Why literacy at work

Small things make a big difference

Ask yourself if the following scenarios are causing problems in your workplace:

• Your admin people are tearing their hair out over faulty paperwork.
• Time and money is being spent sorting out problems caused by inaccurate ordering of goods.
• Staff don’t seem to be able to take initiatives or participate in decision-making. Even worse, instructions are not being followed correctly.
• Your safety record is a worry.
• Absenteeism is persistently high.

There could be all sorts of reasons for the above, but at the root they are most likely caused by poor foundation skills. Whether workers have arrived from a different country or simply missed out on adequate schooling, they will not be able to progress until they improve their Literacy and Numeracy (LN).

The way forward

Research and experience shows that by embedding LN skills in workplace learning programmes we can expect the following benefits:

• Less wastage
• Reduced errors
• Lower staff turnover
• Improved morale
• More accurate documentation
• Improved communication
• More ability to work independently
• Increased customer satisfaction
• Greater participation and teamwork

These benefits have an obvious financial payback in the form of greater productivity and profitability. On top of that, workers often report they are enjoying more confidence in relationships at home and in society at large. By enhancing the LN skills of your workers, you are making an investment with huge benefits for all concerned.