On-the-job training takes place in a real-life workplace instead of a simulated work environment
On-the-job training or workplace training is one of the most common methods of training employees.
It involves a trainee learning and practising the skills, knowledge and competencies necessary to perform tasks within a workplace, thus gaining first-hand knowledge and experience in actual working conditions.
As human resource and management consultant Susan M. Heathfield writes in an article for The Balance Careers, the simple aim of this method of training “is to use the existing environment, tools, and skill training available in the workplace to train employees to do their jobs—on the job.”
On-the-job training can be a worthwhile investment. For employees, undergoing such training allows them to improve their capability, and keep updated on the latest skills and development within the industry they work in.
It also gives employees the ability to work more efficiently and effectively, and even the needed morale boost, allowing them to enhance their work productivity.
Companies that train and develop their employees through on-the-job training help bridge any skill gap among different employees to better equip them for their respective jobs.
But perhaps the greatest benefit for companies is the competitive advantage they gain within the job market by offering a well thought out training and development programme for potential employees.
This is because employees tend to feel more valued when they are being invested in, and therefore more willing to perform better in their jobs if they are given the opportunity to grow professionally within the organisation.
