How to make sure your business benefits from Food Safety Training

Today, I want to talk about food safety training and how to make sure your business benefits from it. It’s not just about spending money on something but about making sure you invest in something that can bring better results for your business.

I see many food businesses just ticking the box with food safety training, thinking it’s only about getting their staff a food safety certificate. They forget the importance of staff actually learning how to work safely in practice. When the food hygiene inspection happens, they’re shocked and upset when a staff member makes a serious mistake in front of the EHO, like panicking and placing a raw meat on the top shelf of the fridge next to cooked items.

This can result in a low food hygiene rating, which hurts your business reputation and profits because you can lose customers to competitors.

To ensure that your business gets the most of food safety training, don’t see it as an isolated tick-box exercise. You’re not just paying for the certificate, you’re paying for your staff to actually learn. You need to reinforce that learning in practice, so it is not just a one-off event.

Here’s how you can achieve that:

1. Provide on-the-job training so your staff can learn in a practical setting.

2. Show them how you want things to be done in your business.

3. Regularly quiz your staff about food safety to help them keep their knowledge fresh.

4. Discuss food safety at team meetings so it remains a top priority for everyone.

5. Supervise your staff to make sure they are handling food safely.

6. When you find issues, retrain and remind your staff of the correct procedures promptly. If problems are addressed immediately, it prevents them from becoming habitual. Also, don’t wait for the EHO to find and point out the issues.

If you want to know more about food safety training, read this blog.

And if you are thinking that a more engaging food safety training might help you in training your staff more effectively, check The Safety Expert’s Level 2 Food Hygiene Course that is taught by an EHO.

Remember, food safety training is not just about getting a certificate. You’re paying for your staff to understand and apply the basics of food safety, which in return can improve your business. Making food safety training a key part of your business will create a safer environment for both your staff and customers, boost your business reputation and profits.