Food Safety Training: Trust First, Train Second

Jan 30

Lots of activity here recently. After creating a webinar for Kansas State University Hospitality Management and Food Handler on the Importance of trust in food safety training I was asked to follow up by writing an article on the same topic for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Management In Food and Nutrition Systems Practice Group (MFNS DPG). I was fortunate to be precepting intern, Rachel Kitzmiller, from the Ohio State University’s Master of Dietetics in Nutrition program. She co-authored this summary.

OSU Dietetic Intern, Rachel Kitzmiller

Trust First. Train Second.

Why is trust important?

• Trust is important because people we feed rely on us to provide foods for nourishment and do no harm.

• Trust impacts the entire community. Our clientele encompasses more than just those who eat our food but

their caregivers and loved ones like teachers in a school, parents of daycare children, family of senior living

residents.

What are the characteristics that trigger trust?

• Integrity, Benevolence, Competence, and Perception

• Ways these characteristics are conveyed during training

What triggers mistrust?

• Uncertainty: people who are uncertain don’t know what’s going to happen

• Vulnerability: to what other people do to the extent that their interests and those other people’s actions are in concert or not in concert

• Unreliability: committing to one thing then doing another

First Impressions: How to engender “Trust at First Sight”?

• Be authentic, but remember that first impressions are important but not always genuine

• Cultural differences between people can skew and invalidate first impressions

• “Con Men”: there’s a reason smooth operators get away with their scams

**I’m grateful to these industry experts who provided insight in their respective categories and/or coordinated the process.** **Heather Dugan,** **Gina Nicholson Kramer**, **Matt Tremblay,** **Joanne Kinsey**, **Kevin Roberts**

10 steps of trust building strategies “hardwiring” a trusting culture

Training

1. Who is conducting the training and how will that influence attendees?

Supervisors: are they respected or feared?
Peers: identify staff with the right skill set and leverage them as trainers

2. Remember: It’s about the participant, not the trainer

The trainer’s credentials are not important
Do not begin sentences with “I” or “my”

3. Focus: Technology has normalized distractions – Ridding the training environment of them

Allows attendees to feel respected
Reduces anxiety – new employees are anxious employees

4. Tone: Use everyday language but do not talk down

Avoid medical and scientific terminology. Do not impress with 3 syllable words.
Aim for middle-school grade literacy level when delivering food safety training, as we do in health care
patient education

5. Mode: How the information is provided influences trust

Personal connection helps establish confidence
Online training can satisfy requirements but is not as effective as in-person

6. Value of Inquiry:

Ask questions. It’s the #1 way to connect. Engage & establish rapport is through questions like “tell me about a time you were uncomfortable with a coworker’s food safety practices”
Using their answers shows you trust their insight, experience, and knowledge

**Ask staff to share their own experiences**

7. Soft skills are more important than facts

You can always revert to the facts, but it’s difficult to undo a negative feeling

8. Relevancy: Ensure the content is relatable

Link what is taught to what staff must know in everyday operation
Connect how food safety knowledge at work can be applied in their homes
Implementation: Make it easy for staff to practice food safety!

9. Ensure staff have the resources they need for success. Think of the disconnects when there are

Not enough or wrong size gloves
No soap or towels at the handwashing sinks
Slow registering, small dial thermometers
Complicated directions to dilute cleaning agents

Modeling a trusting culture

10. Modeling trust building behaviors builds accountability

80% of foodborne illnesses are due to training breakdowns (National Restaurant Association, 2017)
Errors are rarely intentional; don’t punish or publicly embarrass
Fix the problem, then the system
Implement focused interventions rather than preaching to the choir
Share rave reviews

Reporting risk requires trust. Building a culture of trust includes rewarding those who recognize when something is wrong and who have the courage to speak up. I use the same catch phrase we use on threat training: “If you see something, say something.” Things happen in the fast paced, deadline oriented foodservice business. There will be missteps and errors. Use these as an opportunity to evaluate and retrain.