Off_the_Job_&_on_the_Job_Training

Introduction Within the competitive world markets, today’s managers face greater challenges than ever before to maintain their position among the top economic powers. From a strategic prospective, employee training will become increasingly important during the 1990s because of the pressure to reduce costs and increase productivity. Many companies are finding that they can’t compete in the global market unless they boost productivity and invest in a better- trained and skilled workforce. Employee training is a key factor in improving levels of organization productivity. Therefore, it is important that the organization enable employees to upgrade their skills and knowledge to meet these changing conditions. This essay will focus the difference between on the job training and off the job training, lastly explaining which of the two is the most effective. What is training' According to Oatey (1971), “Training is any activity which deliberately attempts to improve a person’s skill at a task”. Training may also be defined as the systemic advancement of the knowledge, skills and attitudes required by an individual to perform adequately a given task or job. It includes not only the knowledge received but also the constant application of that knowledge to daily situations. Training means bringing about continuous improvement in the quality of a person’s work, because without that improvement no training has taken place. On the job training On-the-job training occurs in the workplace while an employee is carrying out his duties. Trainees learn by doing; they learn continuously and over a long period of time. According to Stephen (2009) the reason for on-the-job training this is to allow employees to practice skills, make mistakes and learn from their mistakes under the guidance of an experienced, competent superior. Trainees are extensively influenced by their immediate superiors by on-the-job training methods. This is because superiors are usually directly responsible for the training of their subordinates. On-the-job training can however prevent trainees from acquiring a broad perspective and can negatively influence their perception of their job and how it fits into activities of the organization. Advantages & Disadvantages of on the job training Low cost - does not require the development of potentially expensive training materials or classroom/computer-based instruction. Task-based - Since OJT is performed at the work area, training tends to be focused on performing real job tasks. Well suited for small groups - OJT is often the most practical training method when you only need to train one or two employees at a time. Disadvantages of on the job training Inconsistent - Traditional OJT relies heavily on an experienced employee to provide the instructions based on what they feel are the most important topics. What is important to one employee may not be important to another. The result is what is learned may vary greatly, depending on who is assigned as the trainer. Incomplete - Without a structured lesson guide, OJT trainers often forget to cover important information. What is learned is likely to be based on what happened that day rather than on what a new employee needs to know to be safe and productive. Lack of founding principles - While the hands-on aspect of OJT may appeal to the practical learner, often the underlying theories of operation are not covered in sufficient detail or accuracy. Without this foundation of knowledge, trainees often learn what to do, not why they are doing it, resulting in poor decision making when things don't go exactly right. Bad habits - The trainee observes and may adopt the trainer's habits and attitudes about all aspects of the job including safety, quality, customer service, and relationship with management. Poorly selected trainers can have many unintended consequences. The most common methods of on the job training are: Demonstration / instruction; showing the trainee how to do the job Coaching - a more intensive method of training that involves a close working relationship between an experienced employee and the trainee Job rotation - where the trainee is given several jobs in succession, to gain experience of a wide range of activities (e.g. a graduate management trainee might spend periods in several different departments). Projects - employees join a project team - which gives them exposure to other parts of the business and allow them to take part in new activities. Most successful project teams are "multi-disciplinary" Off the job training Off-the-job training consists of activities that occur while an employee is not working (Luis, 2001). This occurs when workers are taken away from their place of work to be trained. This may take place at training agency or Local College, although many larger firms also have their own training centers. The aim of this method is to provide trainees with training methods that they can later use in their work environment. The following are training methods that can be used to train employees outside of the workplace. Advantages and disadvantages of Off The Job Training. Advantages This type of training gets employees away from their work environment to a place where their frustrations and bustle of work are eliminated. This more relaxed environment can help employees to absorb more information as they feel less under pressure to perform. Off the job training can be a source to supply the latest information, current trends, skills and techniques for example current employment legislation or other company law and regulations, current computer software or computerized technologies or improved/innovative administrative procedures. These new skills can be brought back and utilized within the company. Experts in their field would cover these courses, and this would mean that training for staff members would be taught to a reasonable standard. As the courses are held externally, our company would not have added costs incurred as a result of extra equipment or additional space. Sending an employee on a course could help to make an employee feel more valued as they would feel as if they are receiving quality training. As many courses or seminars invite employees form other companies to attend, this would allow employees to network and perhaps drum-up business. Disadvantages Depending on the course, the overall cost could prove quite expensive for example; many courses may require an overnight stay at a hotel if the course is outside the area or the course itself may prove to be expensive due to the level of expertise or equipment need to deliver the course. As there is no real way to know the abilities both as a trainer and their subject knowledge of the people delivering the external training courses, there is no guarantee that sufficient skills of knowledge will be transfers or valuable. The different learning speeds of individuals who are usually forced to progress at a compromise rate. Not all the learners will be starting at the same knowledge or skill level and there is a risk that those starting at the lowest levels, if account is not taken of this, will be lost from the start. Off the job training methods Lectures/Conferences This approach is well adapted to convey specific information, rules, procedures or methods. This method is useful, where the information is to be shared among a large number of trainees. The cost per trainee is low in this method. Role Play It’s just like acting out a given role as in a stage play. In this method of training, the trainees are required to enact defined roles on the basis of oral or written description of a particular situation. Simulation Exercise Any training activity that explicitly places the trainee in an artificial environment that closely mirrors actual working conditions can be considered a Simulation. Simulation activities include case experiences, experiential exercises, vestibule training, management games & role-play. Off the job training is the most effective Off the job training is effective due to the fact that an employee is able to study in a more relaxed atmosphere as a result they absorb more information. The are also exposed to the latest information and trends which are ever changing. Being able to adapt to ones environment will ensure that the remain competitive in there day to day work. Off the job training helps employee to gain additional/extra information for expects in the subject in addition the training is structure, this ensures that all subject matters are looked into. Off the job training help employees in networking and gaining experience from other individual, such information can help the organization develop. Conclusion Lastly, while different types of training can be identified to meet the differing needs and staff involved, the focus should be on the personal and strategic objectives to be attained. An effective training program depends upon a systematic approach including need assessment, program design and evaluation of results.