One of the most common practices in a majority of businesses is to just pair the new hire with a fellow employee (who hopefully has more job experience) to provide on the job training (OJT) to get them going. This practice is expected to provide the necessary technical skills and company procedures to ensure that the employees work practices are in line with their co-workers and it is usually just a one way conversation. Often this is all a new hire gets along with a brief orientation from HR. When in reality, technical skills and company procedures aren’t even close to what makes a business thrive. Day one, is the most important day for any new hire and how employers spend that day will send the most powerful message if what matters most. The only truly sustainable competitive advantage any business can have is a culture of trust and collaboration that will in turn inspire worker productivity, continuous improvement and innovation. Culture comes first and if you don’t get that right the productivity and innovation will always be lacking. Take for instance, what one company, “Cliff Bar,” considers their core responsibility to their workers.
Employer Responsibilities:
With goals like that you have to ask how a day or two or even a week of OJT with a co-worker could ever accomplish them. Starbucks employees receive a minimum of 50 hours of class room training as well as much home work in addition to their OJT in just the first year of employment. Other great companies with great cultures invest even more to onboard and instill the right values. OJT cannot ensure a consistent portrayal of company culture and values nor does it serve as proof of the company’s investment in and commitment to building value into each workers career and home life. If people are truly a company’s most valuable resource then treat them like an investment that will give more with the more you give!!
Employer Responsibilities:
- Invest in peoples lives beyond their desk or jobs.
- Create a safe and inspiring work environment where people can be themselves so community can flourish.
- Help people live healthy active lives.
- Put our companies in service to things that matter to our communities and our people.
With goals like that you have to ask how a day or two or even a week of OJT with a co-worker could ever accomplish them. Starbucks employees receive a minimum of 50 hours of class room training as well as much home work in addition to their OJT in just the first year of employment. Other great companies with great cultures invest even more to onboard and instill the right values. OJT cannot ensure a consistent portrayal of company culture and values nor does it serve as proof of the company’s investment in and commitment to building value into each workers career and home life. If people are truly a company’s most valuable resource then treat them like an investment that will give more with the more you give!!
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