On this episode of the WorkSAFE Podcast, we sit down with Caitlin McNeece, owner of Walking Each Other Home Wellness. She has a master’s degree in social work and is a licensed clinical social worker. McNeece spends her time helping people in many ways. One of those methods is understanding how the mind works, including the interchangeable role tools and fidget toys play in self-regulation.
Consistent safety training is a foundational piece to protecting employees. Not only does it help prevent on-the-job injuries, but it also controls work comp costs. While much of today’s training is regulatory, or an industry requirement, it isn’t always engaging. As a consequence, employees may unplug and miss critical information. Some employers are using a new method to increase engagement and retention: fidget toys.
Listen to this episode of the WorkSAFE Podcast, or read the show notes below.
What is a fidget toy?
A fidget toy is a small object that a person can manipulate with their hands. It may feature buttons, ridges, or spinners that keep fingers busy. Fidget toys for children often feature bright colors and fun shapes. Those designed for adults opt for more understated wood or metal options. Some are even incorporated into jewelry, like spinning metal rings.
Benefits of fidget toys
Fidget toys have been found to increase concentration and regulate emotions, like nervousness or boredom. McNeece offers them therapeutically to children she works with. However, she’s also gotten to experience their benefit for herself.
During a weekend-long trauma training, organizers gifted the attendees with a packet of fidget toys. McNeece found that one toy in particular – a slinky – kept her going through hours of serious subject matter.
“It helped me drink a little bit less coffee and it made the experience, which was really important and something I wanted to do, it helped me feel like I could actually do this because I had my little fidget toy,” she explained. “If it can help a five-year-old who’s jumping off the wall stay engaged, it can help most of us in the workplace if we’re open to it.”
Distraction is natural at any age
When fidget toys first made an appearance on the market several years ago, they were found most often in the classroom. Feedback was mixed. Were they a useful tool or a colorful distraction? Many teachers have since embraced them. Not only are students able to focus, and keep their hands to themselves, but they also distract others less.
During long training and conference calls, it isn’t unusual for minds to wander. Not dissimilar to restless students, many employees take up anything from sketching to daydreaming. In an attempt to keep ourselves focused, tapping pens and feet, paper rustling, and checking our phones often become a distraction to others.
How do fidget toys work?
“We have bodies, and our bodies often need a certain level of stimulation to stay in that focused, engaged, responsive place,” McNeece shared. “If we’re not getting enough stimulation, we’re really bored and we kind of check out and are disengaged. If we get too much kind of stimulation, we kind of get overwhelmed and flooded and we also don’t retain much information.”
The key to focus is finding the sweet spot between under- and overstimulation. In most cases, that requires a small amount of sensory stimulation. A small physical movement helps keep us concentrating. As adults, the frequent default is clicking a pen or checking a smartphone. A fidget toy is a great alternative. First, it’s designed to keep hands and fingers busy. Second, it isn’t as distracting to those around us.
The importance of staying present
The average adult has a dozen different concerns: work deadlines, family commitments, a growing to-do list, and a phone bursting with notifications. Further, there is always pressure to multitask. But safety and workplace training asks for full attention. Fidget toys make that attention easier to give.
Different tools for different learners
When sharing important and potentially life-saving information, employee engagement is essential. While fidget toys aren’t a requirement, McNeece encourages employers to consider them.
Some employees are kinetic learners. For example, field employees who learn their role outside of the office. They retain information by applying it as soon as they are taught. However, sit-down training and safety meetings don’t always incorporate immediate practice. As a result, the kinetic learners disengage from data and presentations.
McNeece often displays a variety of toys on the tables when she gives a workshop. This allows attendees to try them and find one they like. But if they don’t want to use them at all, there’s no harm done. Depending on the type of learner an employee is, a printed handout might be as useful to them as a fidget toy.
Alternatives to fidget toys
Tools and toys are often interchangeable. “Anything sensory and physical can be really helpful to kind of keep us present and engaged,” McNeece said. She shared alternatives for employers who might not have the time to budget for new fidget items before their next big meeting:
- Notepads. Doodling and taking notes are both common ways to stay engaged. Provide notepads and writing utensils to employees.
- Snacks. While a full buffet might become another distraction, setting out mints or chewing gum are more subtle alternatives.
- Stress relief balls. Round and squishy, stress relief balls are a common promotional item and often pile up around the office. Collect them in a basket for employees to grab before a long training.
Employees are more likely to use them if leadership makes the first move. Employers shouldn’t be shy about grabbing a mint or stress ball before settling in – or making a point about it helping them focus, too. McNeece can feel listeners start to become more present once they engage with some of these items.
Making the most of fidget toys
Fidget toys are often a low-cost investment for many employers. McNeece tends to buy them in bulk, opting for a variety pack. This allows employees to choose what appeals to them. “I think you’ll find there’s a wide variety and people are drawn to different things,” she added.
McNeece encourages employers to collect feedback. Fidget toys may be out of their comfort zone, and if they don’t resonate with employees, they aren’t the only solution. For example, if fidget toys don’t fit the employee audience, coloring pages could be an alternative. A simple post-event survey can often reveal their effectiveness. Do employees seem to recall more of what was said or who was speaking?
The key element is ensuring that employees retain more of what’s important and stay engaged in ever-changing industries. “These are important topics and they don’t have to be a completely awful experience,” McNeece finished. “We can make it better and in making better, we can make it more effective.”