7 Things You Really Must Do to Make On-the-Job Training Successful in Small-Medium Business
By Leon Noone
Summary
Whether training a new or current employee the old adage still applies. "If the student hasn't learnt, the teacher hasn't taught". In the workplace you also suffer a major penalty. It costs you heaps when employees can't do their jobs properly because of poor training.
1. Specify What They'll Be Able To Do At The End
The purpose of training is to get a job done well. The first thing to do is to state what the trainees will be able to do at the end of the training that they couldn't do at the start. The operative word is "do": not understand, appreciate, grasp or any of these other fuzzy verbs; "do". If you can't measure it don't teach it. And you can only measure what the trainee can do.
2. Specify What They Need To Know
In order to be able to "do" trainees need knowledge. Only when you've stated what they need to be able to do can you specify what they need to know. Be careful. Don't overdo the "knows". For example, you don't need to know how a PC works in order to be able to operate it. But you do need to know how to read various screens and what data represents.
Stating the "able to do" and "need to know" matters is the key to successful on job training. Do this before you start. If you don't, your trainees won't learn what's essential.
3. Set Performance Standards For "Do" And "Know"
It's not enough to say "be computer literate" or "operate all company computer systems". You need to add "how often", "how well", "how quickly", "how accurately". You must decide how you would measure competence and what you'd consider to be adequate knowledge. This degree of detail also gives the trainee clearly defined goals and standards and a clear idea of how his or her competence will be assessed.
4. Replicate Job Conditions
This is the golden rule: replicate actual working conditions as accurately as possible. Use tools and equipment in good working order exactly as the trainee would find them on the job. If you can run the training in the trainees' normal workplace, that's ideal. You can learn to drive in the family sedan. But it's no place to learn to be a Formula One racing driver.
5. Treat Safety Seriously
Be casual about safety and that's what trainees will learn. Ensure that all safety procedures and practices are followed exactly. Imagine that you're teaching the trainee how to throw a hand grenade safely and accurately for maximum effect. Be as careful as you would in those circumstances.
6. Plan Carefully And In Great Detail
You might be the best trainer working with the smartest trainee. It doesn't matter. Your training will be as successful as the thoroughness of your planning. You have your "able to do", "need to know" and "performance standards". That's an excellent basis for your training plan. To develop your plan start with the end goal and work backwards to the start - where you'll commence the training. Include competency checks at various stages of the plan. And don't move to a new training phase until you're satisfied with trainee competence in the previous phase.
7. Test Before Training
There's one last thing to do before you actually start training. You must test each trainee before starting the training. Use the competency checks you've built into your training plan. If you're satisfied that the trainee is competent in any areas, don't train in those. Nothing irritates trainees than being taught something that they're already good at. It wastes your time and resources too.
Conclusion
It's what you do before you start training that determines whether or not your training will be successful. It's been said so often it's a cliché. But it merits repeating in this context. "if you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you've arrived"?
Leon Noone helps managers in small-medium business to improve on-job staff performance without training courses. Some say his ideas are too unconventional. Find out for yourself by reading his free Special Report "49 Practical Tips For Better People Management In Small-Medium Business". Simply visit http://www.leons7secrets.com and download your free copy now.