Training new employees should be a part of your onboarding process. Regardless of the fact that a newly hired employee has an amazing resume or experience in the industry you’re in, it’s still crucial to have them trained. Through training, fresh employees can learn about your company’s culture and provide them with the opportunity to review how your business performs certain operations.
Although you can’t deny the benefits of virtual training, such as convenience, it may not work for everything. In order for a training process to be successful, managers or supervisors may need to physically show employees how a specific task should be done. A training method that revolves around this concept is on-the-job training.
What Is On-the-job Training?
On-the-job training (OJT) can be considered as a type of practical training that allows new employees to gain the necessary skills they need to perform in your company’s working environment. More often than not, OJT is applied so an employee can better learn how to use a particular tool or equipment.
Furthermore, OJT involves guidance from managers, supervisors, or senior employees. The goal is to let new hires learn about the role they’re about to take by actually doing it, rather than giving them some presentations or worksheets. Depending on the role a newly hired employee is about to take, an OJT may last from days to weeks or even longer.
If you’re wondering if this type of training can improve your business operations and customer service, read on!
How OJT Training Helps Your Business
As hinted above, other training methods, like hosting seminars or online training, don’t involve giving an employee actual experience but only provide basic information about the nature of their job. Since the goal of training employees ultimately boils down to improving your business operations and customer service, how, then, can OJT help achieve such a goal?
Here’s how on-the-job training improves your overall business.
Address Skill Gaps and Weaknesses
It’s not a guarantee that employees fully possess the skills to work efficiently. Fortunately, there’s always room for improvement. One of the ways for employees to address any skill gaps and weaknesses is through a training program, particularly OJT training.
Since OJT training can involve shadowing experienced team members, an employee who lacks the much-needed skills will easily improve their weaknesses as they’ll closely monitor those who already possess the skills. This way, all of your team members will be up to par, ensuring that everyone can perform their job more efficiently every day. Thus, OJT training can transform weaknesses into strengths, helping your business soar through new heights.
Improve Performance
If successful, OJT training will significantly improve your overall business performance. This is because OJT training will conveniently give new hires the expertise they need so they can fulfill their roles, making a positive impact on your business. Also, the skills and lessons they learn through OJT training will motivate them to deliver good output at a much faster turnaround rate.
Moreover, if a new hire undergoes OJT training, they’ll have a clearer understanding of their responsibilities and roles. Hence, they know what their targets should be. OJT training is also an easy way for new employees to know about the specific tools and equipment your company uses. Hence, once the OJT training is over, a new hire is already equipped with skills to improve business operations and customer service.
No Work Time Wasted
Other training methods may involve allowing employees to be away from the roles and tasks they’re going to tackle. Since they’re not in their typical work setting, it can be considered a waste of company time.
For OJT training to work, an employee must be on company premises. This means that they’ll be given the opportunity to chat with other team members or mentors even if they’re not on their training schedule. Thus, not only will new employees continue with their workday, but they’ll also be showered with information and tips to improve your business operations and customer service throughout their shift.
Knowledge Management
In continuation with the point above, if an experienced employee provides tips to new employees, knowledge regarding your company’s operations won’t leave your company even if the former leaves or resigns. So, even if experience is still an important factor in improving your business operations and customer service, a new employee will already possess the basic knowledge to start performing more efficiently.
Also, OJT training eliminates the need to hire an external facilitator, saving your company money. Not only will OJT training encourage communication among team members, but new hires can rest assured that any information they learn will be useful since they come from people they work with every day.
Better Employee Assessment
OJT is a perfect avenue for managers to assess if new employees indeed possess the skills to perform their tasks. Since OJT training allows managers to observe an employee’s performance, they can be confident that a particular employee is ready to enter the workforce.
Furthermore, since managers can closely monitor employees that are still under the OJT training program, employees that need more help are more noticeable. As a result, managers can then decide to give them additional training.
Thus, OJT ensures that all team members have the skills and knowledge to boost your business operations and customer service.
Grow Your Customer Base
All of the points mentioned above deal with how OJT training improves a newly hired employee’s skills. Possessing the right skills positively influences your customer service. Keep in mind that satisfied customers aren’t only loyal, but they’ll most likely refer your company to other people. Thus, a well-trained staff inevitably results in great customer service, allowing your business to generate revenue and grow its customer base.
Find a Reliable Training Management Platform Today!
On-the-job training is one of the best ways to prepare new employees for the job they’re about to take. Take note, however, that each company will have different approaches to OJT training. So, if you need help figuring out what you exactly want to accomplish with your OJT training, schedule your demo now! By doing so, you’ll have a go-to platform to improve your company’s training management and methods.