HR Management & Compliance, Learning & Development

Cross-Training Methods and Metrics for Your Organization (Part 1)

If you’re interested in cross-training your employees in 2018, keep reading to uncover what you need to know—including various methods to consider and metrics you’ll want to pay attention to as you develop your programs.

What is Cross-Training?

According to Inc.’s encyclopedia entry, cross-training, “involves teaching an employee who was hired to perform one job function the skills required to perform other job functions.” And “cross-training programs are a way to more formally organize the process of getting employees prepared to be able to do more than a single job…[and] offer a wide variety of benefits for businesses.”

What are the Benefits of Cross-Training?

Cross-training programs have many benefits for both employers and employees.

Benefits for Employers

  • Opportunities to boost employee morale and levels of teamwork
  • Alleviates risk when a company loses a key employee or undergoes changes
  • Enhances employee productivity and engagement
  • Improves chances of uncovering hidden talents in leaders already present within an organization
  • Saves money spent on recruiting and hiring new talent
  • Decreases rates of employee turnover, absenteeism, and presenteeism

Benefits for Employees

  • Increased chances for promotion and better pay
  • Higher rates of job satisfaction and job security
  • Opportunities to learn new skills and remain competitive in the job marketplace
  • More motivation to complete work
  • Better relationships with coworkers and managers

Methods

There are different ways you can cross-train your employees which are listed below.

Cross-Training Skills

While official cross-training programs typically prepare employees for specific and different job roles, you can also develop cross-training courses and programs that allow your employees to acquire new skill sets. For instance, you can develop a program that teaches employees the basics of computer coding, regardless of their job function or career trajectory. Or you could have employees from across your organization learn the ins and outs of business writing. Upskilling employees is an underutilized form of cross-training, and is also a great way to promote a culture of learning across your organization while allowing employees to satiate their own curiosity and discover hidden talents or interests.   

Cross-Training Across Departments

One of the best ways to build a real sense of teamwork and better relationships across your organization, is to allow employees to literally walk in someone else’s shoes for a while. Have your sales associates learn and understand what billing specialists do, and have your marketing team learn more about the products your organization develops and makes, etc. Cross-training employees across departments builds a better sense of understanding across departments which will improve communications. It also helps employees better understand their current roles in relation to the entire organization, while giving them opportunities to learn more about other teams and departments.
[Part 2 of this article will appear in the next issue of the Advisor.]

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