On-the-job training is always an essential part of empowering workers and giving them greater skills and confidence in their abilities, all of which should prove beneficial for the prospects of the business taking this proactive approach.
If you want to tackle some more specialists tasks such as powder coating for example, it might require some external resources initially, and Reliant Finishing Systems has info in that respect.
When it comes to training up new employees, it is certainly worth looking at job shadowing as an initiative, as it has quickly become one of the top ways to pass on the required skills, quickly and efficiently, with good reason.
Job shadowing explained
The clue is in the name, as job shadowing is primarily a form of on-the-job employee training which involves a new employee or an existing worker looking to broaden their skills, following an experienced and qualified employee, so that they can see firsthand what the job entails.
Job shadowing is considered by many businesses across a diverse range of different sectors, to be an effective and cost-effective way of providing training, as it makes use of existing resources within the company, by asking an existing employee to pass on their skills and mentor new employees.
There is no question that the opportunity to participate in job shadowing, makes the experience much more enjoyable and rewarding all round, than simply providing an instructional manual and expecting someone to develop their skills from there.
What you get with job shadowing, is the chance for an experienced employee to pass on the sort of nuances of a particular job, that you can’t glean from a training manual.
A solution on several fronts
What makes job shadowing such an attractive proposition is the fact that it offers to provide a viable solution to a number of different scenarios.
One way that it can be used effectively, is providing an opportunity for job shadowing as part of the hiring process, giving the business and the prospective employee, a valuable insight into their suitability for a particular position.
This can be very useful if you incorporate job shadowing into your recruitment procedures, as it will probably help to identify applicants who might not be deemed suitable for the role after you have had a chance to see their application to a task. It will also help these applicants to decide whether the job is for them, which will save a lot of wasted time and training resources if you hire them, only for them to subsequently leave a few months later.
Another positive aspect attributed to the idea of job shadowing is that it does provide a good way of getting new employees up to speed on standardized tasks as quickly as possible.
It is unfortunately all too common for an employee to not receive the level of training that they actually require in order to achieve the level of competency that employers are looking for, at least not in an acceptable timeframe.
This is frustrating for employees and employers alike and can be readily resolved without spending large sums of money on training, simply by incorporating job shadowing into the training program.
Job rotation opportunities
Any business that can boast a multi-talented and adaptable workforce will often enjoy a significant edge over its rivals and enjoy a higher level of employee retention.
Many workers feel more valued and content with their employer when they are given the chance to progress within the business and learn new skills. Job rotation offers a great deal of flexibility and allows a business to enjoy a workforce where within reason, one person could feasibly stand in for another.
Job shadowing is a viable solution to providing a job rotation program. It provides employees to gain a basic understanding of a different job within the business to the one they currently do, allowing them to potentially step in if required, or apply for a promotion having gained additional skills and knowledge.
Promoting from within
Forwarding-thinking business owners who understand the benefits of promoting from within the organization wherever possible, know that job shadowing is an essential component in allowing them to pursue these ambitions and direction.
The fundamental point about job shadowing is that it is a training initiative that can be applied at all levels of the workforce. Whether it someone just joining and looking to learn the job from scratch, or someone in a management role being prepared for an even more senior role, job shadowing fits the bill as a viable and cost-effective solution.
Kidal Delonix is a contributor to Mr. Hoffman's blog. The views and opinions are entirely his/her own and may not reflect Mr Hoffman's views.
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