There are many benefits of on the job training, including increased productivity, better employee retention and higher morale among the workforce.
Many Benefits of On the Job Training
On the job training is cost effective for companies because it often requires fewer resources than having to recruit new employees. Staff members lacking proper training are likelier to leave the company either by their own choice, or through termination by the business for poor performance. Training employees while they are working, as opposed to sending them to an offsite location, increases the chance that learned information will be fully assimilated. Additionally, employees often find onsite training more enjoyable than having to go to a classroom away from the job.
Onsite Versus Offsite
Many companies prefer onsite training over offsite alternatives. Training employees offsite can make the educational material seem abstract and thus slow down learning. Offsite training may also provide an illusory feeling that the staff are on break from their jobs, which may have a negative impact on how much employees retain from the educational program and how productive they are upon returning to the job. Offsite training, by virtue of keeping trainees separate from those currently on duty, may even lower morale, at least during the time of the training program. Good company training programs have the long-term objective of boosting employee retention in the long run, and that can be more achievable when training occurs onsite. Educating staff ought to result in cost efficiencies, which may be greater when training occurs onsite rather than in a remote location.
Types of Onsite Training
On the job training occurs during the course of an employee's regular duties. A colleague or supervisor can guide an employee through the process of performing a task and explain the standards for performing that task. Another tactic is for the trainee to spend time on the job with a colleague who has more seniority or expertise in order to observe how that individual performs daily tasks. On-the-job training can also involve an expert observing an employee while he or she performs the job, and then providing the trainee with feedback on how to improve performance.
Coaching
Coaching involves a blend of the aforementioned tactics. A consultant or manager gives an employee job tips before and after the work shift begins, watches the performance of duties to see how the coaching recommendations have been incorporated, and then gives feedback based on those observations. The observation and feedback would continue until the employee has made a habit of the skills taught by the coach.
Mentoring
Another variation is mentoring, which pairs up employees with coworkers who have more experience and seniority than them. The employee with more experience, known as the mentor, gives advice to the less experienced employee, or mentored, on how to succeed at the company. The mentor encourages the mentored to ask questions about how to perform better on the job.
Continuing Education
On the job training is no longer just for new hires and people promoted to new management positions. Employees at all levels of tenure with a company can benefit from ongoing training programs. Business practices are perpetually evolving into more profitable strategies, especially as technological innovations introduce new cost efficiencies. This evolutionary trend increases the competitiveness among companies in any industry. These factors translate into the need for continuing education on the job.
Good Management
Training employees is one component of good management tactics. The more complex businesses get, the more their managers will see the benefits of on the job training. Companies that don't provide training run the risk of falling behind their competitors and losing employees to turnover. On the job training keeps employees motivated and more efficient.
