Job Instruction Intro.
(JI) is the TWI Program that enables the supervisor to be excellent trainers for their people. It’s a vital role for supervisors to perform in the organization. When the supervisor is the trainer, he/she is able to standardize the way training is done and also better able to maintain standard work….the one best way the job is done (each/every job in the area)…to take the person-to-person variability out of the work. This improves the work overall and enables continuous improvement from the standard in the future. Of course, Standard Work is one of the most important of the Lean Tools, and also one of the ones most difficult to implement. TWI JI makes it much easier and less variable.
Job Instruction Basics
Enables supervisors to become good trainers by teaching them “how to get a person to quickly remember to do a job correctly, safely, and conscientiously.” The supervisor IS the trainer of his/her employees, NOT the training department. In this essential role, the supervisor:
- a) Prepares the worker for the learning process by putting him/her at ease, explaining the job, finding out what they already might know about the job, getting them interested in learning the job, and putting them in the proper position to learn.
- b) Presents the operation as the trainer. Here the supervisor goes through 3 cycles of presenting. The first is to tell, show, and illustrate one important step at a time. The second is to do it again, this time stressing key points for each important step. The third is to do it once again, this time explaining the reasons for the key points.
- c) Has the learner (the worker) try out the performance at least 4 times. The first time is having them do the job without talking and correcting errors as they’re seen. The second time is having them do the job while identifying the important steps. The third time is having them do the job while describing the key points with each important step. The forth time is having them do the job while explaining the reasons for each key point.
- d) Follows up by putting the person on their own, designating who to go to for help, checking on them frequently, encouraging questions, and tapering off the coaching and closing the follow-up.
The supervisor also creates a job breakdown (of every job in his/her section) and a training timetable which, in essence, is a comprehensive training plan outlining who, will be training in which job(s), by what date(s). Job Instruction clearly puts the supervisor in the key role of trainer of his/her people.
Specific feedback comments from supervisors on completion of this Job Instruction training include:
- “Job Instruction Training is much-needed here.”
- “JI helps me identify good training steps.”
- “All supervisors have this (JI) responsibility to their company and to their employees.”
- “Why is JI important here? Because we need it to progress.”
- “Job Instruction helps me do the training correctly.”
- “It makes sense to do the training this way.”
- “The JI Training will improve the continuity throughout our organization.”
- “Helps validate a common sense approach to training people.”
- “JI taught me to slow down and organize the training to get the best effect.”
- “The JI training broke down to a simple method to follow. Makes training easier.”
- “We are very lacking on training for supervisors. This will benefit us greatly.”
This is the type of feedback we see all of the time with the delivery of the TWI Job Instruction Training. It’s very rewarding for us to help a company realize these types of results!
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