On The Job Learning

By Renee Lessard

            Learning, particularly on the job learning, is an important aspect of any successful career. It is well known and well documented that learning from on the job experiences can be as valuable to an employee and an organization as conventional education. When employees learn from their experiences on the job, there can be fewer mistakes made on the job, fewer tasks left undone, and there can be a lack of new ideas from employees (Vanderkaay, 2004).

            Individuals learn through reinforcement, observation, and experience. Organization managers and leaders can harness the benefits of learning by using the method that works best for their organization and their employees. Many organizations use experience to help their employees continue learning by using work related experiences tailored to the particular organization and the particular skills the organization wants employees to learn. One example of this is using “Apply your Knowledge Activities”(Popow, 2011). These are activities designed to test employees knowledge using situational analysis and theoretical analysis to test their current knowledge, acquire new knowledge, and apply both of these directly to their job. Another example are “Knowledge to Action Activities”(Popow, 2011). These activities are designed to apply knowledge directly to case-based scenarios and provide employees the opportunity to act on their knowledge in a controlled environment.

            Reinforcement of leaning can be done through positive and negative reinforcement. Positive reinforcement can be found in the obvious area that most employees recognize: salary and benefits. Employees that continue to learn and grow on the job tend to receive consistent promotions and salary raises. Negative reinforcement can take many forms and can vary widely from organization to organization. Negative reinforcement can include a change in benefits received, change in salary, change in work schedule, and a narrowing of job scope and responsibility. In general, this type of reinforcement does not have as positive an effect as positive reinforcement.

            Many employees learn initially through observation. Generally, new employees of an organization are paired with an established employee and asked to observe this employees performance and model their initial performance after it. Observational learning can be beneficial in the initial stages of employee development within an organization but is generally lacking in reinforcement after the employee gains independence.

            New research suggests that team learning within the organization may be more beneficial to the organization. In a study by Ellis, et al, it was found that hiring employees by their ability to mesh within a team may produce a team learning capability that could exceed the individual’s capability. By building teams based on cognitive ability and conscientiousness, the scope of the team’s ability to focus and learn was maximized by each member and collectively greater as a whole.

            It seems obvious, then, that learning within an organization benefits both the organization and the employee. By acquiring applicable skills that are valuable to organizations employees can make themselves more valuable thereby allowing themselves the ability to demand better pay and better benefits. The benefits to the organizations can be invaluable. By encouraging continued learning by employees organizations can create environments that develop creative, new ideas and promote team work.

References

Ellis, A.P.J., et al. (2003). Team learning: Collectively connecting the dots. Journal of Applied

Psychology. 88(5) 821-835. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org.huaryu.kl.oakland.edu/10.1037/0021-9010.88.5.821

Popow, D.J. (2011). A crash course in learning. Claims. Retrieved from

http://search.proquest.com.huaryu.kl.oakland.edu/docview/864490155?accountid=12924

Vanderkaay, S. (2004). On-job learning bolsters skills. The Globe and Mail. C8. Retrieved from

http://www.lexisnexis.com.huaryu.kl.oakland.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sr&csi=303830&sr=HLEAD%28On-job+learning+bolsters+skills%29+and+date+is+February+18%2C+2004