Young workers bring fresh perspectives, enthusiasm, and the potential to grow into valuable assets for any organisation. However, transitioning from education to the workplace presents unique challenges. The expectations regarding workplace etiquette, communication, and professional behaviour often feel overwhelming for new entrants to the workforce.
The reality is that young people lack experience when it comes to knowing what’s acceptable in the workplace and what’s not. It isn’t part of any education curriculum, so how do they learn?
Why Workplace Etiquette Training is Essential
Employers sometimes assume young workers inherently understand office etiquette, yet many lack practical exposure to workplace norms. Whether it’s knowing how to address colleagues, manage their time effectively, or handle sensitive topics like office banter, these are critical skills that are often missing.
Our workplace etiquette training helps bridge this gap, enabling young employees to adjust perfectly to professional settings. Through engaging discussions and activities, we equip them with the knowledge and confidence to succeed.
Introducing the World of Work Training Programme
Our personalised World of Work Training Programme targets school, college, and university leavers, as well as new apprentices and placement students. It provides practical insights into soft skills development, ensuring young workers have the foundation to excel in their roles.
Delivered by Jo Mills, HR Consultant and trained facilitator, this fun and interactive session focuses on understanding workplace etiquette and provides a refresher on workplace rules and the reality of what can go wrong if they are not followed.
Topics covered in the programme include:
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- Communication – TTYL, TBH, BRB….acronyms have become a trend among young people. This topic discusses appropriate verbal and written communication and how it’s important to know your audience.
- Absence & Timekeeping – “My dog is ill”, and “I missed the bus”. Some excuses we’ve heard before. Here we examine the importance of arriving on time and the cost of poor attendance.
- Office Banter – What one employee considers to be harmless banter could be inappropriate or offensive for others. Here we discuss how banter can quickly escalate into bullying and the consequences this can have.
- Social Media – Social media is an integral part of our daily lives. It’s therefore important to understand the serious consequences of using social media to express your views about work or make derogatory comments that could constitute harassment and bullying.
- Work Social Events – Unacceptable behaviour on work social events could result in disciplinary action and put the company into disrepute. This topic discusses what is expected when representing the company outside of the workplace.
Educating and developing the ability of young workers to adapt to working life will not only be to their benefit, it also benefits their employers.
Benefits for Employers
Employers who invest in young talent often see higher retention rates and improved performance. With our bespoke soft skills training for young workers, you can,
- Reduce onboarding challenges
- Enhance workplace harmony
- Build a future-ready workforce
Tailored Training for Your Organisation
Whether you’re recruiting apprentices, interns, or young graduates, our World of Work Programme can be customised to meet your needs. For larger groups, we offer bespoke in-house sessions tailored to your company’s culture and values.
Contact EML today at 01942 727200 or email enquiries@employeemanagement.co.uk to discuss how we can support your team.
Testimonials
“Jo and the team at EML have gone above and beyond to deliver a World of Work Programme for our young people at Warrington Youth Zone. The communication throughout was consistent and we were always aware of where the team were up too. The World of Work Programme was well thought out and put together and the content was engaging. It was delivered professionally and created space for our young people to have healthy discussions. The introduction of Jack Nolan to the programme was an invaluable insight for our young people into mental health and how you can turn the experience into a positive. He was incredibly inspirational, and the young people hung onto his every word.”
Nikki Pritchard, Employability Lead, Onside Warrington Youth Zone
“For many of our apprentices, this is their first role in the world of work. We worked with Joanne Mills at EML to design and deliver a training session that helped our apprentices feel better prepared and equipped for what might be a new working environment. Jo took the time to understand not only our company’s policies and procedures, but also our company culture. She asked pertinent questions and was clearly passionate about the subject matter. Her experience was invaluable. Jo delivered a highly interactive session, tailored to our needs, that received great feedback from learners. It was fun, which was integral for the audience, and the content generated some interesting discussions. Thank you Jo, and EML! It was a pleasure working with you.”
Kate Wild, Pension Insurance Corporation