8-10 hrs shift, conference calls, client meetings, planning and implementing of team’s agenda, ensuring on-time project delivery with quality work, and attending training sessions at work. After doing so much, who has time and energy left to attend off-the-job training?
Most employees echo these questions after hearing management’s announcement of hosting such training sessions. Some even think why they need it when they already attend training sessions at work and try to learn about new technology in their field on their own.
Well, you might have had some questions early in your career. What is off-the-job training, and why is it important? Let’s find out.
What is off-the-job training?
The off-the-job training method is a method of learning where employees can learn more about their job or the latest techniques and technological advancement in their field. The reason it is called ‘off-the-job is that these types of training sessions are held at a different location away from the workplace.
Benefits of off-the-job training
- Less distraction while learning
Training away from the workplace helps employees focus on learning with less disruption and distraction from their peers, work-related thoughts, or office noise.
- Decreased hiring cost and need
These types of training allow less knowledgable or skilled staff to advance their skills and knowledge. This means an employer may not feel the need to replace such employees.
- The feeling of being valued and confident
Investing in employee training can send out a message that the company cares about the employees’ success. This feeling of being valued helps employees give their 100% at work.
Moreover, gaining more knowledge about the job role or the field of work can boost your confidence about work. You perform tasks, command actions, and make decisions with more confidence and clarity. This further improves your work performance and satisfaction.
Now, you must have understood why companies host off-the-job training and encourage their employees to learn and advance their skills and knowledge. Along with your interpersonal intelligence and great speaking skills, knowledge and skill advancement is also essential for the organization’s as well as your growth.
Now let’s see what types of off-the-job training methods employers can host.
Off-the-job training methods
1.Classroom lecture
You must have guessed the form of this training method. Often hosted in a classroom-like environment, this type of training is often meant for white-collar employees or the management.
Here, trainees learn crucial aspects and skills needed to do their job right. They might also learn the management or administrative aspects of their jobs and get their questions answered by the experts.
2.Learning games
Now, who says learning can only happen in the classroom. Adding fun to the learning makes the process more interesting and effective for the trainees.
Wouldn’t you like to learn more about your job or new techniques and technologies while showing your fun side and sportingly competing with the other team ai fun management games? Well, most employers think the same way.
Such types of games help trainees develop and improve their problem-solving and decision-making skills and help them with the planning process.
Roleplaying
Customer Satisfaction is one of the most crucial aspects for every business, big and small, to grow their business and maintain their brand reputation in the market. And what could increase customer satisfaction is when the employees step into the customer’s shoes.
Roleplaying gives you that opportunity. During the training, you can act as a customer in certain situations such as hiring, making a sales pitch, or handling a fussy client.
During such roleplays, trainees have to act quickly without guidance or prior rehearsals, just as they would in real-life situations. These training sessions help employees understand tough situations better and make sound decisions in real-life scenarios.
Whatever the method, off-the-job training is a way of feeding many birds in one scone. Employers can make their employees feel valued and boost their confidence while ensuring to equip them with advanced skills and knowledge to improve work performance and thus business revenue.
So the next time your management announces another off-the-job training, take that news with a positive note as you can hone your skills, knowledge, and confidence.