Training Within Industry: Job Instruction - Why Now?

The Defense Production Act may require you to shift production to a different product and therefore you need to rapidly train your team members.  Others may need to reduce their workforce and move team members to other jobs that would require them to learn new skills.  And, some companies are hiring so rapidly that they interview a person, hire them on the spot, and the person is working on the job the same day.  These new team members require to be trained on everything from safety, time keeping, to their actual tasks and everything in between.

Job instruction method allows you to get a person to quickly remember to do a job, correctly, safely, and conscientiously.  Job Instruction allows you to achieve this rapid learning by following 4 steps to get ready to train someone.  Then once you are ready, you follow another 4 steps to transfer the knowledge to the trainee.

4 Steps to Prepare to Train:

1. Have a training timetable. Basically, this means you need a plan on who is going to be trained, on what task, and by when.  This may seem simple, but consider a new hire, or someone is moved to a different job.  Do you know exactly the what tasks they will be trained on, and in which order?  Or do you they just get assigned to “shadow” another employee and are told just learn to do what “they” do? 
2. Break down the job.  Once you know what tasks someone is going to be trained on, you need to know what the best way is to perform the task.  Do you have standard operating procedures, work instructions, visual aids, etc.?  The task should be broken into the important steps of the job.  The key points to the job.  And, the reason why we do it a certain way – understanding the why greatly improves retention.
3. Have everything ready. Again, this may seem simple.  However, if the trainer is not prepared to train, then training can become confusing and more difficult for the trainee to learn quickly.
4. Arrange the worksite.  For the trainee to quickly learn to complete their task, the training should be conducted in the actual working environment when possible.

Once you have completed the 4 steps in preparation to train, you are now ready to transfer the information to the new hires /trainees. 

4-Step Job Instruction Method for Training:

1. Prepare the worker.  The trainer should put the trainee as ease, they may be nervous or worried about learning a new task. They should clearly tell the learner what task they are about to learn.  The trainer needs to find out what experience the trainee has.  This will help ensure the task they are about to learn isn’t going to beyond their capabilities.  Next explain why the task they are about to learn is important, and how it affects the rest of the organization or the final product.
2. Present the operation 3 times. First demonstrate the task and explain what the important steps. The second time, demonstrate again, review the important steps, and add the key points.  lastly, demonstrate, review the important steps, key points, and reasons it is being done that specific way.
3. Have the learner perform the task at least 4 times. The first time, just have the learner complete the task and correct any errors. The second time around, have them complete the task while telling you what the important steps are.  The third time, the learner should complete the task, tell you the important steps, and key points.  The fourth time, as the learner completes the task, they should explain the important steps, key points and reasons why they are doing it.
4. Follow up. Once the trainer is convinced the learner knows how to complete the task, they should be put on their own.  The learner will need a few more directions from the trainer, like who to go to for help, when to expect check-ins from the trainer, and when coaching will be completed. Trainers should encourage trainees to ask questions throughout the coaching process.

Now more than ever with the quick changes in our work, we need a method to quickly train our team members so they can quickly learn to complete a task correctly, safety, and understand why they are doing it.

ICYMI

• Check out our other article on the 10 Myths about Training Within Industry Job Instruction
• Download the Training During Disruption with TWI: The Need is Now! Webinar, part of the COVID-19 Webinar Series.

Have questions? IMEC's experts are on hand and ready to guide you - contact the Illinois Manufacturing Helpline today!