BENEFITS OF WORKPLACE LITERACY PROGRAMMES

Based on surveys and interviews conducted with employers who have implemented workplace programmes, the following list of benefits to the businesses/employers and employees have been identified:

For Employers/Businesses:

• Reduced time per task and greater efficiency

• Less time wasted repeating instructions

• Less supervision time required as employees operate more independently

• Less time spent in seeking explanations of written material

• Less time needed to complete paperwork and access written materials such as manuals
   

• Written instructions followed

• Signs, notices, job instructions understood and followed rather than ignored or misinterpreted
   

• Improvements to product and service quality

• Product produced “right first time”

• More staff able to communicate effectively to solve problems directly

• Quality procedures followed including data collection
   

• Increased employee accuracy

• Less wastage of materials

• Greater accuracy in calculations leading to fewer costly errors

• Forms filled in more accurately
   

• Better customer relations

• More staff able to service customers

• Fewer customer complaints
   

• Better team performance

• Employees understand more about the business

• New communication skills used to get the job done, share ideas, create solutions
   

• Better workforce morale

•  Greater confidence and job satisfaction
   

• Improved health and safety

• Better understanding of safety procedures and completion of safety documentation

• Hazards able to be identified
   

• Equal employment opportunities implemented

•  Helps achieve EEO goals
   

• Increased ability to handle on the job training and faster training results

• Employees more able to understand written or spoken training material

• More employees able to access industry qualifications
   

• 11.   Less absenteeism

• People have the skills to negotiate time off rather than just not turning up

For Employees: 

•  Improved job performance

• Increased job security and satisfaction
   

• Improved literacy skills on the job

• Increased confidence, knowledge and information

• Opportunities for job advancement
   

• Sense of personal achievement and ability to contribute

•  More able to support children and family in their learning
   

• Achieving formal qualifications

• Recognition of learning

• Increased confidence

• Increased job opportunities and aspirations