What Is a Training Framework and Why Is It Important?
Occupational violence and aggression (OVA) is on the rise along with the requests for OVA training. Organisational leaders are called to reflect on their present working environments and determine whether their current frameworks, policies and procedures provide their employees, clientele and/or patients with the best support.
Occupational violence and aggression is a complex issue that requires conscious efforts to mitigate successfully. Desirable behaviours cannot be left to chance, but instead should be actively worked on and created by strengthening overall organisational understanding and defining a clear direction within the workplace. As mentioned in this article on behavioural frameworks in business
Well-defined training frameworks help to provide this structure and focus, allowing for a cohesive and efficient working environment that clearly states employee expectations. This approach is important when addressing difficult situations such as occupational violence and aggression. Training that is built around a solid framework increases clarity around how to tackle challenges which in turn builds confidence and efficiency among employees.
In this article, we will be discussing the importance of utilising a training framework, how it benefits an organisation, and how employees can use one to prevent and mitigate OVA in a way that ensures a safer and more productive working environment.
What Is a Training Framework?
A training framework, sometimes referred to as a curriculum framework, is a structure or process that can be used to plan or decide how something should be done.
It is an organised set of standards and expectations that highlight the skills, knowledge, and behaviours needed to fulfil responsibilities in the workplace and community. See these two examples PDF1 and PDF2.
Resolution Education utilises the A.D.P. framework as the basis of all occupational violence and aggression training. This framework outlines the necessary skills and steps needed to prevent and respond to difficult situations effectively. It is comprised of three modules: Awareness, De-escalation, and Protection, which are all key components of an effective OVA prevention and response strategy.
Why Is Having a Training Framework Important?
Clarity
People work best when it is clear what is expected of them and what the boundaries are in which they must work. Training frameworks bring this clarity to employees by providing clear expectations and defining necessary behaviours for accomplishing specific tasks.
Unfortunately, many organisations do not have defined frameworks in place and there are often varying understandings of what constitutes aggression and violence in the workplace. Without these clear guidelines, employees are left feeling unsupported and ill-equipped, this can lead to heavier reliance on management to solve issues which is not always the most efficient solution.
Resolution Education’s A.D.P. framework provides clear expectations by outlining what aggressive behaviours are, when and how to raise an alarm, what de-escalation techniques are most effective and how to utilise them, and how to remove oneself if necessary.
Clearly defining and establishing desirable behaviours brings clarity to employees, leading to a more productive working environment.
Cohesion
Implementing a well-established training framework ensures that knowledge, skills, and behaviours are cohesive across an organisation, ‘a cohesive team or workforce can work together smoothly and effectively, which helps them achieve their goals faster’.
A framework creates cohesion within a workplace by establishing acceptable levels of behaviour and the appropriate responses to dealing with specific situations. Often, tension arises in a workplace due to a mismatch in tolerance levels and varying beliefs in how something should be handled. A unified approach is particularly crucial when dealing with instances of occupational violence and aggression, as these incidents are often complex and can have serious consequences if not approached carefully.
Resolution Education’s A.D.P. framework highlights the importance of creating organisational boundaries, defining what constitutes an aggressive situation, and outlining organisational expectations around interacting appropriately with others.
A framework helps to set clear boundaries and expectations so that all employees can identify an escalating situation and the appropriate steps to take to reduce tension, overall leading to a safer working environment for all.
Reduced Incidents
A comprehensive and layered training framework, addressing psychosocial hazards along with de-escalation techniques, can effectively reduce the number of adverse incidents in the workplace.
Training in de-escalation techniques has been shown to increase employees’ confidence in dealing with customers and patients who exhibit aggressive behaviour. Ongoing education and sharing of knowledge about how to handle instances of OVA can also help reduce the likelihood and severity of such incidents. Therefore, utilising a clearly defined framework that highlights the importance of awareness and de-escalation is beneficial for organisations as they strive to address and prevent OVA.
Resolution Education’s A.D.P. framework emphasises this importance in the Awareness and De-escalation training modules, with each training session prioritising recognising triggers, understanding how the environment plays a role in escalating situations, learning how to use voice and body language to de-escalate, as well as how to remove oneself safely from a dangerous situation.
By developing one’s awareness, difficult situations can be prevented and by up-skilling employees on de-escalation techniques, any unavoidable situations can be mitigated successfully. These strategies reduce the overall number of incidents and their severity.
How to Address OVA by Utilising a Training Framework
It is clear that implementing a structured framework is crucial in addressing occupational violence and aggression, and that preventing and mitigating OVA ‘requires very purposeful organisational processes conducted by very specific organisational structures’.
Resolution Education’s A.D.P. framework provides this structure through well-defined outcomes paired with practical techniques.
Organisations can effectively address OVA by utilising Resolution Education’s expertise and framework, keeping in mind the importance of the following points:
Flexibility
The training framework can be adapted to meet the specific needs of an organisation and customised to address the unique challenges of a particular industry.
Alignment
The training framework is developed with organisational goals and objectives in mind, aligning the learning to organisational strategies and existing policies.
Relevance
The training framework is adapted to include relevant scenarios specific to the organisation as well as practical techniques that can be transferred to the workplace and used effectively on the job.
Conclusion
When all employees understand what is expected of them and the specific guidelines on how to interact and de-escalate difficult situations and conversations, then there is consistency within the company. A training framework provides clear processes that build cohesion, bringing confidence and competence with an overall rise in organisational efficiency and a decline in OVA incidents.
If your organisation is lacking a cohesive response to occupational violence and aggression and you are interested in creating a customised training framework that utilises Resolution Education’s well-researched and established A.D.P. framework as a base, then fill in the form below.
Explore our training options including occupational violence prevention course, workplace conflict resolution training, and restrictive practices training.
We are eager to work with you and help set your team up for success.
