On-the-job training, in theory, is a brilliant idea. It’s practical, cost-effective, and allows new hires to learn within the context of their actual role. The classic model is simple: pair a new employee with an experienced one and let the knowledge transfer begin. This "see one, do one, teach one" approach has been used for generations. In practice, however, it often fails spectacularly. More often than not, it becomes an unstructured, inconsistent, and stressful experience for everyone involved. The new hire is left feeling like they are interrupting a busy colleague, while the designated "trainer" is frustrated by the constant questions and the drag on their own productivity. As human resources professionals, it's time to acknowledge that simply telling one employee to "shadow" another is not a training strategy. It’s a gamble. Let's look at why this approach so often falls short and how we can fix it.
The Problem with the "Just Ask" Method
The most common form of on-the-job training relies on what could be called the "just ask" method. The new employee is given a desk, a login, and pointed toward a seasoned team member with the instruction, "Just ask Sarah if you have any questions." This immediately sets the program up for failure. Firstly, a new hire doesn't know what they don't know. They can't ask questions about processes they are not even aware exist. This leads to crucial information falling through the cracks. Secondly, it places an unfair burden on both employees. The new hire feels like a nuisance, constantly interrupting someone who has their own deadlines and workload. The experienced employee, who was likely never taught how to be a trainer, becomes an unwilling and often overwhelmed teacher, a role they were never formally assigned or compensated for. This unstructured approach creates anxiety and inefficiency, leaving the new employee to piece together their role through a frustrating game of trial and error.
Your Best Performer Is Not Always Your Best Trainer
It seems logical to pick your top-performing employee to train a new hire. After all, they know the job inside and out. Unfortunately, the skills that make someone a great individual contributor are often very different from the skills required to be a great teacher. High performers are often so proficient at their jobs that they work on instinct. They can't always articulate why they do things a certain way; they just do them. This is often referred to as "unconscious competence." They may struggle to break down complex tasks into simple, digestible steps for a beginner. They can get impatient when a trainee doesn’t pick things up immediately. Being a good trainer requires patience, empathy, and the ability to explain concepts clearly and from multiple angles. Instead of automatically defaulting to your star player, look for someone who has strong communication skills, a patient demeanor, and a genuine interest in helping others develop.
Creating a Structured Learning Path
The single most effective way to fix on-the-job training is to give it structure. Shadowing and asking questions should be part of the process, not the whole process. Before a new hire starts, HR and the hiring manager should work together to create a structured onboarding and training plan. This doesn't need to be a hundred-page binder, but it should be a clear checklist of what the new employee needs to learn in their first week, first month, and first quarter. The plan should outline key tasks, essential software they need to master, and the core processes of their role. For each item, it should specify the learning objective and the resources available, which could include a designated expert, a training document, or a video tutorial. This roadmap provides clarity for the new hire and turns their training from a passive experience into an active, goal-oriented one.
Empower and Train Your Trainers
If you are going to ask experienced employees to take on the responsibility of training, you need to treat it like a real role. First, ask for volunteers rather than assigning the duty. You want people who are enthusiastic about mentoring. Once you have your trainers, invest in them. Provide them with basic "train-the-trainer" workshops that cover adult learning principles, how to give constructive feedback, and how to structure a lesson. Give them the time they need to do it right. This means temporarily adjusting their workload or performance targets to account for the time they will spend mentoring. Finally, recognize and reward their contribution. Whether it's through a small bonus, a public acknowledgment, or by making mentorship a formal part of their career progression, showing that the company values their effort as trainers is crucial.
Blending Different Training Methods
Effective on-the-job training isn't just one thing; it's a blend of different methods. Don't rely solely on one person to transfer all their knowledge. Supplement the one-on-one mentoring with other resources. Create a library of short, simple screen-recording videos that walk through common processes. A two-minute video on how to submit an expense report is far more efficient than having a trainer explain it every time a new person starts. Develop clear, up-to-date documentation for standard operating procedures. Encourage new hires to spend some time on self-directed learning, exploring the company's internal knowledge base or provided resources before asking a question. This blended approach respects the trainer's time, empowers the new hire to find answers independently, and creates a more robust and scalable training system for the entire organization.
