Optimize OJT as talent pool and CSR

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(Published on page J10 of the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, March 10, 2013, Sunday)

By Roel Andag
Contributor

All year round, thousands of college students enter companies as on-the-job trainees (OJTs). But not all companies take them seriously. At best, they are viewed as stopgap solution to personnel shortage. At worst, some consider OJTs as occasional nuisances, interruptions to daily routine. Companies, however, need to optimize this opportunity as fertile ground for talent development and as corporate social responsibility that focuses on grooming future leaders. Here are some tips:

1. Implement a formal policy explaining the rules of engagement. This policy should define code of conduct, work hours, use of company properties, reporting arrangement with the trainee’s school and other necessary details. This formalizes the company-trainee-school relationship.

2. Conduct formal on-boarding. A simple orientation will be seen as a welcome gesture that eases the school-to-work transition. In the orientation, discuss company vision, mission and goals, organizational structure, history and corporate highlights. Provide OJT kits that contain basic information about the company, OJT ID, timecard and other necessary documents such as the latest annual report. Include a guided tour of the company premises.

3. Provide a job description. Following the on-boarding activity, meet the OJTs to discuss their learning objectives. It is the task of the company representative to manage the expectations of OJTs based on the best extent of learning the company can provide. The mutually agreed learning objectives will be the bases in designing a simple job description that details the OJTs’ responsibilities. Together, the learning objectives and job description will serve as covenant between the OJT and the company and as guideposts in assessing work progress and accomplishments.

4. Give them meaningful tasks. Do not condescend on OJTs by giving them only thoughtless tasks as it will create feelings of insignificance and resentful compliance in the immediate term and cultivate mediocrity in the long term. Explain to the OJTs their potential contribution to the company. As its name implies, the purpose of on-the-job training is for the student to learn practical skills and lessons that are useful in their future workplaces. Whether OJTs are office- or field-based, give them course-appropriate tasks. Such tasks should be doable within the OJTs’ stay with the company. Aside from the daily grind, a creative way of imparting skills and lessons is to let an OJT ‘shadow’ the assigned manager, supervisor or buddy during an 8-hour shift so that the OJT will have a snapshot of what happens during a workday.

5. Keep them motivated. Develop adeptness at managing Gen Y people. Know their motivations – people perform better when they are motivated. Material motivation can be in the form of modest allowance, free ride in the company shuttle and gift certificates. Non-material motivation can include encouraging them to pitch in ideas, monitoring their performance, acknowledging jobs well done, making them attend relevant training, allowing them to sit as observers in company meetings, and providing career counselling. It is also useful to create face-time with the company’s decision makers. Set up one meeting where OJTs can freely interact with the bigwigs who will serve as career role models.

6. Provide performance feedback and be objective in grading them. The grade depends on the grading system set by the school. Through one-on-one sessions, explain to each OJT the bases of the grade given at the end of their stay. Report the OJTs’ performance to the school as well.

7. Conduct a group debriefing or individual exit interviews at the end of the OJT period. A “graduation” ceremony may be organized where awards and recognitions will be given. This will plant in them a good impression about the company and a positive attitude toward work.

8. If warranted, make a job offer. A job offer made to a deserving OJT is the highest form of affirmation. If an OJT demonstrates potential but an offer cannot be made, inform the OJT that the company will keep a close eye on him and to expect a call right after graduation or when the time is right – and actually follow through on this promise. Keep the lines open in the meantime. This will encourage the OJT to succeed.

Implementing these recommendations will result in a win-win situation. The company will solidify its image as an excellent training ground so that OJTs will actually compete for a slot and the company gets to choose the best aspirants. On the other hand, the student completes the 5-unit curricular requirement and will be proud to record in his resume the 250-hour experience with the company, using it as a ticket to a real job. As a youth-centered CSR, the company’s OJT initiative will help raise well trained, competent young people who will soon enter the workforce.

Roel Andag is an independent trainer and HR consultant. He handles the Management Development Program of DMCI Homes. Visit his blog: www.traineroncall.blogspot.com. 

The value of time (Time Management Training)

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Type of Training: Time Management Training (Day 4 of 10-day leadership training)
Client: DMCI Homes management trainees
Date: January 16, 2013
Venue: DMCI Homes Corporate Office, Makati City

Priming the young for leadership

Tweet Type of Training: Leadership Training (Day 2 of 10 days)
Client: DMCI Homes - Management Development Program (Management Trainees)
Date: November 28, 2012
Venue: DMCI Homes, Makati

Leadership and values are a must

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Client: JMOMPC Feeds
Date: June 2010
Venue: Cabanatuan City

Leader lead thyself

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(Published in the Job Market-Working People section of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, May 25, 2008, Sunday)

By Roel Andag

Contributor

LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT POWER AND INFLUENCE. Given, you are perched highly in the company, hit business targets while keeping costs down, worshipped by staff like a deity, pulverize the competition and cause others around you to gasp in awe but do you really have power and influence over yourself?

