Your 2023 Training & Compliance Checklist

Today's grocery landscape is filled with a never-ending list of to-dos, from staffing to supply shortages. But with January almost over, it's imperative to ensure your employee training and compliance status is up to date.

"We know it's hard to stay on top of trainings with many grocers facing staff shortages," says IGA Coca-Cola Institute President and CEO Dr. Paulo Goelzer. "That's why the Institute makes courses available online — so your associates can take them when it's convenient in a format that makes it easy to understand and retain the information."

In addition to being online, the Institute's courses are split up into shorter, more digestible videos to make it easy for your team to fit these courses in between all the other tasks they're juggling, according to Learning Solutions Director Ana Velázquez. "By splitting courses, the list of recommended courses might look bigger but they're designed not to overwhelm."

Velázquez recommends these five courses for each grocery store employee, regardless of role or location, to stay in compliance with state and federal guidelines.

Food Safety and Sanitation Basics
2023 OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens
2023 OSHA Hazard Communication Standards
2023 Sexual Harassment—Employees
2023 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Training

"Since required training varies depending on the job or department and often by state, contact us if you have questions about what is required for your store or if need to revamp your training program," Velázquez advises.

Velázquez and the Institute team recommend the below list of courses to help you and your team stay up-to-date on sanitation and safety standards and government programs affecting the grocery industry today. We've organized the lists by category, with those in bold highly recommended.

Sanitation

Food Safety and Sanitation Basics
2023 OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens
2023 OSHA Hazard Communication Standards
On the Shelf: A Grocer’s Guide to Food Allergens
Handwashing
Cleaning and Sanitizing—High Touch Surfaces

Government Programs

2023 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Training
Cashier—WIC Overview 1: About the Program
Cashier—WIC Overview 2: Participant Benefits
Cashier—WIC Overview 3: Within Your Store
Cashier—WIC Overview: EBT Process at Start
Cashier—WIC Overview: EBT Process at End
Cashier—Alcohol Sales Compliance
Cashier—Tobacco Sales Compliance

Safety

2023 Active Shooter Awareness
OSHA Lockout-Tagout
2023 Sexual Harassment—Employees
2023 Sexual Harassment—Supervisors
Diversity And Inclusion
Knife Safety
Store Safety—Cleanliness and Sanitation
Store Safety—Floor Monitoring
Ladder Safety–Stepladders
Ladder Safety—Mobile Ladder Stands & Platforms
Crisis Preparedness
Ransomware 1—What is Ransomware?
Ransomware 2—Examples of Ransomware

Paid Certifications

Store associates can ensure they are compliant with state-specific food safety requirements thanks to the Institute's partnership with State Food Safety. Employees can start training on any device with these locally-approved online courses and access their certifications immediately upon passing.

Food Handler (30 mins) - $7.50
Food Allergen (1 hr) - $7.50
Alcohol Server (2 hrs) - $7.50
Food Manager (8 hrs course/2 hrs test) - $22.50/test

Pro Tip: Create Learning Plans

The best way to ensure associates complete their required and recommended trainings is through a learning plan. In fact, Velázquez encourages retailers and managers to create a plan for each department. “Retailers should review the course catalog to choose the courses they want their employees to take, then set deadlines for their employees to complete those courses,” she says. “An easy and common deadline is just before annual performance reviews.” By creating a learning plan for each department, retailers set clear goals for employees and provide a path to professional development.

Each learning plan should include:

A list of required courses for the department and/or position
Length of each course
Due date for completion of each course
Space to indicate when the course is completed
Assigned coach or mentor for the individual employee to use as a resource for questions or guidance

"We have templates available in the Resource Center that can be tailored to each store's needs," says Velázquez. From front-end and receiving to bakery and deli, there are suggested course lists for all departments, which can be found under "Marketing Materials."

Velázquez recommends allowing employees to choose a few courses that are of interest to them outside of the required topics and add those to their individual learning plans. Find the course catalog here and work with your managers and HR departments to create a learning plan for each department if your store doesn't already have one.

She also recommends administrators and retailers sign up for the Institute's quarterly newsletters to learn of new courses, courses to be retired, and more. “Once people finish their training, they don’t revisit it enough,” Velázquez says. “So they should sign up for the newsletter to find out what’s new—for courses and marketing materials."

The IGA Coca-Cola Institute is standing by with the resources retailers need to stay on top of 2023 required and recommended trainings. To ensure employees are up to date with the basics of their job — and therefore well-trained, confident, and prepared for any unexpected changes the year ahead may bring — create a learning plan for each department with these courses, allow associates to choose a few additional courses of interest, and leverage the resources available to promote trainings and career development.

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