Ok, you just hired a new employee for a position that requires on-the-job training, but your schedule is on overload. In fact, if you add one more “drop” of anything to your glass, it’s going to be meltdown time. What’s the answer? Try job shadowing. Sure, it has traditionally been a great way for introducing students to precision manufacturing and enticing them to come your direction, but it’s also an excellent way to train new hires. Since new employees typically are both motivated and eager-to-please, the act of watching how a person functions in a job, is better than just hearing about it. It helps new employees build confidence, feel more aware, and be better prepared to take on the responsibilities of their new role. Not only do they learn the basics and reach full production quicker - yay – but shadowing also builds a sense of camaraderie among current and new employees. Like everything else worth doing, establishing a job-shadowing plan for training new employees is worth doing well. We’ve put together some tips to help you create and maintain a successful program. Plan ahead – we know you’ve heard that one before! But honestly, preparation always pays off – it helps the company, the job-shadow host (current employee who is shadowed), and the new employee both gain as much as possible from the experience. Prepare your new employee. Before their first day on the job, give them a packet of “must reads.” This can include data about:

• The company and industry
• Their position – what will be expected, and why
• Ways to succeed and grow in their position

The more they know before they show makes everyone’s task in training easier. Choose your job-shadow host(s) wisely. Ensure that they:

• Understand their role as a job shadow host
• Explain the tasks they are performing
• Involve the new employee – giving them hands-on opportunities
• Can convey to the new employee the value of their role in the big picture
• Are willing and able to answer questions

  Encourage connection. Begin the first day with a brief verbal orientation and a tour of the workplace. Include the job-shadow host – by the time you finish the tour and orientation, both the new employee and the host will be more relaxed and have already established a connection. Job shadowing is ideal for jobs that require orientation to detail, such as in precision manufacturing. It reduces onboarding time and encourages a sense of “team” among employees, which in turn help your bottom line. It doesn’t get much better than that, does it? Of course, hiring top quality employees ensures any training program – whether you choose job-shadowing or a more traditional method. And that’s where MPS Technical comes to the forefront every time. We have been finding qualified talent for precision manufacturing companies for more than 20  years. Not only can you count on us for candidates that make seamless onboarding easy, but you will also find us in your backyard – we live and work where you do. Contact one of our convenient locations today.