There are numerous benefits associated with an effective on-the-job-training program, these are:
- Cost effectiveness.
- Faster learning, and assimilation.
- More convenient than offsite job training programs.
- Reduce redundancy and enhance productivity.
- Less distraction, and more concentration.
On the job training is becoming a norm in the world today, because of the numerous benefits it offers, especially to individuals who are just starting out as entrants into a profession. Aside from entry-level professionals an ideal on the job training program will benefit an organization because it is cost-effective, considering the fact that fewer resources are needed compared to when new employees are hired. Staff, who lacks the proper OJT training is likelier to leave an organization either through their own choice or through ending of their contracts based on their poor performances. Training employees instead of sending them to some off-site location, will increase their chances of assimilating what they learn, effectively. Employees often find OTJ training exercises more helpful than going to a coaching center away from their main job sites.
Types of onsite training
Ideally, OTJ training happens at the employee’s regular working hours, in this situation, a mentor or colleague is attached to guide the individual through the process of doing his tasks according to specifications and standards. The supervisor explains the standards to the employee. Another method of executing this training method is when the trainee spends more time on a specific job with another colleague who is much more aware of this particular problem. The main motive of this type of training is to allow the trainee to observe the expert while the expert is performing the job from day to day. An ideal on the job training plan, may also involve a proficient observing the trainee, while he fulfills given task and then provide a positive feedback to the trainee on subject how he can improve his performances. There are three basic types of on-site training:
- Coaching.
- Mentoring.
- Continuing education.
Coaching as a form of on the job training
Most work training programs, would involve assigning a coach to the trainee or learner. Coaching also involves a number of different training approaches. A manager or hired specialist gives the trainee some work recommendations, before the commencement or after the start of the work shifts, and then monitor the performances of the trainee in order to understand how he has incorporated the coaching tips into the tasks being performed. The coach then gives a feedback, based on his or her observations. This observations and feedback training method will continue until the trainee has fully made the recommendations part of his working habits. In this method of OJT, a coach will make several examples through real practical situations to familiarize the trainee with problem solving skills.
Mentoring as a form of on the job training
Mentoring is another variation of OJT, but in this case, the trainer pairs the trainee with co-workers who possess more experience and skills on the job. The employee who has the most experience is automatically the mentor here and he gives advices to the less experienced co-worker or trainee. In this type of job training, the mentor encourages the mentored to ask questions on how to perform the job much better.
Continuing education as a form of on the job training
On the job training is not only offered to new hires or those who have just been promoted within an organization, all employees now have a possibility to enjoy a form of onsite training known as continuing education. Continuing education is an effective ongoing training program that tends to update staffs on new methods or advance technical ways of doing things better, and more effective, in order to make them more productive. Business organizations will continue to evolve perpetually through profitable strategies, for instance, technological innovations, such as the use of advance time tracking software, has introduced better cost efficiencies. Without a continuing education training, staffs will not know or understand how to operate these new techniques. The evolutionary trends brought about by new technologies, will increase the competitiveness in organizations, and this translate into the need to use continuing education as a form of off-site training methods to keep staffs updated.
On-site vs. Off-site OJT methods
All types of OJT methods are categorized under two main types: On-site and Offsite. Both of these methods offer effective training solutions for upgrading and updating staffs at all levels across an organization. Most organization will prefer on-site training to off-site training, because organizers of off-site training belief that it is abstract in nature, and may slow down learning. It is also believed that off-site training can trigger an “illusory feeling”, that the trainees are on break from their routine tasks. Having an illusory feeling of taking a break to engage in offsite training program may impact negatively on their productivity. Another disadvantage considered by organizations against off-site training is that keeping trainees apart from their current duty, may lower their morale, throughout training period. A solid organization may decide to hire a professional trainer, for the long term objective of increasing their employee’s retention and they believe such objectives are more achievable only if trainees are trained on-site. The primary objective of training staffs on the job is to reduce costs and this may be achievable only through on-site training rather than off-site training.
Conclusion
In order to create more opportunities within and without an organization, experts believe that an 80-20% ratio of on the job training should be split between on-site and off-site, with On-site training taking 80% while the offsite training should take 20% of the total training period. Training a staff in complicated hardware and software programs such as scheduling software, can be easier when performed or demonstrated on-site than at an offsite location. Scheduling softwares such as Workly, has been found to be highly effective in training and monitoring the progress of trainees in any organization. The software is a time management app that monitors and record time and attendance for your business, to ensure that your staffs remain focus and more productive.