On-the-Job Training: 4 Ways to Implement an OJT Program

On-the-job training (OJT) is any experiential way of training employees for a job. OJT is done in-person in the work environment and is meant to simulate the work the employee will be doing once training is complete. In on-the-job training, a new employee often shadows a more experienced employee during on-the-job training to learn about company policies, to how to do aspects of their job, like operating certain machinery or using a particular software. OJT is different from off-the-job training, which is often administered by a third-party organization out of the workplace and involves training videos, written materials, or classroom and course learning.

There are a number of company and employee benefits to on-the-job training. Some of the benefits to OJT include:

• It integrates your new employee to the company culture. Integrating a new employee into your company’s workplace culture through OJT quickly exposes them to the real experience of working with your team. When new employees shadow current employees, they can bond with your team in a representative environment, which can increase employee loyalty and morale.
• It improves information retention. Learning-by-doing is an effective training method that can improve retention of important information. OJT helps make new hires feel comfortable in their position, allowing them to be more focused on retaining the information rather than memorizing bullet points or information from a video, as seen with off-the-job training.
• It develops skills. OJT increases employee engagement, which can lead to more interest in the role and more efficient skill set development.
• It’s cost-effective. Hiring a third-party organization or vendor to teach an employee how to do their job can be costly. When employees learn from their experienced co-workers or supervisors, businesses are able to save money on resources while increasing efficiency.

On-the-job training will look different in different fields. When it comes to on-the-job-training programs, there are a few broad types of training plans:

• Structured: A structured OJT program plots out a system of training steps for an employee with goals at each level. Each level of structured OJT training is usually followed by an evaluation of the employee’s performance. A structured training period is planned with a realistic timeframe geared towards setting the employee up to work independently.
• Unstructured: Unstructured OJT usually involves a new employee shadowing one or several skilled employees, who oversee the trainee’s job tasks and various other day-to-day activities. There are no real milestones to hit, and the plans can be customized at will depending on the trainee’s experience and abilities.
• Blended OJT: Occasionally, the experiential learning of OJT is combined with off-the-job training tasks—like training videos, written materials, or participating in some sort of course learning—which is called blended OJT. Jobs that involve complicated or specialized skills can benefit from blended on-the-job training.
• Standalone OJT: This is when an employee’s training activity is limited to in-workplace, on-the-job training, without any off-the-job learning. Standalone OJT can be structured, or unstructured.

An OJT plan can change your workforce productivity and atmosphere. For a few steps on how to implement an OJT plan at the workplace, see below:

1. 1. Establish the needs of your employees, and your needs from them. Figure out exactly what your new hires need to know in order to satisfactorily perform their roles. Establish what you will require of your new employees going forward. Anticipate what tools, skills, and instruction they’ll need to become familiar with their responsibilities.
2. 2. Prepare your leaders. Provide your educators with all the information they need to properly train new employees. If you’re delegating the training responsibilities to current employees, make sure they have the leadership capabilities to properly implement your training program.
3. 3. Organize and execute a program. A structured OJT plan can provide a great system for keeping track of new employee progress. You can create a program centered around mentoring, shadowing, role-playing, or any combination of hands-on activities that educate employees at the workplace. Outline the details of each stage your new employee will need to complete before moving onto the next, and make sure they fully understand their responsibilities.
4. 4. Evaluate your new hire. Once training is complete, you’ll want to check in with your new employee. Encourage them to ask any questions they may have. Make sure that the training met their needs. Check in with the employee who trained the new hire about their overall performance, and make sure that the employee is meeting the company’s needs.

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