Managers who train usually get involved in two types of training: job-instruction training (JIT) and on-the-job training (OJT). In either case, managers who train need to use processes similar to those used by training professionals in developing courses. These steps are planning, preparing, presenting, arranging for use of these plans back on the job, and following up through progress checks.
During the planning stage, the manager who trains needs to analyze the job. The analysis should list the tasks involved in the job, defining each task and determining the quantifiable measures for each. From this breakdown, managers who train can develop an accurate job description and determine any gaps between the skills an employee currently possesses and those required for efficient production. Job tasks should be defined so that they:
are observable and measurable in terms of quality, quantity, or time
require minutes and hours, rather than days, to perform
are discrete tasks and have a definite beginning and end
See Info-lines No. 8503, “Be a Better Task Analyst,” and No. 8903, “Be a Better Job Analyst” for details on how to conduct the analysis called for in this step.
The manager who trains must prepare for the training session to ensure that it addresses all job tasks, teaches the correct procedures, and mandates the standards of quality, quantity, and time required. During this stage the manager or trainer is responsible for the following:
The manager must first decide on the training's mission. The objectives should result in measurable changes in the trainees' knowledge or skills to warrant the training investment. Trainees should be able to tell how well the objectives were met at the end of the course; trainers should be able to use the objectives as progress markers back on the job.
This needs to be developed to show the manger who trains what needs to be covered and how much time will be allotted to the class. This guide should also list use of job aids or equipment and when these items will be used.
Lesson plans expand on the training outline by detailing the material to be covered and the instructional methods used. For example, one training session may be tied to one particular role. The course outline will list only the role and the time allotted to cover it; the lesson plan will list the steps of each role and the time it will take to cover them.
Managers who train need to consider methods to reduce trainee anxiety and to tie the training into later evaluation. On the day of the training, the manager who trains should plan to:
Go over the job task breakdowns.
Prepare the training room.
Greet the trainee and put him or her at ease.
Orientation to the work group or job site should be included in the manager's training responsibility. This does not only mean showing the trainee where the bathroom is or how to use the telephone system. The trainer should provide background information to demonstrate why the trainee is asked to do the job in the manner being taught.
Job-orientation training should also include directions for passing on paperwork to appropriate departments and where these departments are located. The trainee should also learn about the responsibilities of each department and what the staff members' job roles are. Without this information, the employee cannot make informed decisions. It will take longer to adjust to the work group and the job, which makes transfer of the training to the job a longer process. The longer a person is working under capacity, the more he or she costs the company in lost revenue and mistakes.
For more information see Info-lines No. 8708, “Successful Orientation Programs”; No. 8906, “Lesson Design and Development”; No. 8905, “Course Design and Development”; No. 9706, “Basics of Instructional Systems Development”; and No. 9708, “On-the-Job Training.”
“Tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you've told them.” This adage applies whether the instruction is given by lecture or demonstration.
When giving a demonstration, first explain and then demonstrate the job task. If there are no questions, demonstrate each step of the task again, explaining the key points and steps. Repeat the demonstrations as often as necessary until the trainee understands the process. Additional information, such as why something is done, can be added in the later demonstrations.
When the manager who trains thinks that the trainee understands the process, the participant should be asked to practice the procedure until he or she is familiar with it. One successful approach to knowing when the trainee is ready for hands-on work is to have him or her talk the trainer through the process. Another is the verbal quiz—the manager can ask the employee who, what, when, where, how, and under what circumstances a particular action is taken.
Before the training session ends, the manger who trains should provide the trainee with sources of help such as job aids, where to find manuals, and so forth if he or she runs into difficulty in the actual workplace. The trainer should also tell the trainee when his or her progress will be checked. This encourages the trainee to implement the new procedures after he or she returns to the job.
During the first stages of on-the-job implementation of training, the manager needs to remain a trainer. He or she should schedule frequent progress checks to see if the trainee is making correct use of the training. As the trainee becomes more proficient, the progress checks will occur less frequently, eventually being evaluated as part of routine job performance. For more information on evaluation, see the References & Resources section that begins on the next page.