On-the-job development techniques. As the name suggests, on-the-job development techniques take place at the work site during normal working hours. These techniques are similar to on-the-job training except they usually involve a wider range of activities. Several on-the-job development techniques are commonly used to develop professional and managerial skills.
coaching. In this technique, a junior manager or potential manager is assigned to work with an experience manager. The junior employee is given some of the work and responsibility of the manager, and the manager provides the junior employee with instruction and encouragement.
Understudy. This technique takes coaching one step further, because the junior employee, or understudy, is being trained to take over the job of the manager, or mentor.
Job rotation. One purpose of job rotation is to give employees a broad understanding of a company by having them work in a variety of functional areas. Frequently, job rotation is used for management trainee who are recent college graduates. The trainee usually spends several months in each department, sometimes as an observer but usually as an active participant in department operations. Another plateau when they have risen to a certain career level and no position for upward movement within the organization. Job rotation provides variety for such employees and allows them to increase their value to the organization by becoming familiar with different work processes.