The Best Technique for Training New Hires
Ever feel like your employees just aren't getting it? Maybe you've walked the new guy through the process several times, but it's still not clicking. Don't get frustrated ‒ use "DORAGI" to successfully instruct your workers on how to complete new tasks.
DORAGI is a training system involving six steps: (1) Demonstrating, (2) Observing, (3) Re-Demonstrating, (4) Assigning a task, (5) Goal setting, and (6) Inspecting.
D ‒ Demonstrate
Perform the task in front of the employee from start to finish. Be sure to work slowly and explain everything you do as you're doing it, allowing the employee both a visual and an auditory aid for understanding the procedure.
O ‒ Observe
Watch as the employee attempts to perform the task that you've demonstrated. Take notes if needed, but try not to interject or intervene. Give them time to work through it, even if they make some mistakes.
R ‒ Re-Demonstrate
Carry out the entire task once more, this time highlighting the portions that the employee could have done differently. Don't forget to praise them for the things they did well ("I like what you did with x ‒ remember to also y").
A ‒ Assign a Task
Provide the employee with a specific task to complete. This assignment should take a relatively small amount of time ‒ about an hour or less ‒ and should give the employee a chance to try out what they've learned in the work environment.
G ‒ Goal Set
Set a time frame in which the task or tasks should be performed. This gives the employee an idea of how long the process typically takes and helps them to stay on-track.
I ‒ Inspect
Check and evaluate the employee's work. Re-demonstrate if necessary, then assign a new task, set a new goal, and re-inspect. You've got the steps ‒ now it's time to put them into practice. What does DORAGI look like in a real-life situation? Let's use this method to detail how you might teach a new employee the proper way to paint a wall.
Demonstrate: Show the employee exactly how to load the roller and apply the paint, all the while talking them through the procedure: "We're going to teach you how to paint this wall. Here is how you load the roller. This is how to apply the paint to the wall. This is how you back roll the paint." Again, speak slowly and clearly, matching your actions with verbal instructions.
Observe: Hand over the roller and let the employee give it a shot. "Okay, now you paint the wall." Watch carefully for possible errors, but pay attention to the employee's strengths, too.
Re-Demonstrate: Illustrate how it's done a second time, incorporating suggestions based on what you observed in the previous step. "You did a good job of making sure these areas were covered. Make sure you're getting enough paint on the roller ‒ again, this is how you load the roller with paint."
Assign a Task: Give the employee a simple, well-outlined assignment. "I'd like you to paint this wall from here to here."
Goal Set: Tell the employee how much time you expect the task to take. "You should be able to get this wall done within the next hour. I'll be back in about sixty minutes to check up on you."
Inspect: Examine the newly-painted wall and provide some positive comments coupled with helpful feedback. "This wall looks good ‒ I like the way it turned out. Just don't forget to back-roll the paint to avoid lap lines."
DORAGI is a systematic way to produce workers that are efficient, punctual, and detail-oriented. However, when applying this process, it's important to keep in mind the principle of "two strokes and a poke". People are sensitive to criticism, even if it's being presented in a respectful and constructive manner. Be sure that your feedback always draws attention to a couple aspects of the task that the employee is doing well, followed by one or two areas of improvement. Your workers will not only be more competent ‒ they'll also be appreciative of your patience and sympathy as an employer. And when is good morale in the workplace ever a bad thing?
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