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Why On The Job Training Is Important & The Reasons To Take It?

On-the-job training is and should be a crucial part of every organization. It is startling that more than 40% of employees leave a company within six months or a year due to no or poor on-the-job training programs. 

Similarly, some of you still must be haunted by memories of poor on-the-job training experiences that led you to leave an organization. Moreover, we know that training new and existing employees is challenging, but it is their top priority.

Employees are significant assets to a company, and proper investment is essential for them. Hiring people who are quick learners and responders is easy for a company to train. In addition, they are more comfortable with the changes in the dynamic environment of an organization.

Before deeply knowing how to help ensure quality on-the-job training, how can we do it? The reader must have more information about on-the-job training to have a clearer picture. 

What Is On-The-Job Training?

Employees who start fresh in a company feel like lost children in a new school. On-the-job training will help the employee to learn new skills to complete the tasks. The trainee learns under the supervision of the manager or direct team leader. Moreover, the company has to invest less money and time in each new trainee as they do not require educators from outside or classroom training. 

But, some vast organizations which are industry specific have lengthy training, which is much more expensive than generic training. Therefore, on-the-job training needs full support, whether the cost is high or low. So, every level has to get its gist right for immediate productivity and growth.

What Are The Types Of On-The-Job Training?

There is no single approach to on-the-job training. A company can use different training programs according to the new employees.

The success of on-the-job training depends on the head trainer and the grasping power of the trainees. Otherwise, there will be a massive waste of expense and time for the company as the techniques will not be effective for the new employees. 

Below are the following types of on-the-job training techniques, for instance:

1. Job Rotation

This type of cross-training can be an asset to the company in the form of flexibility through transfers, promotions, and substitutes. Employees can know different backgrounds when shifting from one job to another connected role. 

Similarly, the newcomers can feel at ease and socialize at work. A positive environment can help the workers be together as a team. Moreover, it boosts the recruits, releases boredom for existing employees, and further develops department cooperation.

The only downfall of job rotation is when a fresher does not get enough time to learn and develop the expertise at one job and is rotated to another. Therefore, it can create a chaotic environment in the organization.

2. Online Training 

Online classes are held over the internet for employees. It is an easy, quick fix for on-the-job training as most of the new generation are web friendly and can cooperate more efficiently. But, for old employees, online training can be a severe hassle as they are not as proficient in using the internet as the freshers.

3. Understudy

In this type of training, new trainees are molded or trained by the senior employee. So that trainees can fill their position to perform tasks and duties, known as an understudy. In addition, trainees perform the work or fill the role of their senior after they leave due to retirement, promotion, and transfer to another department. 

The superior will select a candidate based on past performance to fill their shoes. The candidate must also have the appropriate leadership skills. Therefore, this will be a massive opportunity for the trainees.

4. Job Shadowing

The new employee becomes the shadow for a few weeks of their employer, following them everywhere. Like in the office or meeting to observe and learn the job from the core. 

It introduces a fresh employee to their role, for which they will finally be accountable at the company. Similarly, it can be beneficial for the more experienced worker to learn new skills and techniques. So they can watch the work from a different viewpoint.

The best and most fruitful part of job shadowing is communication, as the person can ask as many questions to know the work and company.

5. Mentoring

Mentoring is an excellent way to introduce a new trainee to the work conditions. A mentor can be the direct supervisor or a staff member who can take the initiative to help the trainee grow. Moreover, the working environment should be positive in creating a well-balanced program.

Therefore, the mentor can provide technical and emotional support to the trainee. In addition, they will be open to learning new things. The mentor can also practice or brush their leadership skills simultaneously.

6. Coaching

Coaching is similar to mentoring but is conducted on a larger scale. A coach can train more freshers than a mentor. Moreover, a coach is more equipped to train employees as they do it often than a mentor and have more expertise in technical information. A supervisor can coach a recruit one-on-one and give feedback on the performance. They can offer a few suggestions too.

7. Discussion-Based

Conducting discussions in a team meeting or between the trainer and trainees is a more responsive approach to on-the-job training. A healthy conversation stimulates experienced employees to pass essential skills and information to the trainees. In addition, it encourages communication and interaction between the trainer and trainee. 

The trainer may use some demonstrations as a training tool in the process. Therefore, it is much better to create fun and optimism using softer training methods, making the training phase an enjoyable experience.

8. Committee Assignment 

The supervisor will ask the trainees to form a group and complete a specific task. The task is related to their job, requiring research, planning, and execution. Furthermore, the trainees must participate in the study and solve the problems together. 

