Corporate Cross-Training
The phrase “corporate cross-training” may conjure visions of sweaty tee-shirts and dirty sneakers, but this kind of training doesn’t involve running, biking or swimming.
Corporate cross-training, or job rotation, is one of the hottest new business trends making waves across Canada. And from all reports it seems to be a win-win situation for managers, directors and employees. Large companies have started using it to prepare managers for high-level corporate positions. And smaller companies are cross-training employees on the shop floor and in administrative positions.
Cross-training can be done in a number of ways. At its simplest, you rotate employees through different positions to learn different job skills. For example, your administrative assistant might spend a week learning from the shipping/receiving coordinator. Or you might move people to different departments for a formal three or six-month assignment before they return to their original position. In some cases, a cross-training session may move an employee up the corporate ladder. How you implement cross-training will depend on the size and nature of your business.
Cross-training is not without its costs and risks. Some employees may resist having to train new people and productivity may suffer in the short term. Some employees can be nervous about change or having to learn new skills. If there are concerns, a small pilot project is a good place to start.
Advantages for your employees:
• Learning new skills and increasing the variety of activities.
• Increased sense of appreciation which increases motivation.
• Exposure to opportunities and people within the company.
Advantages for your business:
• Increased employee flexibility.
• Reduced staff turnover because employees are growing and learning.
• Increased communication and understanding between departments.
• Increased skills development for everyone concerned.
• Seeing the “big picture” within the industry and the company.
Obviously, communication and planning are crucial. It’s essential to get everyone involved before you start and to continually monitor your project’s progress.
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