On the job training 2020

Table of Contents

Practice Makes Perfect! You must have heard this proverb millions of times, and it makes perfect sense. Nothing beats the experience of first-hand learning with constant practice. If you are joining a new organization as a fresher, you might not understand how they function, and that’s where OJT training or on the job training comes into play.

In this blog post, we help you understand the nuances of on the job training and why it is so important. By the time you finish reading this post, you will have the answer to these 3 questions that may be on your mind as an L&D leader for your organization

  • What is OJT or on the job training?
  • Why is OJT important for corporate organizations?
  • How can you start implementing OJT in your organization?

What is on the job training? A Quick Overview

On the job training (also known as OJT or workplace training) is the art of training your new employees within the workplace while doing productive work. As a part of the OJT program, the employees learn the skills, and competency level required to perform their job in a live environment and parallelly get accustomed to the working environment.

Ojt training is quicker to set up (compared to offline/classroom training) as the employees are directly using the company’s resources, tools, machinery, etc. to learn how to be more efficient towards their job responsibilities. They learn how to deal with job expectations and perform better in the workplace.

Different techniques that form part of OJT training program are:

  • Coaching and Counseling
  • Instructor-led Training [ILT]
  • Internships and job rotations
  • Elearning

How does OJT benefit the Corporate Sector?

Every organization follows a different style and protocol for giving on the job training (OJT) to its workforce. However, all forms of OJT training must be relevant and targeted, should help out the employees, must be resourceful, and should happen in an orderly fashion.

Some primary benefits OJT provides to the corporate sector include:

  • It’s specific and focuses on the needs of the employees
  • OJTs aren’t bound by price tags, i.e., are pocket-friendly and cut-down all expense incurred on in-person training and travel
  • TIME IS MONEY! Thus, implementing OJT allows you to deliver information wherever your employees need it the most
  • On the job training is flexible, and encourages social bonding within your entire workforce

Given the benefits, let’s talk about the myths in our next segment. It will give you a clear picture and overview of Expectations Vs Reality of OJT.

OJT Training: Debunking the Myths

Tech is reshaping the future of work and thus the employees need to be fully prepared for today’s changing skill requirements. OJT training is a must for corporate employees to keep abreast of the trends in the industry and prevent becoming redundant. However, many companies are reluctant to invest on OJT training as they perceive it as being extremely time consuming and expensive. Let’s check out each of these myths and debunk them one by one.

  • Myth 1: OJT Programme is Unaffordable for Small Corporations

    Many smaller startups believe that setting up the OJT training requires a ton of investment in – setting up the infrastructure. However, that’s not entirely true.

    REALITY: As per a Goldman-Sachs report, nearly 88% of companies are capable of training a major set of their employee workforce through a variety of training options. To get the best outcome, the organizations must invest in OJT to improve their retention and invest the revenue in training the new hires. By adopting techniques like E learning, it’s now much easier for small corporations to enjoy the benefits of professional training and boost their ROI. The best part of E learning tools and LMS platforms is that they are available in a SaaS model, this means that companies can invest less in the beginning and opt for a per user model, they can eventually increase their investment as their business and organization scales up.

  • Myth 2: OJT Programme Eats Up the Productive Time

    A common myth. Most hiring managers, when asked about their views on OJT, stated that it will bring a major downfall in the volume of projects that could be wrapped in a day

    REALITY: Learning on the go has always been beneficial to corporates because the employees get to apply their new understanding, and skills to the existing set of projects. It makes the employees productive, creates a learning atmosphere within the entire workplace, and also encourages the employees to give their 100% efforts while serving their clients/customers.

  • Myth 3: OJT is Unnecessary for a Skilled Workforce

    Surveys indicate that corporates look for a skilled workforce solely to avoid the expenses incurred while training them. As per them, hiring professionals would save them time, while ensuring that there’s no unwanted delay in client deliverables. Sadly, that’s not always the case.

    REALITY: Every new employee has certain expectations from the company and comes from a different work culture. The corporate firms must understand that even if the hired employee has prior experience in the same role, he/she requires OJT training following his/her new designated position to deliver on their responsibilities.

    With changing times, constant upskilling is what drives each employee, keeps them motivated and looks forward to having a long-term association with their new firm. Another significant benefit is that they get a full understanding of the ongoing projects, get accustomed to their new workspace and bond with their teammates much faster.

  • Myth 4: OJT Tools Are Very Expensive to Maintain

    This is another common public misconception that surrounds OJT. The primary reason that magnified this myth is that in the former days, corporate organizations preferred buying traditional tools and installing them on their on-premise servers.

    REALITY: As technology improved over the years, corporate organizations started relying on the latest tools and concepts like eLearning, Gamification, etc. Now, even the employees prefer gaining first-hand experience on advanced yet secured enterprise software to learn how it operates.

    To ensure the demands are met properly, corporates need to invest in SaaS (Software as a Service) learning platform. SaaS-based LMS solutions offer a wide range of benefits like – they are user-friendly, are easy to customize, focuses more on the learner, and it’s easier to scale them up with the changing corporate requirements to reach out to a globally dispersed audience. The best part is that SaaS software is entirely on the cloud and updates are constantly being dispatched by the vendor. The corporate need not spend an extra penny in maintenance and upkeep.

The Final Verdict

The right team is a crucial asset to each organization, defining its successor failure rate. Developing a successful team requires effort and is critical to ensuring that the organization stays one step ahead of its competition. Providing equal training and development opportunities for all employees is crucial to stay competitive.

On the flip side, to achieve the best results, the employees must understand the value of training, irrespective if they receive it on-the-job, or through self-learning modes. They must constantly seek out opportunities to learn to ensure consistent career growth and maintain their productivity.

How important do you feel OJT training is for the corporate space? Drop a comment to share your learnings, experiences with us and our readers.