After completing the assignment, the trainer reviews the work and provides feedback in the form of the strengths and weaknesses of the whole team. Therefore, this method effectively boosts teamwork and confidence in the team. Furthermore, they start to see some success in task completion.

9. Internship

An internship is a universal form of on-the-job training; a fresher is hired for three to six months to learn the job. The fresher has to work under a team leader or a direct supervisor. At the same time, they assess the trainee on different criteria until the completion of the internship program.

Internships can convert into full-time jobs, depending on the performance card of the intern. These roles are for young blood who work for free or less pay solely for learning and making a future in the field.

Read Also:- What Is The Main Purpose Of On-The-Job Training: Know It All

When To Start On-The-Job Training?

Changes are part of every organization. Moreover, whether it's a new start-up or a small or medium size company, changes are inevitable. These changes need on-the-job training, for instance:

Economic Changes

Economic changes like recession, inflation, and depression influence consumers' buying and spending patterns. Organizations should give on-the-job training to employees. So they can deal with these behavioral changes and economic downturns.

Advancement In Technology

Technology has taken a new turn towards the internet. New products are sold and bought directly from e-commerce websites and social media platforms. Similarly, unique and advanced software introductions make employees' work easy resulting in remarkable productivity. All these new changes need learning by existing and new employees through on-the-job training.

Hiring New Workforce

While hiring new trainees, a company has to invest its time and money in hiring a large number of employees. Therefore, it comes with the responsibility of training them equally and efficiently. 

Change In Business Practice

A company can change its goals and methods according to the business environment. For example, a company that focuses on sales and packaging can change its plans to focus on the profit and taste of the product.

Company Experience Growth

Growth is a necessary part of the company. With growth comes more profit, customer demand, and a larger workforce. Similarly, the organization's goals, values, plans, and operations change too. It needs proper introduction in the form of training for the freshers and existing employees for successful business growth.

Why On The Job Training Is Important?

We are living in a fast-paced world in fear of not being left behind.

Therefore, organizations are changing to meet rising customer preferences for products and services. To keep up, the company has to train the employees according to the dynamics. 

On-the-job training is the best way to attain it, with multiple fruitful benefits. Some of them are, for instance:

1. The Retention Rate Is High

When we say, "First impression is the last impression," it's true regarding the employees joining a new company. An excellent onboarding training program will give the new joiners a good impression of the company. Every employee stays in a company where they feel motivated and confident. Therefore, if the seniors give them fair opportunities, the results can be seen in their productivity and loyalty towards the company. Similarly, they will enjoy the working environment, increasing retention.

2. Employee Satisfaction

When employees know what the company expects, they try to accomplish it. With proper training and development, impressive salary packages, incentives, helpful feedback by seniors, and timely bonus, if given, will raise satisfaction. When employees are satisfied, it automatically contributes to a company's retention rate. In addition, by creating a learning environment in the organization, the employees feel a sense of belonging in the workspace.

3. Learn Teamwork, And Team Building

Team-building is a crucial part of training. It opens up various opportunities for employees to participate in teamwork. New joiners will meet and interact with coworkers and build trust and faith. Organizations especially conduct team-building exercises among employees to motivate trust between the group and trainer. Therefore, the departments can flourish with workers with multiple skills contributing to teamwork.

4. Financially Efficient

As on-the-job training contributes to introducing skilled employees to the company, it also saves money. The training is part of the working environment and has to be cost-effective and less time-consuming. Therefore, the employer can save a chunk of money and spend it on other vital operations. Similarly, the new employees performing their duties will bring more profit to the organization.

5. New Talent

Every organization is running on new talent. Suppose the company's on-the-job training is fully efficient and provides opportunities for learning new and profitable skills. In that case, a good amount of new talent will flow into the company. Moreover, organizations should include appealing incentive plans and invest heavily. In exchange, the growth of raw talent will never fail to fulfill their marked targets. Successful on-the-job training allows new trainees to adapt and handle difficult circumstances quickly.

6. Efficient Training

Proper training and new opportunities will help the employees remain updated with the latest technology changes. People learn quickly while training when they are doing it within their scope of employment. Traditional training is long and not as effective as on-the-job training. Therefore, practical trainees can efficiently thrive in training programs instead of classroom training.

7. Motivation Among Employees

Motivating new employees is necessary for the supervisors of the company. You must do it even if they are making mistakes or cannot handle a stressful situation. But still, practically, they need their leader's motivation.

If not appropriately motivated, the feeling of being lost at work will arise in the employees, and they won't be able to take their careers to new heights. Therefore, it is no secret that the company should show interest in the employees' success. It will motivate the workforce to be more loyal. Similarly, ongoing motivation will bring quality and consistency to work in terms of the skills and knowledge of employees.

