What is Workplace Literacy?

Workplace literacy describes the reading, writing, communication and Maths skills necessary for your business’s everyday running; workplace literacy also includes digital and health literacy.

You may have members on your team who are highly motivated and intelligent but have yet to have the opportunity to nail down the mix of skills necessary for clear customer communication, record keeping, understanding and following health and safety directives and production schedules.

Booking your team for training will allow these team members to feel more connected and capable. Many employees who take this course report improvement in their ability to perform their jobs, relationships, and engagement within the community.

How Does It Work?

Each workplace is unique, and at Land Based Training, we recognise this by partnering with you first to understand the key issues you want to work on. Then, we tailor a programme specific to your needs so we can align your programme with your goals, vision and values.

Government funding is available for eligible workplaces, and the team at Land Based Training can assist you in accessing this funding. Our programme includes measurement of results and success, and we provide ongoing support so you can continue elevating your employee’s ability to contribute to the success of your business.

What Are The Benefits?

There are many benefits for you, your team and the long-term health of your business. Some benefits you may discover when you engage include elevated productivity, greater customer satisfaction, and fewer workplace incidents.

How do you know if your employees need this course?

Get in touch for a chat if you are dealing with these types of  issues:

  1. Excessive customer complaints around communication or errors in product fulfillment processes
  2. Workplace accidents or near misses continue to occur despite your commitment to health and safety training.
  3. Basic errors occur frequently. Simple tasks are consistently incomplete or are completed below standard.
  4. Limited feedback from employees. Your employees may be shying away from communicating about decisions and problems and may be reluctant to make suggestions.
  5. Absenteeism and staff turnover are high; staff don’t want promotions offered. Employees stay home on days that are dedicated to training.

Application Process

This course is tailored to suit the needs of your business; click on the Commitment and Delivery of Hours title below to better understand how this training is structured – or get in touch now.

Workplace literacy means the mix of skills employees need to complete everyday tasks at work. Employees need these skills to communicate with customers, understand health and safety information, keep accurate records and follow production schedules.

In many workplaces there are intelligent and motivated employees who are held back by low literacy and numeracy skills. When these employees receive literacy and numeracy training, they become an asset to their team and organisation. They also often see positive changes in their personal lives and become more active members in their communities.

Purpose of the Workplace Training Fund

Workplace Literacy and Numeracy (WLN) – TEO ( Tertiary Education Commission) -led funding supports the provision of literacy and numeracy programmes for employees to increase their literacy and numeracy skills and contribute to workplace productivity.

Employers report fewer workplace accidents, better customer satisfaction, and increased productivity after introducing workplace training that includes building literacy (speaking, reading and writing) and maths (numeracy) skills. The programme may also include communication, health and safety, digital literacy and health literacy aligned with the business’s goals.

Land Based Training will work closely with Managers to identify workplace issues and define key success measurements that align with acihieving overall business goals.

Employers have noted the following improvements: better oral communication, improved reading and writing skills to enable correct form-filling and understanding of workplace documentation, fewer workplace accidents and a stronger emphasis on safety increased understanding of workplace processes with a greater emphasis on how each person contributes to quality and an improved workplace culture.

How can you tell if employees in your organisation have poor literacy and numeracy skills? Literacy and numeracy issues are often hard to identify, but when you know what to look for the skills gaps will become obvious.

  1. Mistakes: work frequently has to be re-done. Basic errors hold up the workflow. Instructions are often misunderstood.
  2. Poor paperwork: forms, reports and job costings are completed incorrectly or left unfinished.
  3. Excessive wastage: wastage levels are higher than they should be. Putting in place incentives or penalties to reduce wastage makes little or no difference.
  4. Limited feedback from employees: employees are reluctant to make comments, suggestions or give feedback. They shy away from problem solving and decision making.
  5. Customer complaints: customers complain frequently about receiving no response, incomplete orders or the wrong information.
  6. Accidents: your business has more workplace accidents – or near accidents – than it should, even though you provide health and safety training.
  7. Resistance to new initiatives: your employees resist making changes and come up with excuses to avoid starting a new initiative or taking on more responsibility.
  8. Staff turnover and absenteeism: staff turnover is higher than you’d expect. Your employees take a day off when training is scheduled. They turn down promotion opportunities.

Commitment to Training

It is important that we have the support of all staff and managers throughout the duration of the programme. Land Based Training are able to meet with managers of those participating in the programme to help them identify their staff needs and understand the benefits of an intensive workplace training programme.

Delivery of Hours

You must ensure that:

  • the total hours of literacy, numeracy, or literacy and numeracy tuition delivered per learner is between 25 and 80 hours, and
  • the literacy, numeracy, or literacy and numeracy, tuition is delivered at the intensity of 40 hours over a 10 to 40 week period.

You must not charge a fee to a learner who is participating in a programme of training for which you receive WLN Fund – TEO-led strand Fund Funding.

We monitor TEOs’ average intensity of face-to-face tuition per learner per week as well as what proportion and how many learners receive provision:

  • at the intensity of 40 hours over a 10 to 40-week period (or part thereof), and
  • not at the intensity of 40 hours over a 10 to 40-week period (or part thereof)

Reporting and Administration

Land Based Training will take away the administration management and reporting duties for your business. The reporting periods and submission dates  will be stated in the funding letter.

Workplace Literacy Enquiry Form

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I got my level 3 Dairy Farming through Land Based Training. It was so cool. I met nice people and the tutor is awesome. I class them all as the naki whanau

Pip Davis

Yeah the best course around to be honest. Learnt so much!

Brandon Te Kahu

I’m a level 2 Horticulture student and the tutors are so awesome and supportive. The other students are cool, we are a fun bunch. I have learnt so much in a short amount of time.

Kelly Wheatley

Awesome course, learning heaps & loving it! Free knowledge, a priceless gift I will always be grateful for.

Meredith Everett