justplainbil

Just Plain Bill

OJT (On-the-job training)

Have you ever been waited on by someone being trained on the job to do the job? If you’re like me, you’re somewhat ambivalent about being patient, or even tolerant, especially while the trainee struggles with important payment processing tasks, usually adding time to complete my transaction.

Even with the advances in technology that allow for scanning of bar codes, calculating exact change on cash purchases, and even the calculations for any credits or discounts, the process can be overwhelming to the trainee.

Beyond the jobs involving customer contact, new employees throughout organizations are often treated as if they don’t know “anything”, are assumed to know “nothing” about work, and are expected to interpret often less-than helpful verbal and printed directions.

All too often, I’ve observed someone being told what to do, while the “teller” pushes the keys or performs the task themselves, assuming the “new person” will easily pick up on what the veteran employee is doing. 

One might ask what the alternative might be: How are new employees to learn how to do their job? Over the years I’ve witnessed that we all learn in different ways, ranging from reading a manual, observation, being “told”, “faking it until you make it”, blundering through, using a job aid, or some combination of all of the above.

When I was teaching lending professionals and loan applicants about a different and somewhat complex type of mortgage, I always started by asking what the learner and customer already knew. Confidence was gained. Rapport was established. Trust was built. The learner felt good about what they already knew and they felt valued. It’s a great starting point for the blueprint to build on from there. 

It’s been said, “People don’t like to be told what they already know”, which relates to this subject. I’ve found this to be a valuable approach, which helps those in the OJT role minimize frustration or failure, and get them “up to speed” and contributing as expeditiously as possible.