It is important to train employees effectively to assist them to do their daily work accurately and even achieve organizational goals. According to the results of interview, we could understand that organizations in this research provide on-the-job training for all
front-line employees and all supervisors/ managers except one manager. On-the-job training was the most common training delivery method in hospitality industry according to the results. Then, lecture was second to on-the-job training. However, role playing was the least one according to the interview results.
Instructor-led training and one on one training were the most two methods used and preferred according to the results of Schmidt (2007). However, on-the-job training was the training delivery methods used most and most preferred according to the results of this study.
The result was different from the results of Schmidt (2007). The sample of Schmidt (2007) were customer and technical service employees of manufacturing, service and technological organizations, it seemed that the samples need sufficient professional knowledge to do their job. However, the participants in this study had many operational works in the workplace.
Perhaps the difference of participants caused different results.
In order to explored how employees’ job satisfaction toward training in workplace, this section presented employees’ perceptions and feelings toward the training methods includes lecture, one-the-training and role playing.
Front-line Employee
According to the interview results, all participants feel more satisfied with on-the-job training except one participant. Only one participant feels more satisfied with lecture method.
On-the-job Training.
Based on the feedback from interviewees, almost all of the participants felt more satisfied with on-the-job training because of the factors of effectiveness and impressiveness.
Effectiveness.
Compare to supervisors/ managers, front-line employees require highly operational
skills in the workplace. Therefore, first-line employees prefer to receive effective training to help them to acquire on-site operation immediately. The front-line employees expressed their feeling toward on-the-job training relate to effective as below:
“A senior employee taught me on-site operation. ……, she operated and demonstrated to
me immediately. Then, I could understand how to do it next time.” [Da0404]
“I preferred to be practical training, because I could have more concrete concept about
what I should do at each work station. …… I could learn much faster and accurate.”
[Ia0404]
“I could ask questions to my trainer during on-the-job training. I would learn how to
operate correctly once my trainer told me how to do.” [Ea0404]
Impressiveness.
For front-line employees, they felt impressive after receiving on-the-job training; some participants mentioned their feelings as below:
“In my case, I tough it is good, because I might have an impressive on what I had learned during the training.” [Ca0404]
“On-the-job training could make me more impressive than the other kinds of training
methods.” [Ha0404]
Lecture.
Only one participant prefers to lecture method. Because of the background of customers, it is necessary to her to speak Japanese with customers. Therefore, she though she is more satisfied with lecture for learning Japanese language.
“Lecture training was helpful to us to work here.” [Aa0404]
Supervisor/ manager
On-the-job Training.
Regarding the feeling toward on-the-job training, supervisor/ manager have similar feeling with front-line employees, which are effective/ impressive and security.
Effective/ impressive.
For most supervisors/ managers, they though that on-the-job training is an effective training methods and impressed them the most.
“The most traditional training style was used in our company; the new employee was
trained by the senior employee. If a new employee did something incorrectly, he or she would be corrected by the trainer immediately. Actually, working at work area immediately was the most efficient method to learn and made employee feel most impressive.” [Bb0404]
“I felt that practical training can help me to develop long-lasting memory for what I learned.” [Gb0404][Gb0405]
“I preferred on-the-job training; because you can only realize what you don’t
understand when you work at work area.” [Cb0404]
Security.
When the employees work on site, they might feel nervous or helpless if they were unskilled. Two supervisors mentioned that on-the-job training can effectively reassure employees toward their work content.
“Of course, I preferred to on-the-job training. Basically, this training method could provide more security for new employees.” [Ab0404]
“The new employees might resist the job if they could not answer customers’ questions.
We would provide training for the new employees, and then made them do the practical
work. They might not be so afraid to serve customers. At least they have a basic concept to deal with customers’ questions or problems.” [Eb0404]
Lecture.
Two supervisors out of nine stated that lecture method is helpful and efficient to them.
They preferred lecture method than the other training methods.
“I though lecture method is better. Because it was difficult to define service industry and you might encounter some bad-mannered customers in the workplace. You could learn how to deal with these kinds of customers by lecture.” [Db0404]
“I though lecture method is quite efficient to me, because I am a visual style for learning. …… I preferred to take a lecture including interaction with others. In addition, I could learn extensive content. This kind of training method is very efficient to me.”
[Hb0404]
Role Playing.
To one of supervisor in this research, role playing could help him learn useful corresponding skills with customers. Therefore, he felt satisfied with role playing.
“I felt more satisfied with role playing, because no matter how supervisors or front-line
employees would contact customers. However, it is inevitable for supervisors to appease these customers with anger or complain. I thought I learn more corresponding skills with these kinds of customers by role-playing training.” [Fb0404]
Summary
According to the interview results, we can know that employees preferred receiving on-the-job training than any others. No matter for front-line employee or supervisor/ manager, employees felt satisfied with on-the-job training in the workplace. In addition, employees felt
satisfied with on-the-job training because of effectiveness and impressiveness of this training method.