What is job shadowing

Job shadowing is a type of on-the-job training and career development program in which one worker observes another to gain insights into their role or industry.

The program allows the participant to see the day-to-day activities of the job and ask questions in real-time. They can gain a comprehensive understanding of the role and learn more about the company culture.

Shadowing typically involves new and inexperienced employees following a veteran member of staff. However, this isn’t a strict rule — it could be any two workers.

What is the aim of job shadowing?

The overall aim of job shadowing is to promote knowledge transfer and skill acquisition in a short period through direct observation and hands-on experience.

Businesses might use job shadowing to facilitate:

Onboarding new hires
Cross-training existing workers
Succession planning
Cross-departmental understanding and collaboration

For employees, job shadowing is a chance to learn more about a job role and what their company expects from them. Their long-term goal is often to learn new skills, develop professionally, and advance in their career.

Managers may implement job shadowing to enhance team development. When colleagues shadow each other, it promotes empathy and appreciation for each other’s responsibilities, which can lead to improved collaboration and communication.

Additionally, it can help in identifying areas where the team could improve processes or share resources more effectively.

What are the benefits of job shadowing?

Offering your team job shadowing opportunities can lead to significant advantages for your business, including the following:

More professional development and learning opportunities
A reduction in skills gaps due to more hands-on training
The chance to make a good impression on new hires
A faster and more effective onboarding process
Increased levels of employee engagement during training
The option of mentorship programs to develop leadership skills
Better understanding and improved relationships across different departments
Improved succession planning and smoother transitions to new roles
A greater awareness of the different roles and career paths available

In the long term, job shadowing can help you foster a culture that values ongoing growth and development.

What are the risks of job shadowing?

Although beneficial, job shadowing can pose risks to both employees and the company. Participants may gain access to privileged information and must be made aware of:

Confidentiality over sensitive data
Compliance with data protection laws
Intellectual property rights, especially what they can and cannot share externally

New employees are more likely to make mistakes due to their unfamiliarity with company rules and guidelines. All workers must understand how to keep themselves and others safe.

With Deel’s compliance tools, you can send new hires policies to read and sign. We then store them on your system so everyone can easily reference them.

Are there any potential compliance issues associated with job shadowing?

Job shadowing comes with the risk of worker misclassification. If internships, volunteers, and contractors perform tasks associated with full-time employment, you may be in violation of labor laws.

Deel Shield helps you classify workers correctly and draft contracts stating their job duties and any training they’re entitled to. We then assume all liability if issues arise.

What does a job shadowing program involve?

To ensure the program goes smoothly, you should include the following steps:

Define objectives: Decide on the desired outcomes and outline what participants should expect to gain from the job shadowing experience
Structure the program: Establish a framework, including the duration of each session and the schedule
Determine participation criteria: Clarify which employees can volunteer for the program and establish a process for selecting and pairing them with mentors
Train the mentors: Ensure they understand their specific roles and responsibilities within the program
Set communication guidelines: To ensure participants respect each other’s time, explain when they should expect to receive feedback and have follow-up sessions
Orient the participants: Conduct sessions to familiarize workers with the program and answer any questions
Offer support: Provide participants with avenues for communication and ongoing support, such as a point of contact or a dedicated Slack channel
Collect feedback: Get input from both mentors and participants and assess their progress
Evaluate and improve: Consider the program’s effectiveness and make adjustments to ensure it continues to meet employee and business needs

How can I measure the effectiveness of a job shadowing program?

You can track the following metrics to assess the impact of a job shadowing program on participants and your company in general:

Participant engagement levels
Anonymous survey ratings
Volunteer rate
Time to onboard
Productivity levels
Internal mobility
Retention rates
Performance reviews

Can you adapt job shadowing for remote work environments?

Dispersed teams can’t physically follow one another or directly observe their work. However, there are tools you can use to enable online job shadowing and supervised hands-on experience:

Video conferencing tools
Screen sharing
Recorded sessions with commentary
Collaboration platforms
Online meetings
Digital brainstorming sessions

What is the importance of job shadowing for global teams?

Job shadowing plays a crucial role in fostering cross-cultural understanding and enhancing communication in international teams. By shadowing colleagues from different regions or countries, workers can gain a deeper appreciation for cultural nuances, communication styles, and business norms.

Additionally, job shadowing allows a global workforce to benefit more from its team’s diverse experiences and perspectives. As employees share more knowledge across borders, they can contribute more to the culture and overall success of the business.