by Bob Trowbridge

Created on: May 30, 2007

In an ideal business setting, limited cross-training would be necessary. Because of high absenteeism and other daily issues that take a person away from their job, a certain amount of cross-training is absolutely necessary. Some jobs can be put on hold when someone is out sick or on vacation. Some jobs must be filled every day.

What I have found is that the lower you are on the corporate totem pole, the more necessary it is to replace you when you're out. The CEO or president of the corporation could be gone for a week and no one but the secretary would notice. But if the young woman in the mailroom is out, she must be replaced immediately, either by someone cross-trained to do her job or by a temporary. Some jobs can be done easily by temporaries and some require more training.

Most support staff can be replaced by temps, especially if their job is mainly answering the phone and doing things like letters for the boss. Cross-training can be helpful when there is a certain level of expertise that is needed for a particular job. The problem with cross-training is that you can end up asking one employee to do the work of two. If I am cross-trained to do the job of someone who is out, who is doing my job?

In today's businesses, while a certain amount of cross-training goes on, a lot of the work is being done by temps, many of whom are quite specialized. The main benefit of cross-training is that important work can be covered in an emergency. It doesn't necessary save money because the person doing that work is leaving their own work undone. Nothing is ultimately gained by leaving one position uncovered while covering another.

Cross-training may be most valuable in making employees familiar with other positions, not to save money or have someone available in a crisis so much as grooming employees to move forward in the company. By doing training of employees for other jobs, you are creating a pool of knowledgeable people who can move up to another position when changes require it and not have to start from scratch.

As a frequent temp, I know that temps can do a wide range of jobs either short term or long term. I believe that the temp is making cross-training less necessary.

Learn more about this author, Bob Trowbridge.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.