What is the importance of on-the-job training for front line leaders?
How do we break down such a concept? First, we must understand the importance of on-the-job training and how to use it to develop the competencies and confidence needed in front line workers.
What Is On-the-Job Training?
Some people think that if you watch several standard generic training videos, that they will be just as good as on-the-job training. Of course, that is not true. Employees learn 70% of the skills they need on the job. So, 70% of the skills they need will be on-the-job learning.
Employees learn 70% of the skills they need on the job. Share on XOne of our clients recognized this as a challenge. First, operations leadership addressed the training and development department and said, “Hey, we need way more on-the-job training for our people. We need it faster. We need it to be effective because we need these employees to be capable and fill in for people who may have moved on in the organization.”
In response, the client hired us to redo their on-the-job training. They did this so their trainers could become more effective at work. What they found, however, was some of the supposedly experienced operators did not even want to become trainers. They did not want to be responsible for that person’s effectiveness in their job.
All we did was help by coming alongside and supporting them to become more confident as trainers and as individuals learning to be successful and effective when training employees on the job.
Tips on Improving the Effectiveness of On-the-Job Training Processes
We have already established that on-the-job training is important. Yet, it never hurts to be prepared for any possible outcome.
Here are a few tips on improving the effectiveness of your training processes:
Tip Number One: Select the Best Trainers
We ask the following in our training program: What have you found that makes a difference between good trainers on the job and those who are less effective?
The answer usually comes down to a few characteristics. Patience and the willingness to be patient with people are two key elements. There is also the ability to explain things instead of just pushing them aside. Finally, there is the ability to support, coach, and encourage people. The truth is, when you are learning new skills, it takes a little while to get the hang of it.
All you must do as a leader is to select the trainers with those characteristics.
Tip Number Two: Use an Effective Training Method
One of the tips that gets talked about a lot in our client base these days is the Training Within Industry (TWI) method.
The TWI method says that you need to break down jobs into various components. In doing so, you often realize that you cannot absorb all the information in one shot.
Repeating and learning certain information can help increase your confidence and capabilities quickly and effectively. Share on XRepeating and learn certain information you can help increase your confidence and capabilities quickly and effectively. You need to acquire the high-level information you need. You can always choose to go into more detail afterwards.
Tip Number Three: Measure the Training Effectiveness
Some organizations believe that if they train their employees and sign off on doing so, they have done all they can. Yet, it should be someone else who is measuring whether training is effective. It should probably be the supervisor to which the employee reports. You could also always ask employees how well-trained they think they are. Additionally, you can survey employees in the workplace to rate the effectiveness of the person or the people who offered that training.
This should not be a “gotcha” moment, either. It is meant to create a feedback loop to what would have made the training even more effective. If you can master this idea of on-the-job training in your facility and connect it to the effectiveness of your front line leaders, you will now have this skill engine that can create a bench strength. This will also create more highly-engaged workers and increase their loyalty to your organization because you are willing to invest in them to make them confident and capable in their positions.
Expanding the Idea of Front Line Leadership Training
Once you have figured out how to do on-the-job training more effectively, you might decide there are other leadership skills you need to work on.
Today is your lucky day! We happen to have a comprehensive front line leadership program that is delivered either over three full days or six half days. You can have that done in-person for your organization and have it tailored to what you need. You can also have your selected program tailored and delivered using our virtual state-of-the art multi-camera virtual training studio. We offer all kinds of options, just to help when logistics and shift scheduling makes it difficult to pull everyone together and get them off the floor at the same time.
No matter which method works out for you better, it all starts with a conversation. You can visit us on our website at uniquedevelopment.com. Go there, reach out, and we will have the conversation you need for your leadership success.
We will help build you up into the leader you need to be in today’s competitive environment.
