Distribution of Information

DOE-HDBK-1114-98

How well do day-to-day individual practices and actions in the facility reflect the knowledge and

skills learned in training?

Do line managers and supervisors routinely monitor and assess personnel performance? How

are these observations used to improve supervisor and personnel performance during training?

In addition to asking the above questions, line managers should be aware of key indicators of training

system performance and should use these indicators to verify the effectiveness of training. The

following is a partial list of indicators of performance problems:

Personnel errors that are the result of knowledge or skill weaknesses

Employee comments that training is not what they need or is ineffective

Poor training attendance by designated trainees

Postponed training sessions that are not rescheduled and completed in a timely manner

Line personnel provide no comments on training when solicited

Lack of coordination between the facility and training personnel in meeting training needs

Degraded performance of facility personnel in their assigned duties as identified by line

managers

Repetition of occurrences that have been used as lessons learned in continuing training

Abnormal rates of test failures, employees failing to complete qualification, or drop-outs.

As indicators of performance problems are noted, the line manager should be involved in the

determination of the root cause(s) of these problems. The line manager and the training manager

should work together to implement changes to eliminate the problems.

2.8 Distribution of Information

Line managers should ensure that their employees are provided with information that affects job-related

knowledge and skills. The information that should be distributed to employees can be industry and

facility events and occurrences, procedure changes, operating experiences, and facility modifications.

One method of distributing this information is a required reading program, which can provide information

to broaden employee knowledge and understanding. However, it may be ineffective if used as the only

means of distributing need-to-know information. Need-to-know information should be presented during

preshift or shift briefings, working meetings, or scheduled continuing training and then put in required

reading for reference. Need-to-know information may include topics such as applicable facility

modifications, procedure changes, and industry or facility operating experience. If need-to-know

information is put out in a required reading program, then the information should be tested for retention.

Testing the information instills a sense of responsibility in the employee to actually read the information.

2.9 Developing Employee Attitude

Line managers and supervisors should use training and qualification programs as a means to instill and

reinforce a positive, questioning, and probing attitude in personnel for all work activities. Employees

should be able to ask whether the training received was complete, whether a procedure is effective or

could be improved, or whether some management policy is not effective. This attitude should be