Benefits of On-The-Job Training
On-the-job training involves learning in and amongst day-to-day work and can occur in the normal working environment or via specific training with a more experienced member of staff. On-the-job training is seen as the most popular and effective form of staff training – here’s why.
The first and most obvious advantage of on-the-job training, when compared to organised distant courses is often the cost. By getting new staff started straight away, employers do not have to invest in expensive training schemes or lose new members of staff to lengthy external training courses. It is also worth noting that once the employee has completed the training there is nothing to stop them deciding to quit and not go through with their job, if they realise it is not what they expected.
In a similar way, building experience and training while working means that the employee is likely to be bringing home a wage. This is especially important when trying to join careers such as teaching which require training before further examinations. By enrolling on a scheme with organisations such as EduStaff you are able to gain key training whilst working on-the-job.
It is also certainly worth mentioning the depth of passive training you will receive while immersing yourself in the actual role and learning from your experienced colleagues. All jobs and workplaces will have a myriad of different processes and cultural nuances that you simply cannot fully understand without settling into your new team and job.
Aside from the benefits for the new employee going through the process, on-the-job training is a great way for management to demonstrate the value they place on the more experience members of staff who help with the training. Tesco often asks experienced members of staff to conduct on-the-job training for new recruits. This demonstrates the trust the organisation has in those long-serving staff members who may not be suitable for other forms of acknowledgement, including promotions or raises.
One benefit that may only be applicable for some roles is that showing new recruits the ropes, while getting them started, can act as a canny assessment technique. Training new staff in exactly what their role entails means that their ‘sink or swim’ moment naturally comes early and both the organisation and the new recruit will know if they are likely to stay on in the long-term.
So, next time you go through training yourself, or plan training for a new member of your team, consider what you would be missing out on if you were subjected to external training from a faceless corporation who know little about the culture of the company and what your new role will truly involve.
