Team Approach Improves On-the-Job Training

On-the-job training (OJT) is vital for training new employees, cross-training, and keeping skills fresh. This article stated that Diane Walter of Human Performance Applications has come up with a method she says is relatively inexpensive and much faster than having one or two subject-matter-experts (SMEs) handle the task. She says OJT can be more effective if training materials are created by a team. This also offers the benefit of addressing other performance issues that come up in the process.

The basic steps the article outlines are:

1. Break down each process or job into tasks, asking for each:
2. 1. "What do you need to know to be able to perform this job task?
   2. "Can you teach and can someone learn each of these tasks in a half hour?"
3. Draft two-column modules, with the first column containing "an action word and object that describes what the trainee must do" and a column that "describes the when, where, why, and how you do it." Include enough details to help the trainees practice on their own.
4. Try each module out on the job.
5. When final, have it reviewed by appropriate SMEs such as the team manager and company's training coordinator.

Source: "Eight Steps to Better On-the-Job Training," HRfocus 80(7):11.