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Organisational Learning Method – Gradual Release of Responsibility
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Employees can be trained to assume higher responsibilities in a systematic manner. One simple way is to gradually increase the difficulty level of tasks to build employee’s confidence in learning and handling the assigned tasks, while providing support where applicable. Over a period of time, devolve responsibility to identify gaps in performance (theory and practice). For example, in the hairdressing saloon, you want the employee who has learnt to dye hair to be responsible for buying and maintaining the stock of hair dyes and chemicals. The employee should be made aware of his/her responsibility and inventory control procedures.
- Assign a responsibility to employee.
- State the expected outcomes.
- Provide background knowledge related to the task if necessary.
- Provide guided instructions for the task.
- Check for understanding and identify competency gaps.
- Encourage employee to collaborate with others.
- Allow employee to do the work independently towards the end stage.
- Review employee’s performance and provide further guidance / opportunities.
- Organisation / management
- Ensure new employees are paired up with experienced workers.
- Provide enough tools / resources for ‘workplace trainers’ where needed.
- Workplace ‘trainer’
- In the initial stages, provide support to the employee in performing the task.
- Recognise that the gradual release of responsibility is not linear. Employee may move back and forth between different stages as they progress.
- Towards the end stages, allow the employee to assume all of the responsibility for performing the task.
- Workplace ‘learner’
- Ask questions if you don’t understand what is happening.
- Show that you are prepared to work independently instead of always looking to your boss for approval.