Sheet 59
OJT APPROPRIATE TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES
1 OJT Appropriate to the Circumstances
If a new recruit is assigned a difficult task that is far beyond the scope of their knowledge & experience, they are unlikely to be able to accomplish it and may lose their confidence in the process. Conversely, if an experienced employee, well acquainted with the job, is given over-meticulous instructions by a supervisor, they may find this deeply offensive. Either way is counter effective to developing the abilities of employees.
When a supervisor is new to an office and doesn't know much about the work currently being undertaken in the office, detailed instructions to staff will only arouse their antagonism. For urgent matters, on the other hand, having to reach a consensus among staff may result in opportunities to accomplish good work being missed.
To perform a task or conduct OJT effectively, good judgment of the surrounding circumstances is required. Circumstances that must be taken into consideration when conducting OJT include the situation of employees, supervisors and work.
2 Employee's Situation
(1) Factors such as the employee's level of ability
Depending on the level of ability and motivation of employees, different styles of leadership are appropriate. A command style is usually appropriate for employees, such as very junior members of staff, with limited ability. As their ability and motivation increases, a participation style is more appropriate. For staff with a high level of ability and motivation, a laissez-faire style is the most appropriate.
The principle behind this method is that as the employee'_s ability and motivation increases, supervisors are expected to provide them more of a free hand and delegate more functions.
(2) Psychological factors
When staff seriously question their own ability to perform certain jobs, they are likely to be very open to OJT by their supervisors. When employees are fully involved in a particular assignment, they are unlikely to accept OJT in a different area while preoccupied with current tasks.
When offering criticism to employees, supervisors must adapt their approach according to the employee's character, level of closeness to the supervisor and overall work performance to date. It is important to consider the employee's feelings, character, age, experience and relationship with their boss when choosing an appropriate method for conducting OJT.
