HR Decision-Making Exercise: Interpreting Training and Safety Knowledge Analytics

The table below shows the average knowledge of safety practices related to chemical leak emergencies at a chemical plant, based on a sample of 221 chemical plant employees.

The employees were given a knowledge test at the time they were hired. They were then given the test again at multiple time points after their original hire date. They were trained on safety procedures at 3 months posthire.

Time of Hire/Baseline Job Knowledge Test Score (out of 100)	1 month posthire	2 months posthire	3 months posthire Online Safety Training	4 months posthire	6 months posthire	9 months posthire	12 months posthire
55	60	64		88	80	76	74

The data presented here can be considered a time-series quasi-experimental design that can be used in evaluating the safety training program.

Questions:

1.These data indicate a slight increase in the employees mean performance on the emergency safety procedures knowledge test at baseline and for the first 2 months after they are hired (prior to the online safety training). What are some possible reasons for this effect?

2.There is a bump in the employees performance on the knowledge test immediately after they are trained. However, their knowledge then begins to decline over the next several months. What are some possible reasons for this effect?

3.Why would employees knowledge in this particular domain decline, even though they are on the job? Put differently, wouldnt their working on the job continue to maintain their knowledge of emergency safety procedures? Why or why not?

4.Safety is a top priority in companies such as this one. If you were a manager, what could you do to remedy this decline in knowledge level among employees posttraining?