Key takeaways:

• Benefits of job shadowing: New employees can gain hands-on experience instead of being told what to do or having to read a manual, and they can bond with others
• What is a shadowing technique: Having an employee learn firsthand from another person can be more efficient than relying on manuals and other passive training
• When to use shadowing: Almost any industry and role can benefit from shadowing, including recent grads new to the workforce, new business leaders and new managers
• Tips for your shadowing technique: 
  1. Know when shadowing will work and when it won’t
  2. Consider company goals and budgets
  3. Use shadowing with existing employees
  4. Ask for feedback from participants

Training employees effectively means your company benefits from greater productivity, profit and retention. Companies that decide to invest in employee training see a 21% boost in profit, and 94% of employees agree to stay at the company longer if leaders invest in training. What’s more, 40% of employees who don’t get quality job training leave their roles within the first year.

Many organizations use job shadowing as a training method since it allows new employees to observe more experienced employees performing job duties. Job shadowing helps people acclimate to news roles and can improve the onboarding process.

This post discusses why job shadowing is beneficial, when to use shadowing in your organization and tips for developing a shadowing technique.

Job shadowing gives new employees or newly promoted employees the opportunity to have on-the-job training for their new roles. They follow someone more experienced, paying close attention to what their day-to-day looks like. This technique allows for nuanced, hands-on learning.

Shadowing can be used for employees at any stage in their career, whether an intern or student, an entry-level worker or a leader taking on a broader role at a company. Instead of listening to a manager describe the position and its tasks or reading an instruction manual, a person who is job shadowing can see what the job actually looks like.

New employees will typically better understand expectations and best practices for accomplishing tasks with job shadowing. They will gain a much deeper understanding of what a position entails and can learn new skills quickly, picking up important tricks along the way.

Job shadowing is effective in a variety of settings and circumstances. It is typically used when a new employee joins the team or when an existing employee takes on new responsibilities or a new role within the company. Shadowing is very effective for internal lateral moves.

This method can be especially helpful for employees new to an industry or people who have just graduated high school or college. They don’t really know what daily life in the role they want looks like, but they can shadow someone with many years of experience to understand if it’s the right kind of position for them.

Organization managers and leaders can also benefit. Whenever someone is stepping into a new leadership position, for instance, they can shadow the person who is leaving the role or someone who is at a similar level. Shadowing allows them to not only see what the tasks are like but also learn how an effective leader operates. New managers can see exactly how the decision-making process works so they have a foundation when it’s their turn.

Job shadowing is effective across industries, from IT to marketing to hospitality to administration to healthcare. Consider this route for any role that could benefit from hands-on learning.

Not all approaches to job shadowing are equal. Your technique will depend on your industry, the amount of time you have, when the new employee starts the job, the type of role and other factors. These tips will help you create a method that works for your organization.

1. Know when shadowing will work and when it won’t

You may not need to plan for job shadowing with every role you fill. For example, maybe you have very limited time to train a new employee before they have to start delivering services. On the other hand, perhaps the person they’re replacing left abruptly, so there’s no one around for them to shadow. Sometimes, you’ll hire someone who has done very similar work in the past, so they’ll need minimal training and may not need to shadow.

Each situation is different. Make sure you give room for flexibility and nuance in your organization’s job shadowing policy. Treat each scenario differently so the employee gets what they really need without wasting anyone’s time.

2. Consider company goals and budgets

Job shadowing does take resources you need to consider. Both employees may spend less time getting work done since a lot of shadowing will be explaining and showing. Plan for that loss in advance and adjust the budget if necessary.

You also need to create a complete strategy for a job shadowing program that will help you determine who can participate, how long the shadowing will last and how you will measure the success of the program. Outline how people will be selected for the program and what happens after the shadowing is complete.

3. Use shadowing with existing employees

You may discover that your team lacks a skill the department needs to keep improving. Perhaps you get a new technology, but no one on the team understands how to use it. Plan out time for a team member to shadow an IT employee to learn the new technology. Doing so early means you can save a lot of time later.

Another example is when an employee will be taking on a new set of responsibilities even though they’re not getting a new title. When someone is transitioning out of a role, they can have someone internal shadow them before they leave. Internal shadowing helps keep workflows moving so the business stays productive.

4. Ask for feedback from participants

Always strive to keep improving your job shadowing technique. Each time someone shadows, ask for feedback from both parties involved. Ask questions like:

• What was most helpful about shadowing?
• Does the employee feel more competent in their new role because of the training?
• What could have gone better?
• How can job shadowing be more effective?

Another good idea is to get feedback from people in different departments since they all may have different needs. Involve them in planning so everyone can get behind the initiative.

Hiring the right people and training them properly are two of the most important components of Human Resources (HR). You need the right policies and practices in place for your employees to succeed. Job shadowing is effective in fostering bonds between employees, preparing people for their roles and improving the business as a whole.

StaffLink is here to help you along the way. We work alongside your internal team to uncover roadblocks and implement better HR solutions. Request a proposal or contact us at (954) 423-8262 for more information.