I have discovered 2 things.

1. The nature of many jobs is constantly changing, as products and processes change.
2. People need to continually update their skills.

Countless thousands of jobs have changed because of the necessity of making new products with new materials and new equipment. This means new operating procedures are required. Often in those environments, procedures change again and again, making updated training critical.

Today, I was at the Pacific Agricultural Trade show. If I were to list a job advertisement for a farm worker, I would have to be very specific. For example, a job in a tie-stall barn would require one type of skill; a rotary milking system would need different skills and experience; and a robotic milking system would call for yet another skill set.

Depending on the size of the farm, the worker may be required to milk the cows and feed the animals and clean out the stalls. Same job title, same industry but because of the new materials, equipment, processes, and requirements specific to that farm, the worker needs updated skills and procedures to deliver the same outcome. 

Throwing an old farmhand onto a new farm without offering any skill redevelopment—and believing he can do the job because he did it someplace else—is a recipe for disaster.

It is up to each owner or manager to ensure that staff members have specific knowledge of all the work processes in their areas of responsibility. That holds true for every business and every department.

I have seen some very capable people fail, simply because they lacked understanding about their job and its requirements.

1. Have a plan.
2. Assign someone to implement it.

Where is this planning needed?

Here are a few of the more common circumstances where people need training to better understand their work.