by Scott Holloway

Created on: January 20, 2010

As business owners and managers of others it is hard to understate the importance of employee cross-training. This concept is vital at all levels of an organization. It is an activity which can be directed toward most any function within an organization. The benefits of such a program are many. They include flexibility, employee satisfaction, and greater consistency in service to customers. The most difficult hurdle is making the commitment while maintaining your ability to complete other vital functions during a typical day.

From a management standpoint it is vital we maintain the ability to achieve our goals on a regular basis. This is often done in face of things such as absenteeism, attrition, or customer driven changes. The implementation of a cross-training program will allow you to increase the skill sets of employees so that they can perform other functions within the organization should the need arise. For most employees the thought of learning something new is at first a bit unnerving, but once the process has begun they typically achieve a greater sense of job satisfaction. It is an opportunity to break the routine of their regular responsibilities. Learning additional skill sets can also provide employees with the opportunity for future advancement, thus creating greater motivation and overall employee satisfaction.

The scheduling of such training will require a consistent effort and positive attitude on the part of the management team in order to be successful. This may require some short term impacts on normal activities such as production schedules, but some creativity on the part of the management team will offset these impacts. A great deal of cross-training can be done during slow periods where additional time can be spent in other areas or departments. There are few organizations which could not achieve this with better time management and commitment to long term goals. 

In order to have an effective cross-training program there must be a thorough understanding of all parts of your process. This can be achieved by generating control documents governing both internal procedures as well as customer driven specifications. This will help to ensure standardization of the process and consistency when it comes to training requirements. Training sessions can often be handled in-house or with the assistance of consultant organizations specializing in your particular line of business.  The result of a successful program will be added value in the sense of a flexible and knowledgeable workforce as well as a greater consistency in customer quality.

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