Is Cross-training Employees Important in the Workplace?

More than two-thirds of businesses would experience extreme operational difficulties if half the workforce was absent for two weeks, according to the "Wall Street Journal." Cross-training employees is a way to defensively prepare for the threat of a flu pandemic or natural disaster. Some major corporations regularly schedule time to cross-train employees -- that is, train them to learn various jobs outside their job description -- to ensure that company operations will continue in the event of unusual absenteeism.

Coverage

Cross-training employees in other areas, functions and divisions enables coworkers to fill in for each other due to unplanned absences -- ensuring there is no interruption to operations. This is important across all areas of the company, but is critical in highly significant areas where one employee has sole responsibility for key functions. Examples might include small businesses where one employee is responsible for payroll, or an IT department where only one person has the skills and knowledge to maintain the network. By cross-training employees, an employer can ensure that there is no knowledge gap if key employees unexpectedly retire.

Motivation

Providing employees with the opportunity to cross-train allows longer term employees the chance to diversify their routine tasks and learn a fresh approach. This can help to relieve boredom and renew motivation. Employees with high aspirations will enjoy the career development opportunity provided by cross-training, that allows employees to build their skill set while identifying potential new career paths and showcasing their abilities in other departments. Managers and supervisors who might otherwise have never noticed an employee get a chance to observe him in action and identify potential succession planning opportunities from outside their own divisions.

Efficiency

Cross-training increases productivity and transparency by reducing organizational silos -- when business functions work independently in a vacuum, without considering the big picture goals -- between departments. A fresh pair of eyes can often identify bottlenecks in a process, and by rotating employees between departments, redundant or duplicate processes can be spotted more easily. Managers can utilize cross-trained employees strategically to optimize staffing and balance the workload. By cross training accounting staff and payroll clerks, for example, more resources can be diverted to help run payroll at the end of each pay period. The payroll clerks can reciprocate by devoting significant time to assist with closing the books at year-end.

Morale

Cross-training was identified as a method to improve job retention in a 2003 study published in the journal "Connexions" by the Medical Group Management Association. Cross-training may also give employees a "big-picture" view of the organization by enabling them to view problematic processes from a different perspective. Employees will better understand why a particular process takes so long, rather than complaining about the employees responsible.

References

• North Carolina Office of State Personnel: Job Switching for Onboarding and Cross-Training
• U.S. National Library of Medicine; "MGMA Connex"; Assembling a Solid Staff. Job Rotation, Job Shaping and Cross-Training Help Employee Retention; R. Redling; March 2003
• Legal Workplace; Why It's So Important to Cross-Train Employees; Catherine Bannon; January 2009
• IT Managers Inbox: Why You Should Cross Train Employees
• "The "Wall Street Journal"; Employers Brace for Swine-Flu Outbreaks; Betsy McKay and Dana Mattioli; November 2009
• "The Wall Street Journa"; Entrepreneurs Prefer to Keep Staffs Lean; Sarah E. Needleman; March 2010

Resources

• UC Davis: Program for Employee Cross Training