Job Relations Training
One of the more complicated aspects of TWI is Job Relations (JR) Training.
JR training teaches supervisors how to handle problems, how to prevent them, and it aids in developing a logical, common sense approach to handling issues, while respecting people.
Companies often try to sweep JR under the rug until they realize they really need it. The truth is, the sooner an organization grabs the bull by the horns and deals with this issue, the more productive it’s going to be in the long run.
In the end, JR can improve the company’s performance in all aspects, as it will result in better communication and a significant reduction of the problems that pop up in the average working day.
Getting everyone on the same level
It’s important that everyone feels equal in the organization. Obviously the hierarchy of control makes it impossible for everyone to be on the exact same level, but there’s a lot that can be done to help employees feel closer to those around them, even their superiors.
It often turns out that employees at the lower levels of an organization are the ones that need this type of training most. It’s critical to ensure that they’re given enough opportunity to experience communicating with people from all ranks, not just those around them.
Feelings of inferiority must be addressed as quickly as possible, and it’s important to treat the JR process as a forum which gives everyone an opportunity to express themselves in this regard.
Rewarding progress
One of the best ways to ensure that the organization will keep moving forward is to make it clear that progress will be rewarded adequately. This is a common problem in some organizations, where employees often don’t feel motivated enough to step up and take the initiative.
If the company makes it clear that all such acts will be noticed and compensated accordingly, this can get everyone involved on a much more personal level. On that note, it’s critical to ensure that those contributions are credited accordingly. If someone played a special role in improving something about the organization’s working process, they should be given credit for it.
Resolving conflict
It’s inevitable that conflicts are going to arise in the course of work of a company. The key to ensuring that they don’t interrupt process is developing a system that can properly address those conflicts, and deal with them at the root before they’ve grown to something more serious.
Once again, openness plays a major role here. Employees have to be given an opportunity to express themselves, in case there is a conflict, and all sides must be heard out equally well. And whatever decision the company decides to take afterwards, it’s critical that it’s communicated properly to the employees involved.
It’s useful to learn from the organization’s past mistakes, too. If a particular conflict keeps coming up more than once, this could indicate a more fundamental problem with the company’s structure, something that can be addressed outside of the conflict mediation sessions.
To that end, the organization must gather a lot of feedback, and ensure that they have an objective picture of the current situation.
Informing employees of problems early on
When something is wrong with the way a particular employee does their job, the organization must communicate that to them clearly and early enough. It’s not rare that employees will not even know that they are causing a problem until it’s too late to do anything in a way that works for everyone.
Avoiding this type of situation is as simple as making sure that employees are always informed about the current status of their work, and are given feedback both when it’s positive as well as negative.
Sometimes the organization will have to create new roles to deal with the problems that arise. This is where HR departments come in, but it’s occasionally also possible to address this issue on a more local level within each department of the company.
Conclusion
The sooner a company implements proper JR, the more improvements they’re going to see in their operations in the long run. Ensuring that all employees are on the same page and are communicating efficiently is key to guaranteeing the success of the company as a whole. And by resolving conflicts early on, the workflow can remain smooth and uninterrupted throughout the company’s existence.
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