safety consultant training program - aascif 2013/saif best... · • dynamic process, not static...

Best Practice Sharing - Chuck Easterly

Safety Consultant Training Program

Program overview • 12-month training program

• No previous safety experience required

• Focus: hire people with great Emotional Intelligence skills and turn them into safety consultants

• Added bonus: create a small business service team

2 SAIF CORPORATION l AASCIF Safety & Health Conference 2013

Let’s start with the results • 3 successful programs

• 2008, 2010, 2013

• 16 consultants hired and trained

• 9 promoted into senior level positions

• 6 are currently in training

• 100% retention

• New small business team created


Class of 2008

Class of 2010

Class of 2013

Today’s overview will cover: • Recruitment process

• The training experience

• The role of the trainer

• Successes and challenges


Recruitment process

“It’s the hiring process, not the training process,

that’s made this program successful.”

Judi Croft, Safety Consultant Training Program Supervisor


Recruitment process • Cast a very wide net

• From our job posting: “You don’t need experience in workplace safety to be considered for this program, but you do need to be a strategic thinker and problem solver. ... The ideal candidate is inquisitive by nature, has a positive outlook, and thrives on fast-paced work.”

• Internal and External job posting

• Opportunity for SAIF employees to move into safety profession

[See “job posting” PDF in conference CD]


Qualifications • Recommended qualifications cast a wide net

• One or more years of increasingly responsible work experience in a business environment

• High school diploma or equivalent

• College level coursework, trade school, or other post-high school activities demonstrating a commitment to continuing education and personal development


Wide nets catch lots of fish • More than 300 applicants in 2007

• More than 500 applicants in 2009 and 2013


Hiring process • Initial screening

• Complete applications, thoroughness of information

• Group interviews

• 10 candidates per session

• We interviewed 120 candidates in 2013

• 2 1/2-hour group interview process

• Individual panel interviews for finalists


[See “group interview schedule” and “group activity” in conference CD]

Group interview process • Ice breaker: “I will eat anything put in front of me

except...”

• Question #1: What makes work meaningful for you?

• Group exercise: A day in the life of a safety consultant

• Group debrief

• Question #2: Now that you’ve completed the “Day in the life” exercise, what do you find most intriguing about this position and why?

• Tour of the campus by current team members


Final recruitment • Very similar to other recruitments

• Individual interview

• Written exercise

• Background and reference checks

• But it takes a long time

• Posted the recruitment on March 28

• Job offers extended June 26

• Started in role July 15


Training process • Dynamic process, not static curriculum

• Combination of:

• classroom discussion

• field visits with other consultants

• educational training sessions (conferences, workshops, OSHA classes, SAIF classes)

• individual research projects and presentations


Training tips • Get them into policyholder locations in week 1

• A joint visit with a senior consultant helps the trainee to understand what the finished product looks like from the start.

• Customize their experience and pace

• Much of the training happens together, but they all come with different strengths and experiences.

• The training isn’t over at the end of Year-1

• Year-2 further develops their independent consulting skills.


What about the trainer? • Must be exceptionally agile/flexible

• Scheduling can be chaotic and subject to last minute changes and opportunities.

• The trainer isn’t doing this solo

• Other consultants and other departments assist with training on a variety of topics.

• This is not like developing a college curriculum.

• But, the trainer is a key person


Advantages • An opportunity for the Loss Control Manager to

shape and form the trainee’s consulting philosophy

• An opportunity to infuse your organization with exceptionally talented people and future leaders

• Creates “bench strength” to backfill openings for senior level positions with exceptionally qualified existing staff


Success stories • Filling open senior-level positions

• Northern Region – 5 of 16 are former SCTP members

• Valley Region – 2 of 6 are former SCTP members

• State Agency – 1 of 3 (until she promoted into a corporate trainer position)

• Eastern Region – 1 of 4 is a former SCTP member


Success stories • They “hit the ground running ... fast.”

• I’ve received many compliments from regional supervisors about how quickly and effectively these consultants merged onto regional teams.

• Every regional director has expressed their admiration of our program, and a desire to continue to develop internal talent in this way.

SAIF CORPORATION l AASCIF Safety & Health Conference 2013 18

Success stories • Created small business service team

• A “Safety Services” team was created out of the 2009 SCTP team

• Provides safety & health services to small policyholders and those in the Assigned Risk Pool

• Improved our responsiveness and the resources provided to small business while enabling our regional consultants to focus on larger policyholders

• They build up consulting skills and experience while providing important services


Things to consider • Potential friction with some existing staff

• Some senior-level, credentialed consultants look down upon anyone without a CSP and 30 years experience

• Requires an investment of time, money, trust

• It’s a 12-month process at ~$4,600/month x 6 people

• The person who oversees the training program must work in “lock-step” with the loss control manager

• Requires an intensive hiring process that is critical to the overall success of the program


Questions? • If you’d like to know more, contact:

SAIF CORPORATION l AASCIF Safety & Health Conference 2013 21

Chuck Easterly, Loss Control Manager [email protected]

503.373.8834

Additional resources provided: -Job posting -Group interview schedule -Group Activity

mailto:[email protected]

safety consultant training program - aascif 2013/saif best... · • dynamic process, not static...

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