True leaders are successful in three aspects: managing tasks, leading people, and leading oneself. Success in the first two aspects makes a person an excellent manager. One can only truly be called a leader if he excels in all three.

Leadership includes what the leader does away from public view. Without the scrutiny, he relies on his own faculties in behaving towards himself. Such behavior is largely stimulated by the subconscious. Luckily, there are areas of the subconscious that one can consciously influence to achieve worthwhile goals. Self management – the process of maximizing one’s own resources to realize objectives – starts with managing self image, thoughts and emotions.

Self image
Self image is the product of a lifetime of internal (how you see yourself) and external (how others see you) scripts. Self image or self concept is rooted in conscious or subconscious perceptions and feeling about your capability (what you believe you can do), worth (what you believe you deserve) and significance (what you believe is your impact). If you are constantly told that you are a leader and your self-generated script agrees, chances are great that you will embody the script.

Conditioning is so potent that your self-image becomes your comfort zone, which is why it is important to deflect scripts that are not beneficial. Gifted with wisdom, it is up to you to receive or reject what others tell you and what you tell yourself. If you disagree with the script but act it out anyway, you become a fabrication who lives an illusion manufactured for projection purposes. You will find it difficult reconciling your multiple personalities.

I believe there is a self image continuum that ranges from extreme insecurity at one end and narcissism at the other. Extreme insecurity or inferiority complex makes one overly receptive thus becoming susceptible to manipulations. Former US first lady and human rights champion Eleanor Roosevelt once quipped: “Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.” On the other hand, narcissism or superiority complex leads the narcissist to believe that he doesn’t need the opinion and help of other people. Either way, a deflated or inflated ego is destructive. Lead yourself by cultivating a healthy self image that results in esteem and trust in self.

Self talk
You don’t mumble words to yourself in public lest you become suspected of losing sanity. But you talk to yourself all the time. It is routine. Scientists believe that one talks to himself at an average speed of 50 words per minute or 3,000 words an hour. Imagine the thought torrent! A speeding train of thought, so to speak. This is the most important conversation you have.

If you listen close enough to your inner dialogue you will hear judgments, fears, hopes, worries, prejudices and useless gobbledygook. You discuss with yourself a myriad of subjects including family, career, sex, money, what to wear, what to eat, what to say. It’s an endless list. Your inner dialogue contributes largely to your self image.

The danger is when you dwell on limiting thoughts such as “I can’t do it,” “I don’t deserve to be successful,” or “I’m not good enough.” Lead yourself by applying the self-talk interrupt technique: eliminate an unhelpful thought as soon as it crops up and replace it with enabling and uplifting self dialogue.

Leadership gurus from in different eras testify that thoughts are things. Thoughts translate into reality. No wonder “think positive” is an undying reminder.

Emotions

Leaders are stone cold, devoid of emotions. Excuse me. This notion of leadership is obsolete. The popularization of emotional intelligence concepts is an obituary-in-progress for the macho corporate culture that considers admitting emotions is queasy and un-businesslike. No longer is emotion considered a mushy topic associated with tearjerkers. After all, beneath its icy exoskeleton of chrome and metal, the workplace is an emotionally charged environment, what with buyouts, layoffs, low pay, hyper targets and other close-to-the-gut issues.

Basic and complex human emotions run the range from pleasure to despair, love to hate, empathy to jadedness, comfort to fear, calm to anger, and conviction to doubt. Do you have to hit your staff with a telephone when you are angry? Do you gratuitously act out your sexual urges? Do you withhold appreciation? Do you decide on bonuses when you are euphoric? Mismanaged negative emotions result in harassment, office rage and, at times, suicide. There is no joy in working with someone who is emotionally unstable.

Lead yourself by exercising your three choices in handling emotions: display, delay or deny. Situations and consequences guide the appropriateness of handling emotions. There are times for transparency, deliberateness and concealment. Process and express your emotions to move toward a positive direction.

Self mastery

How you handle your thoughts, emotions and self image manifests in your appearance, decisions, words and actions. How you treat your inner self shows in how you treat other people. Castigate yourself and you criticize those around you. Celebrate yourself and you become appreciative of others. When you are positive towards yourself you radiate a positive energy towards others.

A powerful force resides inside you. The self is one’s most powerful cheerleader and most dangerous enemy – everything starts from within. Take ownership of your life, lead yourself.