First aid training is essential, but it’s also an investment. It can be hard to calculate the ROI on something that many places only undertake for compliance reasons. Having a trained workforce can save you money when it comes to insurance premiums, employee absence, damage to your equipment, and all of the operational expenses that occur when an accident happens. Effective emergency response training has been shown to reduce the number of workdays lost and first aid training and preparedness helps to create a culture of caring and has a positive impact on wellbeing
Why Does ROI on First Aid or Safety Training Matter?
The financial impact of workplace injuries and illnesses reaches staggering proportions. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), an estimated 33.7 million working days were lost in 2023/24 due to work-related health issues and workplace injuries. The total cost to employers was estimated to total £21.6 billion for the year.
While some industries may experience more instances of work-related ill health, non-fatal injuries do account across a wide range of different industry types
The Link Between First Aid and Safety Training and Business Outcomes
It has been shown that first aid preparedness and a safety-first culture influences business metrics beyond compliance. Workplaces that bring in safety training programs can reduce incident rates by as much as 30%. This then translates into benefits across the company as a whole:
- Decreased Operational Costs: Organisations with robust safety measures see a reduction in accidents, which results in long-term cost savings.
- Enhanced Workforce Stability: It costs more to replace an injured employee than to train your team.
- Improved Productivity Metrics: When employees can identify and plan for potential risks, they carry out their work more safely and efficiently. This translates to less downtime and higher overall productivity.
- Stronger Culture: When employees feel valued, morale increases. Being able to create a space where people know they are safe and looked after builds trust, job satisfaction goes up and people often tend to more productive in a positive work environment.
First aid training is more than just immediate emergency response. Trained staff can respond quickly, reducing the severity of the injury, which, in turn, can lead to a better recovery time.
The Basic ROI Formula for First Aid Training
Calculating the financial impact of first aid or safety training is systematic. Sometimes a business can view safety training as pure expenses, the data tells a different story.
The standard formula for determining first aid training ROI provides clarity for decision-makers weighing investment choices:
ROI (%) = (Net Benefits / Training Costs) × 100
This is the most straightforward calculation to find out the ROI of first aid or safety training
- Net Benefits: The total value gained from your training program minus its costs
- Training Costs: The complete investment required to implement your program
For example, if you spend £545.00 on first aid training that reduced one person’s recovery time from 3 months to 6 weeks:
ROI = (£2582.81 / £545.00) × 100 = 474% (This was just based on a minimum wage employee’s salary, £2582.81 is roughly estimate of 6 weeks wages net)
This means the company receives £4.74 in value for every £1.00 invested
A proper ROI analysis would need to account for both direct and indirect costs.
Direct Costs for workplace first aid or safety training includes:
- The cost of training (the example are the costs for First Aid at Work Training for 10 members of staff)
Indirect Costs may include:
- Lost productivity during training time
- Administrative tracking of certifications
Despite the costs, having properly trained, confident, first aiders can reduce both direct and indirect costs of the injuries themselves. Having trained people on the team can help prevent minor injuries from escalating into major medical emergencies (avoiding extended time off work for the person affected).
The billions lost each year come from decreased productivity, legal penalties, compensation claims, and reduced morale.
First Aid Training is an Investment
First aid training delivers business value. It goes beyond regulatory compliance. It’s part of a business strategy that protects both people and profits.
Our first aid and safety courses are designed to be both enjoyable and educational. If you want to find out more about our standard training courses or to find out more about our bespoke training, feel free to get in touch or call us on 0208 211 2054.
