Job Shadowing: Definition, process, and benefits

What is job shadowing?

Job shadowing is an excellent way for you and your business to provide meaningful learning opportunities to your employees. With job shadowing, an employee has the chance to gain first-hand insight into a new role or career path by observing someone in action and getting to ask questions as they go. It will allow you to understand how well potential hires might fit into current roles and teams.

Benefits of job shadowing
How does job shadowing work?

Benefits of job shadowing

Job shadowing has many benefits, both for your employee doing the shadowing and for your business. Job shadowing can provide a way for your employees to learn about a new job or career to see if it fits their skills and interests. It can also be a training tool for your newcomer employees.

For your business, job shadowing can effectively introduce new employees to the workplace and the job they will be performing. It can also train existing employees on new procedures or processes. Additionally, job shadowing can help build team morale and company culture and improve employer branding.

How does job shadowing work?

A job shadowing experience can be an excellent experience for your employees to learn about a particular department or job position in your business. Or it can be a great experience for potential employees to understand whether they would be an excellent cultural fit for your team and company. So to make the experience as smooth as possible for you and your job shadower, here are some easy-to-follow steps:

1. Identify suitable candidates: Start the process by identifying individuals interested in the job shadowing field who may have related experience or education.

2. Set expectations and develop a plan: Before beginning any job shadowing, establish clear expectations for you and the candidate. It is essential that everyone is on the same page about what will be expected from each party during the process.

3. Check with legal counsel: Ensure that job shadowing does not violate any labour laws and that all participants understand any potential risks involved in a job shadowing program.

4. Provide safety training: To protect your business and job shadowing candidates, provide appropriate safety training before starting a job shadowing experience.

5. Clarify roles and responsibilities: Make sure that all participants understand their roles and responsibilities during the job shadowing process and any potential compensation or other benefits that may result from it.

6. Monitor progress: Be sure to periodically check in with the job shadower to help ensure that they are developing the necessary skills for success in the job role.

7. Celebrate successes: At the end of each successful job shadowing employee experience, celebrate each participant’s accomplishments! This will help create an encouraging atmosphere for future job shadowing opportunities.

Job shadowing can be an invaluable experience for potential employers and job seekers alike. By following these steps, employers can ensure that their job shadowing program is successful and beneficial to all involved.

Now that you have learned about job shadowing, you can know more about hiring trends in 2022 and how to attract diverse talent with job boards.