a training session with good intentions to practice what they have learnt but the subconscious nervous system is very powerful and people will revert, unless there is a concerted effort to bed in the desirable new habits they have been taught.
Examples of some cues we use at Provention:
The cue could be the first 5 boxes they stack on every pallet.
They will be taught to move their feet to avoid twisting the lower back. Once this becomes automatic, they will adopt the movement principle they have practiced to instead move with balance when they are reaching and bending.
The cue of the first 5 boxes of each pallet reinforces the desirable movement principle.
The cue could be in the first 1 minute after they return to work after a break.
They might initially practice leading the grip with their pinky finger to avoid strain on their forearm. Once this becomes automatic, they may then practice the movement principle they’ve been shown to move their hip joints when working across the bench.
The cue of the first minute after a break reinforces the desirable movement principle.
If you are struggling personally to change a habit, or you want to help individuals in the work place change their habits, then work in teams to pick a cue and get team leaders or influencers to remind your people on a regular basis.
It may be as simple as a reminder in a pre-start, such as ‘hey team remember for the first 5 boxes to think about moving your feet.’
Little and often is what it takes to change a habit. This will ensure you get a return on your training investment and improve individuals’ physical well-being.
Contact us if you would like more info on how to implement a successful manual handling programme and reduce strain related injuries in your workplace.