Developing a Research Agenda on S-OJT

1. Developing a Research Agenda on S-OJT Ronald L. Jacobs The Ohio State University http://www.coe.ohio-state.edu/rjacobs/ http://www.coe.ohio-state.edu/paes/wde/default.htm http://cete.org

2. Agenda • Discuss what is a research agenda • Discuss my agenda – human competence • Describe S-OJT • Plan an S-OJT research agenda • Questions and discussion 2

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4. Center on Education and Training for Employment • Mission • The Center engages with state, national, and international clients from education, governmental agencies, organized labor, and public and private entities to: • Generate and disseminate knowledge useful for understanding workforce development; • Develop, implement, and evaluate workforce development programs and policies that are informed by best practices and research; • Develop workforce development leaders who serve in a variety of roles and contexts; and, • Provide technical assistance in ways that will positively influence the actions of educational professionals, leaders, and scholars involved in developing the current and future global workforce. 4 4

5. Human Resource Development is the process of improving organizational performance and individual learning through the accomplishments that result from employee development, organization development, and career development programs. 5

6. Research Agenda? The set of interests that guide and focus a researcher’s actions. • Faculty influence • Readings • Employer • Other students • Experience 6

7. Research Agenda? My research agenda . . . My research focuses on the nature of human competence and how organizations respond to the changing work expectations of their employees. 7

8. Human Competence What makes a company successful? Good products? Most advanced technology? Best customer service? All of these are important for success. None of these are more important than the people who work in the company. It’s the knowledge and skills that people use to do their work. Unfortunately, the needs of organizations are constantly changing. The challenge for organizations is having the means to help employees update their level of competence – or their relative ability – in the most efficient and effective ways possible (Jacobs, 2002). 8

9. Human Competence Jacobs (2002) 9

10. Human Competence Situations when changes occur in competence: • New-hires: Full-time, Part-time, Temporary • Promotion • Rotation and transfer • Continuous improvement efforts • Multi-skilling • Technology • New products or services • Customer requirements 10

11. S-OJT Structured on-the-job training (S-OJT) was first introduced in the 1980s to help organizations respond to the challenges of the global economy. S-OJT makes use of the principle that training is most effective when it occurs as close as possible to the work. Many companies use S-OJT alone or to complement other training approaches, such as classroom training. The following outcomes have been reported: • Reduced training times • Lower training costs • Improved quality rates • Increased development opportunities for employees 11

12. Company Employee Level Results 12

13. S-OJT S-OJT is the planned process of having an experienced employee train a novice employee on a unit of work at the work setting or a location that closely resembles the work setting (Jacobs, 2003). 13

14. S-OJT Planned Process – S-OJT is designed using a systems approach and is viewed as a system. Experienced Employee – A person who knows the task and has been qualified as an S-OJT trainer. Novice Employee – A person who lacks the knowledge and skills to perform a task, has the prerequisites, and is ready to learn. Work – A specific unit of work within a job. A unit of work is not everything that a person does, but just a small part. Worksetting – This is the location of S-OJT. 14

15. S-OJT Example • New-hire engineers in a refinery setting need to undergo a development process to learn the 31 engineering jobs. Currently, it takes over five years for individuals to complete the development process. • The company seeks to reduce this development time to less than two years if possible, and the learning experiences meet the following criteria: • Consistent outcomes across all new-hire engineers, • approximately 75 per year • Learning experiences are based on actual work expectations • Training should be based on best practices, including safety and • quality, not just opinions of job incumbents • Managers should be involved in the process, and held • accountable for the training 15

16. Design Process 1. Decide whether to use S-OJT 6. Evaluate and troubleshoot the S-OJT 2. Analyze the work to be learned 3. Develop S-OJT trainers 5. Deliver the S-OJT 4. Prepare the S-OJT modules 16

17. S-OJT System Training Inputs Training Process Training Outputs • Novice employee • Experienced employee • Training location • Work to be learned • Technology • Training performance • Work performance • Trainee development • Get ready to train • Deliver the S-OJT Module • Ensure the trainee has learned Organizational Setting 17

18. S-OJT Research Agenda 18

19. Training Inputs 19

20. Training Inputs • Novice Employee • What levels of employees receive S-OJT? • What are the experiences of employees? • What learning styles are best suited for S-OJT? • Is there a cross-cultural aspect of S-OJT? • Experienced Employee • What criteria should be used to select trainers? • How are trainers prepared? • Is there a preferred match with employees? • Training Location • What are the locations of S-OJT? • How does location affect transfer? • What constraints exist in the work setting? 20

21. Training Inputs • Work to be Learned • What types of work are best learned through S-OJT? • How should work be documented? • Technology • How can technology be used with S-OJT? • Can technology replace the S-OJT trainer? 21

22. Training Process 22

23. Training Process • Get Ready to Train • How do the trainer’s actions affect self-efficacy and readiness? • Is there a relationship between trainer’s actions and achievement? • Deliver the S-OJT Module • What training steps should be used? • What components of modules are most critical? • Do trainees refer to the module as expected? • What is the nature of trainer-trainee interactions? • Ensure the Trainee Has Learned • What is the role of follow-up questions? • Which aspects of the S-OJT ensure transfer? 23

24. Training Outputs 24

25. Training Efficiency – Does one training approach achieve training outcomes faster, and is the cost less than the value of the training outcomes? • Training Effectiveness – Does one training approach result in better work outcomes, and is the training cost less than the value of the work outcomes? 25

26. Unstructured OJT Savings in Time S-OJT Specialist Performance Level Time savings: 4 - 6:1 $ savings: 2 - 8:1 Novice Time to Learn 26

27. Employee learns through unstructured OJT Employee learns through S-OJT Work Accomplished • Truck windshields installed • Sales calls made • Machinery on-line • Hard disks manufactured Measured Performance • Fewer reworked windshields • Higher sales volume • Higher machine productivity • Lowered scrap rate 27

28. Organizational Context 28

29. Design Process 29

30. Your S-OJT Research Agenda 30

31. Thank YouDeveloping a Research Agenda on S-OJT Ronald L. Jacobs The Ohio State University