A job aider is a person who provides guidance and assistance to help employees successfully complete tasks and responsibilities in the workplace. Job aiders offer tailored, one-on-one support in various forms, from simple reminders to detailed coaching. Having access to a job aider provides several potential benefits for both employees and employers. This article will examine who can benefit most from utilising a job aider’s services in the workplace.
Employees with Neurodivergent Conditions
One group who can greatly benefit from job aiders is neurodiverse employees, such as those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dyslexia and other conditions. For example, an employee with ADHD may struggle with time management, staying organised, remembering multi-step procedures or other executive functioning challenges. A job aider provides personalised support to compensate for these difficulties.
A virtual assistant support worker or job aider can work directly with neurodiverse employees to provide customised assistance tailored to their needs. This may include reminders, visual aids, or coaching to provide structure and manage ADHD symptoms. Some government programmes can provide funding for ADHD coaching access to work and job aider services through the workplace adjustment scheme. With proper support from a job aider, employees have the assistance to succeed and perform their roles effectively.
New and Inexperienced Employees
Another cohort that gains great advantage from job aiders is new and inexperienced employees. When starting a new job, there is a steep learning curve. New employees must learn the organisation’s processes, systems, expectations and more. A job aider helps standardise training and ensures consistency even when the employee is working independently.
Job aiders are useful for retaining all the information provided during initial training. They can explain step-by-step procedures, important policies and instructions. For complex tasks, job aiders break down processes into smaller, more manageable components. They provide easy access to support and guidance when new employees need to consult or ask questions. This increases confidence, productivity and accuracy.
Experienced Employees Learning New Skills
While job aiders provide essential assistance for new employees, they also benefit experienced staff members taking on new responsibilities or learning new skills. When employees change roles or take on unfamiliar tasks, job aiders help them get up to speed quickly. They can condense large amounts of information into concise, focused coaching and training.
Job aiders eliminate the need to memorise all details or continuously ask questions of colleagues. Employees can consult their job aider as needed when performing new tasks until they build competency. Quick access to personalised instructions and coaching accelerates learning curves. Experienced employees become productive faster with support from a knowledgeable job aider.
Employees in Routinised Roles
Job aiders also assist employees in highly routinised roles that involve repetitive tasks. While the work may seem straightforward, it is easy to get off track or miss steps if relying solely on memory. Job aiders provide check-ins, reminders and oversight to maintain accuracy and consistency.
Job aiders also prompt employees to follow important safety precautions, quality control checks, compliance requirements and other vital details that can be overlooked, especially in mundane, repetitive work. They empower employees to self-correct and self-manage with their support. Job aiders lead to increased productivity, fewer errors and standardised outputs.
Job aiders offer advantages for a wide range of employees. Job aiders improve individual performance and consistency across the organisation. Both employees and employers benefit from incorporating knowledgeable job aiders into standard workplace practices.
