Workplace training is often treated as a formality—a box to tick. But that mindset is out of step with today’s risks and tomorrow’s responsibilities. Some topics can no longer be optional. If you want to protect your people, business, and legal position, training on core issues like mental health, workplace behaviour, and legal duties must be expected. Tracked. Completed.
Why It Matters Now
We’re no longer just talking about manual handling and fire drills. Today’s risks are less visible but just as serious:
✦ Stress and burnout
✦ Bullying and harassment
✦ Mental health issues
✦ Discrimination claims
✦ Cybersecurity breaches
These issues are human, complex, and often linked to behaviour or culture. That’s why training is essential—because awareness shapes behaviour, and behaviour shapes risk.
The Worker Protection Act is one of several recent changes that clearly impose a duty on employers to take proactive steps. Reacting after harm has been done is no longer enough; there’s an expectation of prevention.
The Case for Mandatory Modules
In my experience, the most effective organisations don’t treat this training as optional. They build it into their operations because it reduces risk and gives people clarity.
When staff understand what’s expected of them, they’re less likely to cross the line—or find themselves on the receiving end of it.
Done well, training can:
✦ Prevent misunderstandings
✦ Make expectations explicit
✦ Provide evidence of action
✦ Show regulators and insurers that you take duty of care seriously
And if something does go wrong, one of the first questions is often: “What did you do to prevent it?”
Training is one of the clearest answers you can give.
A Blind Spot for Insurance
One area often overlooked is the link between training and insurance. I’ve spoken to insurers who are increasingly interested in how organisations are managing risk around conduct, mental health, and stress. Some policies—including Professional Indemnity—expect employers to demonstrate preventative action. That includes training staff on legal responsibilities and respectful behaviour. In some cases, the absence of training could influence how a claim is handled, or whether it’s paid at all.
What I’ve Learned
After nearly a decade of supporting employers with workplace mental health, I’ve seen how powerful the right training can be—not because it ticks a box but because it changes the conversation.
I’ve also seen what happens when it’s missing: avoidable harm, legal disputes, and managers left guessing what’s OK and what isn’t.
That’s why I believe education needs to be part of your safety system—not an optional add-on or a one-time course. Whether it’s delivered in person or online, what matters is that it’s clear, completed, and connected to action.
Final Thought
You wouldn’t let someone operate a forklift without training.
So why let someone manage others without knowing what counts as harassment?
Or lead a team without understanding the impact of stress?
Training isn’t a perk. It isn’t a policy. It’s protection.
