FOUR STEPS TO EXEMPLARY ON-THE-JOB TRAINING

Many managers, supervisors and leads have the responsibility of training staff members on the job. On the job training has great value in that it can be familiar to the trainee, time-efficient, and easy to transfer to the job.

But high quality on-the-job training requires an investment of thought and effort on the part of the leader. High quality training is more than just "telling 'em what to do." The following four-step process for on-the-job training can make your investment of time and effort pay dividends of learning and productivity.

Over the next four months, we will explore the four-step process for on-the-job training, examining one step per month.

In the PREPARE step, we invest time in planning for on-the-job training. Based on business needs, we develop the training objective and agenda. The objective is a written, specific, measurable learner behavior. For example, one objective for an on-the-job training session might be that by the end of the session, the learner will be able to answer the phone before the third ring using the company's preferred greeting. The agenda is a written timetable for developing that skill or knowledge.

In the PREPARE step, we also set up the training environment to best integrate with production needs and to minimize disruptions. We gather and check in advance all materials and equipment we will need for that portion of the training.

We also prepare both ourselves and our learners in the PREPARE step. As the on-the-job trainer, we review the materials, making it our own through our personal examples and wording. We do what we need to do to be present and ready as an on-the-job trainer - scheduling the training into our planners, forwarding our calls, or getting the cup of coffee we need. We prepare our learners by meeting and greeting them (in advance if possible), ensuring that we know their role in the organization, and engaging them in business-friendly chat.

As a manager, supervisory or leader charged with on-the-job training, how well do each of us execute the PREPARE step in the four-step training process? Take the short self-assessment below to uncover your strengths and your developmental needs. And visit us next month when we explore the second step in on-the-job training: PRESENT.

Read each preparation element below. Then rate yourself on how often you perform each element.