How To Ensure Quality On-The-Job Training?

On-the-job training never stops, as it is an ongoing and systematic process for new and existing employees. Therefore, it aims to create qualified employees by boosting their productivity and enhancing their knowledge. To ensure successful and quality on-the-job training, the organization must follow specific steps to achieve the result. 

Step 1: Define The Training Objective

Establishing a clear learning objective of the need for training among the new employees is vital. The first step is to know the purpose of training the employees. Each department has employees with a different set of limited knowledge. This restricted knowledge needs expansion by giving the proper amount of training. 

So, a gap analysis will help the company identify the employees to target for the training program. Creating a plan from scratch will help the organization to focus on the critical areas first. The ultimate goal of training is to fill the gap in the current and desired performance of the employees.

Step 2: Developing An Action Plan

Before starting the training, the company should lay some ground rules to develop a sound action plan. On-the-job training will allow the trainee to learn complex problem-solving skills. 

Sometimes, it can be difficult for a few employees to learn new skills fast. It can include technical or latest software-related knowledge that can be difficult in their training. Similarly, sufficient time has to be given for exposure to new tools and equipment. So they can adapt to the process more smoothly.

Step 3: Implementing The Plan 

It is the phase where the plan comes into action, called the nurturing phase of the project. It is a part of monitoring the effects and progress of on-the-job training programs. Correct implementation of the training program requires the full support of the trainees and the trainer. 

Employees' active participation and learning objectives should be kept in consideration. Therefore, the plan is to be launched, enabled, and implemented after all this. If there are a few changes to be made for improvement, this step must be revised.

Step 4: Determining The Needs

The organization's foremost concerns for the training program's success are the employees' needs and the top management's support. Introduction to new tools and technology by the team leaders is to be made quickly. So they can meet the daily needs of the employees as part of making their work easier. 

Similarly, every employee is different; some prefer learning-by-doing activities, while others prefer visual learning. So, to facilitate practical training, a mix of diverse learning styles is needed. Therefore, inadequate tools and training styles will not improve productivity and outcome. 

Step 5: Monitoring The Ongoing Process

The learning process has to be monitored daily or at different intervals. It will help to know the learners' response to the ongoing training. 

Moreover, the company has to ensure that each employee receives equal access to training. Visible growth and transparency in work need monitoring for better performance. While trainers monitor the work performance, analyzing it and reporting it to the top authorities is required.

How To Achieve Quality On-The-Job Training?

Organizations will achieve quality training when their workforce makes the most of the training program. Above are the right tactics to ensure good quality on-the-job training. But now let's discuss how to achieve them simultaneously. 

1. Customization

The company should not follow monotony in the training programs; instead, customize them according to the employee. Their skills and profile are criteria to consider so the program's success motivates the employee. Moreover, every new and existing employee learns at a different pace. So, training them with multiple learning techniques will be a game changer.

2. Communication

The interest of the employees has to remain intact in training. So, communication between the team members and the trainers is crucial. Asking questions to the trainer or trainer asking questions to the learners must be part of the process. Communication will work to overcome possible misunderstandings and problems. 

It will help in creating a healthy environment for training. Moreover, asking questions will help to move the discussion forward and encourage teamwork among the trainees. Therefore, every individual must be open to different communication channels.

3. Incentive 

Incentives can be given to employees signing up for the training sessions to promote the training program. The company can give paid time off to attend some training sessions. Similarly, decrease the workload until the training goes on. The trainers can conduct competitions between the trainees of the same department. Also, they can offer complimentary food and even offer gift cards.

4. Employees Feedback 

Collection feedback from the trainees and reporting the feedback to the top management is the end game of the training program. It is the employees' responsibility to give bias-free feedback on the training. So, it will help the company make better efforts to modify the program and motivate more newcomers in the future. 

The trainer can prepare a form or send a survey to customize the training methods further. Moreover, constructive feedback must be provided to the employees by the trainers. Therefore, smooth communication positively boosts employees' morale.

Conclusion

Employees need to gain accurate insights into their role in the company. Furthermore, the company has to understand how to help ensure quality on-the-job training; how can we do it? The company should offer fast learning opportunities and modify them over time. It will give positive results and not burden existing employees.

Bayelle IT Solutions is one of the leading organizations in the IT domain, offering multiple IT training courses. Here at Bayelle, we assist the industry's workforce in transforming their performances. 

You can reach your training goals through our excellent in-house training programs. You can also opt for different courses and certifications. To book your company's next successful training program, email us at info@bayelleitsolution.com or call 443-763-7722.