Productivity through OntheJob Training Essays -

Productivity through On?the?Job Training Introduction Today's dynamic world and globalization brought constant changes for organizations to perform their activities. These continued needs for individual and organizational development can be traced to numerous demands, competitiveness, increased productivity and employees' development. The first thing that comes in the minds of the management is productivity. That's why management of any firm is so focused to improving their employees' productivity. Training is one of the most pervasive methods for enhancing the productivity of individuals, employees' skills, knowledge and ability to do more complex tasks or complete tasks better and faster and communicating organizational goals to new personnel. The focus of this essay is on on-the-job Training (OJT) of employees. Effects of OJT OJT has its effects on employees' performance, productivity in terms of units produced, decreased breakdown, increases in sales and career advancement. The steps for conducting OJT programs are needs assessment, planning, developing, execution and evaluation. The management perceives productivity as operational efficiency, low stress level of workers during job, product quality, maintenance reduction of machines. The huge investment by employers in new work processes, technologies require error-free output. The need is satisfied by OJT, which is used to train both novice and experienced employees in organizations. During the training, the trainees are able to learn new and important things, which they were not using as before. OJT can be defined as the enhancement of job competence acquisition, involving the following elements: (I) the actual work processes, (ii) the physical work environment, and (iii) the social work environment. Structured OJT is defined as ?planned OJT that occurs on the job and in real time?. It is based on a job breakdown and on effective principles of instruction. OJT provides trainees both general skills which are transferable from one job to another and specific skills as well that are unique to a particular job these skills are non-transferable. Conducting OJT There is a growing interest in structured OJT because others have major drawbacks. It provides a third route for the development of employees and towards their competence. There are four phases of structured OJT program (i) import phase; in this phase new employees are trained by way of unstructured OJT. (ii) development phase; a handbook is written in this phase how tasks will be performed in the training program. Handbooks are written by operating staff and training manager. (iii) execution phase; trainees undertake a theoretical explanation of the training program for two to three days and are told on site how to perform the specified tasks.(iv) Export phase; it is compulsory for employees at Indian Oil to get OJT before operating at their jobs. When on the job training is needed? OJT program is appropriate under these conditions; (i) when employee is new to the post, domestic office or the job; (ii) employee lacks knowledge essential for job; (iii) job functions have changed, or are about to change; (iv) other obstacles in the work place e.g. lack of tools, equipment. The next part is Planning OJT Program: During planning trainer or supervisor identifies the employees who need training. They (trainer and trainees) establish timeframes for implementing OJT program. They set goals for learning outcomes and instructional objectives. In other words they develop strategies for OJT program. Generally these strategies include selection criteria of employees for training, period of training, number of employees and frequency of training, etc. Evaluation The outcomes of the training program seeks to depict how effective was the training. Evaluation helps trainer to seek if any employee needs further training to perform his/her job. A four level model to evaluate effectiveness of training are; (i) Reactions: represent what trainees feel about training, whether they like it; (ii) Learning: what trainees have learnt from the training; (iii) Behavioral: how they are performing in actual after training; (iv) results: in the form of productivity, organizational goals and objectives. Analysis OJT increases productivity through: operational efficiency, low worker's stress, product quality, maintenance reduction and career growth. Workers in the production department must know how to operate the machines in routine and unusual production cases. Newly hired workers hesitation and pressure, due to the fact that they don't know how to operate it is pacified by OJT. OJT is an occasion for employees to improve their professional skills leading