On-the-job pedagogy

1. On-the-jobpedagogy Deinde LtdPrepared by Anna Jesionek This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This publicationreflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein

2. Presentationplan • Polish context – what is OJT training in Poland? • Techniques of OJT • OJT trainer • Advantages and drawbacksof OJT trainings • Examples in our region/country • Our OJT experience

3. On-the-job training (OJT) in Poland • Training „through work” orinternal training aiming at transferring the knowledge, skills and attitudes of the superior/supervisor and other employees (e.g. managers) to the new employee directly during the performance of work tasks in the workplace • In Poland, on-the-job training as for basic skills to workers is not so common(BS understood as only reading, writing – literacy, numeracy skills).

4. On-the-job training (OJT) in Poland • It’srathermoreassociated with other basic skills/key competences (communication in foreign languages; digital competence (ICT); learning to learn; social and civic competences; sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; cultural awareness and expression). • Beforeall, OJT isassociated with necessary professional skills and knowledge that new employee needs to have to start a job: OSH (occupational safety and health), laws and duties of employees and employer, scope of duties/tasks = it’s more like “workplace training” (key information and requirements connectedwith specific post/position). • OJT in manycasesaimatincreasingproductivity and effectiveness of the company.

5. Techniques of OJT • “modeling” –observing the superior while performing his/her task, then imitating the work • mentoring– shaping a desired behavior; it’s based on the relationship between subordinates and superior(s) who is/are a model to follow • coaching - a training or development process via which an employeeis supported by the supervisorwhile achieving a specific result or goal • specialized instruction –supervisorintroducesan employee into the workplace and familiarizeshim/herwith the scope of tasks and duties (it also may take form of a written instruction) • consultation with your supervisor – transfer of experience by managers who work longer in a given company; itrequires some pedagogical abilities,like skills assessment, patience. The advantage is low cost and the supervisor develops his/her interpersonal and conceptual skills • “special assignment” – delegating tasks to the employee that exceed the performance of his routine daily duties • assigning replacement – taking another position (temporarily) that is not filled at a given time due to illness or vacation of some other person • group work forms – “work/project teams” whose tasks are a part of a bigger work/project; all member are equal; aim: exchange of knowledge and experience

6. Advantages of OJT • training takes place in real time and in a real work situation • an individualized approach betweenthetrainer and the monitored person (employee), which gives greater opportunity to adjust type and content of the training totheindividual person and his/her style of work • carried out in conditions enabling to get to know each other better which strengthens the culture of the organization • helps to solve current problems in the daily work • helps to avoid the stage of transforming theoretical knowledge into practical action • activation of managers “taking care of” a given employee who undergoes training • easier verification and evaluation of the effects of the trainings and at the same time the employee is not “eliminated” from the work day • time and money spent on the training quickly pays for itself in the form of increase productivity and effectiveness

7. Drawbacks of OJT • limited possibility to use knowledge and skills acquired during the training • only a slight increase in the bargaining power of the worker in the labor market • risk of transmission of improper methods and patterns of work to a new employee • the presence of superiors (directors/chairmen etc.) can be a restraining or blocking factor for employees taking part in the training • risk of conducting unreliable training by a trainer/training organization who doesn’t know/understand the specificity of a given company • in case of trainings conducted by e.g. a manager (working in the company) – lack of pedagogical background and abilities can make the training inefficient • costs – in Poland, employing external expert (professional company implementing OJT) is very expensive and enterprises prefer to train new employees with their own means (by involvingotheremployees, supervising, delegating tasks, job sharing etc.)

8. OJT trainers • Professional trainer is necessary – with a suitableeducational background and experience; preferably someone who worked on a given post and may introduce the next employee. • They are usually experienced managers having additional pedagogical/trainer qualifications – in this case the training takes the form of coaching, where the trainer-coach works only with one person.

9. Features of a goodOJT trainer • deep knowledge based on experience • ability to listen • intrinsic/internal motivation • charisma • ability to observe and draw conclusions • resistance to stress • empathy and openness • ability to deal with resistance and criticism • giving feedback (including criticism) • prioritizing and organizing information

10. Examples of OJT • Studyvisit in Perla Browary Lubelskie – e.g. whena new employee starts his/her work, during first three days he/she is introduced by the supervisors/managersinto the specificity of the work, gets to know co-workers, undergoes basic trainings as for OSH programs (occupational safety and health). Then, during the three-month period he/she undergoes the evaluation period. • Sector of SALE, e.g.: training of sales representatives (initially, the sales manager goes with the newly recruited person on the meetings with clients- it takes about a week; later he/she leaves the employee more and more space for self-reliance. At the same time he/shecompares the results of a few employees, carry out meetings to verify their skills and eliminate potential problems. • In banksoroffices, e.g.: new employee of customer service observes the work of a controller, then they change roles; however, the controller is always present and provides assistance whenever necessary. The breaks are quite often; then controller comes back to his work and new employee goes for a short evaluation interview with a coach/trainer/manager.

11. Our OJT experience(basicskills) Trainings conducted by Deinde’s and Foundation’semployees or by professional trainers, for example: • communication in foreign languages – employees are learning English (weekly speaking “classes”), alsoSpanish • digital competence (ICT) – shorttrainingsconcerningtheuse of MS Word (advancedfunctions) or MS Excel • learning to learn – involvement in LLP projects: partnerships, workshop, trainings • social and civic competences – short interpersonal and social skills’ trainings useful in social and working life (communication, negotiations etc.) • sense of initiative and entrepreneurship – short trainings e.g. on creativity and creativethinking, as well as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to achieve objectives. • cultural awareness and expression - short intercultural trainings for employees, useful in social and working life (latelyabout gender mainstreaming and gender issues)

12. Our OJT experience (basicskills) • Social projects with traineeships, e.g. project „Actively in the labour market”(HR and payroll, computergraphics, catering services, preparation and management of EU projects) • Projects’ participants: unemployedpeople from Lublin region • Services: vocationalcounselling/guidance; trainingcourses and internships/traineeships (3-6 months) in a company • Eachtraineehad„a mentor” in a companywhoprovidedguidance and assistance in carrying out the tasksduring the traineership period • In Deinde and FFI we regularlyhaveinterns/traineeswhohavetheir „mentors” and undergo a sort of OJT (always in relation to tasks he/sheneeds to performor a project he/sheisinvolved in).

13. Thankyou. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This publicationreflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein