How to Cross Train Staff

If you own or manage a business, it's a great idea to cross train your staff. Cross training involves each person knowing one or more positions within the company. While it takes some time to accomplish, cross training a staff can be one of the most important things that you do to maintain productivity.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Determine how much training costs. Some positions require a long time to train people, so choose the easier positions first. Break down the jobs of the more difficult positions, and train one job at a time to save money. Efficiency eventually pays you back.

2. Tell your employees what you're doing and why. Let them know that this is to maintain an efficient team and not to replace anyone.

3. Avoid rushing. You've been without cross training in prior times, so there's no need to accomplish all of the training quickly. Beginning the program is the first step. Set goals that are attainable. Pick one job and candidate and begin.

4. Create a schedule to cross train your staff. List each job and form a time line to make the transitions smoother and reduce the chaos of ongoing training.

5. Choose both the trainees and trainers with care. Make certain that the people who are being crossed trained are capable and that the trainers understand their jobs well enough to teach.

6. Remind your staff of the opportunity that cross training gives them. Let them be aware that additional training in these areas provides a great deal of job security.

7. Hold meetings and allow the cross trained individuals to report the progress. Let them tell others of their experience and what they found most challenging. This helps improve the understanding and appreciation for all the jobs among the staff.