Torben Rathmann, Lean project manager at Idealcombi A/S
How to create motivation and value from the first day at work
Through effective training, which saves both time and money.
Date: 24 June 2021
By: Torben Rathmann, Lean project manager at Idealcombi A/S and
Torben Kjær-Christensen, Senior Enabler at Business Through People ApS
In many companies, it is still the case that you as a new employee are trained by a colleague. As a rule of thumb, 4-8 weeks are set aside for the task, depending on the job. There is usually no objective control of the effect or the quality of the training. Often no plan is available to give an overview of what you as a new colleague should learn. Well - there is usually a plan of which colleagues to follow over a period of time, but that does not mean that you have learned the processes in the area.
You have followed an experienced colleague, but have you learned to perform the task?
- Usually not
Inadequate training creates unnecessary frustration and the new colleague risks losing motivation. For the company, it costs money because untrained employees often make mistakes, affect stability or, in the worst case, get hurt.
Inadequate training is an indicator that the company has not taken ownership of the process and the training system, but instead has left it to the employees themselves to solve the task to the best of their ability.
The new employee therefore leaves work the first day with the thoughts:
- I’ll never learn that
- When will it be my turn?
- Wow, they are busy!
- Is this what I’m going to do?
You can eat an elephant, but only if you take one bite at a time. The training must take place in appropriate chunks and this is where TWI Job Instruction makes a difference. With TWI Job Instruction, you create the foundation for a new employee to gradually train the competences that are important for the job, and you ensure that the employee feels safe from day one.
Idealcombi has worked with TWI Job Instruction since 2014 and has good experience from using structured training from day one. A motivating and at the same time simple approach with great effect for the company.
HOW TO INSTRUCT
STEP 1 - PREPARE THE PERSON
STEP 2 - PRESENT THE JOB
STEP 3 - TRY OUT PERFORMANCE
STEP 4 - FOLLOW UP
IF THE PERSON HASN'T LEARNED, THE INSTRUCTOR HASN'T TAUGHT
At Idealcombi, we therefore experience that:
- New employees feel welcome as they experience to be expected because the company has prepared for their arrival.
- New employees feel safe. There is a training plan that provides an overview. The new employee is associated with a job trainer, which ensures that the new employee is systematically trained in the various processes. This security creates openness to learning.
- New employees contribute to the company, less than two hours after start-up, on the first working day.
- New employees have a lot to report when they come home already after the first working day. This means that the new employee not only maintains the motivation but that the motivation grows.
TWI Job Instruction creates the basis for a systematic, structured training course and a steep learning curve, which benefits both the new employee and the company. It allows the company to meet the increased demand as quickly as possible and gives the new employee the best conditions for security, well-being and success.
A typical plan at Idealcombi looks like this:
A new employee is to start working today. The manager, together with his job coaches, has planned a training / education course for the new colleague.
1. Welcome
The new colleague arrives at the reception at 07.00 and is welcomed by his/her manager.
The manager introduces the new colleague to the team coordinator, who introduces the new colleague to the department and shows where the canteen, changing rooms and toilets are located.
The work environment representative talks about safety, shows escape routes, fire extinguishing equipment, and dressing equipment
2. Training
The job trainer reviews the training plan with the new colleague.
One hour after arrival, the first TWI training starts
45 minutes later, the new employee is ready to perform that part of the job in which he/she has just been trained.
In the following days, one training session per day is carried out, and the previous training sessions are followed upon. This is how the new employee’s competencies are safely built up, from the simplest to the more and more complex tasks.
3. Follow-up
After 14 days, the manager process confirms the new employee in the TWI training he/she has received. Process confirmation is carried out to ensure that the trainer has trained, and the employee has learned.
The manager asks why this job is important.
The manager asks the employee to perform the job, as well as explain the important steps (What to do), key points (How to do it), and reasons for each key point (Why it is important).
A process confirmation does not take much longer time than it takes a new employee to perform the job once.
It allows the manager to:
Ensure that the job is performed correctly and safely.
Ensure that the trainer has trained.
Give credit to the new employee so that he/she knows that he/she is successful at the job.
Naturally inquire into his/her well-being in the new job
Your next step could be:
- Call or mail us for a dialogue
- Read more about Training Within Industry
- Join one of our Training Within Industry (TWI) events
- Read more about our TWI programs and our approach here
If you have any questions to the content in this article or to Training Within Industry (TWI) in general, you are most welcome to ask them directly to one of our Enablers, or by calling us.
No matter what you do, it all starts with you daring to take the lead.