Explain any four benefits of training to the organisation and any four 'On-the- Job Training' methods.
Answer – Training: meaning, features and benefits
Training systematically increases the knowledge and skills needed for a specific job. It is purposeful, job related, practical, planned, capable of evaluation and continuous as tasks change.
Benefits to the organisation: systematic learning avoids wasteful trial and error; productivity and quality improve; future managers become available; employee morale rises; absenteeism and turnover can decline; better equipment handling reduces accidents and waste; staff become more adaptable to new technology.
Benefits to employees: better skills improve career opportunities; increased performance can improve earnings; safer methods reduce accidents; confidence, satisfaction and morale improve.
Training is an investment when its relevance, delivery and results justify its cost. Merely conducting courses without identifying needs does not ensure a benefit.
On-the-job training
On-the-job training teaches employees while they perform work in the actual workplace: learning by doing.
- Apprenticeship: a trainee works under an experienced expert for a prescribed period to acquire a skilled trade, such as electrical or mechanical work.
- Coaching: a superior personally guides, instructs and reviews a trainee's performance.
- Internship: educational institutions and business organisations combine classroom learning with practical work experience.
- Job rotation: an employee moves through different assignments or departments to gain broader experience and understanding of interdependence.
These methods provide realistic experience and immediate feedback, but require capable trainers and attention to safety and production quality.