Is your organization regularly impacted by staff absences or employee turnover? Have your business processes ever been put on hold because an employee who performs specific tasks was out sick or on vacation? Are you looking to increase your employees’ skill sets and engagement? These are just a few of the reasons that many companies provide cross-training opportunities for their team members. There are numerous benefits to giving your workers additional responsibilities. But there are also several things to keep in mind to ensure that your initiatives for cross-training employees are as effective as possible.
Disclaimer: The information below is accurate as of August 28, 2024.
The benefits of cross-training employees
As the Harvard Business Review explains, cross-training involves training employees for various tasks that will enable them to take on new roles within the organization. Cross-training is far from a new concept. It was the subject of a nearly 50-year-old study that identified the practice as a driver of employee motivation across a variety of industries. Toyota has long relied on cross-training as a pillar of continuous improvement. In the retail sector, many big-name companies turn to cross-training to pay employees more and improve customer satisfaction.
To be certain, cross-training offers a variety of benefits for employees and companies. Here is a look at some of those benefits.
Cross-training increases collaboration
Does teamwork really make the dream work? According to a report from LinkedIn, the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Collaboration is a vital tool for increasing productivity, employee engagement, and employee well-being. Employees who can collaborate with others tend to see themselves as part of a larger team. They are also empowered to view projects from different perspectives.
Further, they are often re-energized by activities different from their regular position’s day-to-day routine. Cross-training often serves as a sort of “job rotation” for employees. They get to do something new and spend time with coworkers from different departments they normally don’t interact with.
LMS platforms like Docebo can integrate seamlessly with several collaborative business apps, including Slack, Google Drive, and Microsoft Teams. This ensures easy communication between teams and the learning materials offered through your onboarding and cross-training program. New hires and team members who are learning new roles can use these integrations to access a centralized area for training materials and information.
Cross-training saves money
Employees who are cross-trained to take on additional responsibilities beyond those specifically associated with their job title save the company money in several ways, including:
- Covering staffing shortages. These shortages can otherwise have negative impacts on the services provided to customers and other crucial aspects of the business.
- Increasing retention. Impact retention and reduce employee turnover through engagement and improved job satisfaction.
- Prioritizing quality control. Ensure standardization of services by having enough employees to perform specific tasks.
- Seizing opportunity. Discover hidden talents among team members as they learn different roles, and support staff in their professional development efforts.
As noted by Walden University, when companies can fill job positions internally, they generally see a positive impact on their financial bottom line by not having to engage in outside recruitment efforts. They also see reductions in the money and time involved in onboarding. After all, the employee is already familiar with the company’s mission, goals, policies, and procedures.
Cross-training covers gaps in staff
Vacation time, sick time, family leave, retirement… There are many reasons for gaps in staff and for staff to take on additional responsibilities to cover the absences of coworkers. Have you ever gone to a place of business only to be told that the person who provides the services you need is out for the day or even the week? The consequences of being short-staffed can have significant impacts on employees and customers alike. Customers are inconvenienced by being told to come back later. Short staffing also leads to employee burnout. It can even create a lack of versatility that is needed for a business to thrive.
Succession planning is also an important benefit of cross-training. It involves identifying important positions in the organization. Next, start developing a talent pipeline to fill vacancies in these priority positions as employees retire or leave the organization. One of the risks of failing to engage in succession planning is that the business will lose one of its leaders and be unable to continue because there is no one to step up and fill that role.
Cross-training employees grow their skills
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the field of training and development specialists is expected to grow by 6 percent by 2032. That is faster than the average for all occupations. As reliance on technology increases, the training needs of employees to upskill or reskill is essential to their professional development. Cross-training employees, whether merely shadowing team members from other departments or training to fill in at another position, acquire new skills in the process that can help them understand their hidden talents and discover other job roles in which they can excel.
In many industries, professional development is required for workers to keep their certification or license. With an LMS platform like Docebo, professional development can be achieved in many different forms, such as:
- Microlearning tasks
- Gamification
- Instructor-led learning
- Learning content created by department leaders for the purpose of cross-training
Tips for effective cross-training
Cross-training initiatives are a great way to reduce employee turnover. They can also increase job satisfaction and provide standardization of service across the organization. But there are some potential pitfalls. Without careful planning, cross-training can cause an employee to feel overwhelmed. It can even result in employees becoming generalists who know a little about a lot of things but not enough to handle unique situations as they arise. When implementing your cross-training plan, here are some tips to remember.
Do the groundwork first
Before embarking on a cross-training program for your organization, it is important to lay the groundwork to ensure the maximum return on investment for the program. The activities involved in planning your employee cross-training initiative include:
- Define the process and determine how the instruction will be delivered. E-learning through the LMS and job shadowing are both essential aspects of most cross-training programs.
- Develop a list of the specific tasks involved in each department of your business that could and should be taught to other employees. While developing this list, you’ll uncover highly specialized positions where cross-training doesn’t seem feasible.
- Communicate with employees and managers about the cross-training initiative’s goals. Develop a way to solicit feedback from them as they participate in the program.
Sometimes, it is also important to evaluate the employees to determine which team members should participate in cross-training. New hires are often busy learning the ins and outs of their own job role and aren’t always the best candidates for cross-training. Likewise, those who are frequently absent or have difficulty juggling tasks for multiple departments might have difficulty completing a cross-training program.
Make goals achievable and enjoyable
For your employees to get the most out of the cross-training process, goals should be achievable and enjoyable. Feedback should be solicited throughout the process to ensure that the employee feels supported and empowered rather than confused and overwhelmed. Docebo’s platform provides the ability for managers to track the progress of employees through the e-learning side of the cross-training equation and also provides tools to manage and send notifications to cross-training employees through email to keep steady communication through the process.
Balance the workloads of cross-training employees
Burnout is a real risk when an employee counted on in one area of the business is undergoing rigorous training in another area. To avoid that issue, it is important to manage the cross-training schedule. Identify slow times during the employees’ regular schedule to provide cross-training activities and opportunities rather than risk interfering with their ability to complete the responsibilities of their jobs. Cross-training typically works best when participation is voluntary and the employee has a say in when training occurs and for how long.
How do you motivate employees to participate in your cross-training program? Many organizations incentivize the training efforts of their employees. Incentives can be monetary, involve certifications, or even be company swag. Incentives often serve to both increase participation in the program and generate greater engagement. Greater employee engagement leads to better absorption of the information, greater competency in the skills needed for the new role, and increased job satisfaction.
Learn more about how Docebo can help you effectively cross-train employees
Cross-training employees is an important aspect of career development for your team, as well as an important aspect of succession planning for your organization. To learn more about how Docebo’s platform can help with your company’s cross-training efforts, book a demo.