0% found this document useful (0 votes) 2K views 28 pages HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT © © All Rights Reserved PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd Did you find this document useful?0% found this document useful (0 votes) 2K views28 pages HRM Quiz and Ans.Jump to Page You are on page 1of 28 You're Reading a Free Preview You're Reading a Free Preview Reward Your CuriosityEverything you want to read. Anytime. Anywhere. Any device. No Commitment. Cancel anytime.  8 MIN READ Creating a Flexible Workforce
© GettyImages Cross-training gives you a responsive, flexible backup plan. Imagine that the person who runs your firm's accounting reports is off sick. The problem is, no one else knows how to run the reports without making mistakes. And if they aren't run, the month-end recap will be thrown into chaos. Your organization has likely run into situations like this. Often, teams are made up of individuals with specialized skills or knowledge, and one person's absence can negatively affect the productivity of the entire group. This is especially true in smaller teams. This is just one reason why it can be useful to cross-train people within your team. In the example above, if another member of your team had been trained to run the accounting reports, there would be no need to worry. In this article, we'll examine the many benefits of cross-training, and we'll look at how to implement a successful cross-training program with your team. What Is Cross-Training?Cross-training is the practice of training your people to work in several different roles, or training them to do tasks that lie outside their normal responsibilities. For instance, you might use cross-training to teach someone who works in Collections how to work in the Billing Department, and vice versa. You could then move people from one team to another when there's a staff shortage, or when one department is exceptionally busy. The Benefits of Cross-Training EmployeesThere are many benefits to cross-training people in your team. For instance, cross-training can:
Cross-training can also help with succession planning. For instance, you might allow junior managers to train for a week in the role of the district manager. This allows you to gauge which employees perform best in that role, so that when the district manager retires, you'll have a good idea of who will be best to replace them. Overall, cross-training can increase team productivity, performance and communication. Implementing a Cross-Training Program1. Identify Roles and ResponsibilitiesMake a list of everyone on your team, along with their job descriptions. Spend some time thinking about the knowledge and skills needed for each position, as well as the unique strengths that each person brings to the team. 2. Cross-Reference SkillsNext, match each position with the right potential cross-trainee. Try to pair positions that require similar skills and strengths. For instance, imagine that your regional sales manager is a natural multitasker. They're very detail-oriented, and they work effectively in high-stress situations. Because of their unique strengths, knowledge and skills, they could easily be cross-trained in the role of the regional customer support manager, since that position is also stressful and requires someone who can handle many demands at once. They also know and understand your customers' needs. Get the Free Newsletter!Learn new career skills every week, plus get a bonus Be a Successful Manager Checklist, free! Read our Privacy Policy Note:Although it's often easiest to cross-train team members who work in similar roles, keep in mind that it can also be useful for people to learn about positions that are radically different from their own. 3. Identify the MethodOnce you've identified the team members who should be cross-trained for each role, you need to think about how they should be trained. Approaches include:
Tip:Take a look at our article on the 70:20:10 framework, which describes how to balance different learning methods. 4. Explain the BenefitsBefore you implement a cross-training program with your team, it's important to explain why you're doing it, so that people understand why you want them to be trained in multiple roles. This will help people to see that cross-training is a positive exercise, rather than a negative one. 5. Get Training!Once you've planned your cross-training program and people understand why they should cross-train one another, it's time to get going! Launch the program, make sure that the training is happening, give people the support they need to be successful, provide opportunities to apply skills, and follow up to ensure that training has been successful. 6. Rotate TasksPeople lose knowledge if they don't use it regularly. Once your team has gone through a cross-training process, consider implementing a rotation plan so that every few months, members of your team spend a half or a full day working in the role they've cross-trained for. Not only will this help keep their training fresh, but it will also add challenge and interest to their work. 7. Get FeedbackEncourage your team to give feedback and offer suggestions on developing the cross-training program. This feedback will help you improve how you train your people in the future. Tip:Our quiz How Well Do You Develop Your People? will highlight your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to developing your team, and it offers strategies and tips that will help you mentor, coach, and train your people effectively. Key PointsCross-training means training people to perform tasks that are outside their regular duties and responsibilties. It offers teams and organizations several important benefits. First, cross-training saves organizations money, because it eliminates the need for temporary workers to fill gaps when staff or workflow changes. Cross-training keeps people motivated because it offers new challenges, and it can even help them uncover skills or strengths they didn't realize they had. To develop an effective cross-training program, follow these steps:
What is crossCross-Training Definition
Cross-Training, also referred to as 'Worker multifunctionality', is the process of developing a multi-skilled labour force by providing employees with training and development opportunities to ensure they have the skills necessary to perform various job functions within their organisation.
What is an example of crossSome common examples of cross-training include: runners using cycling as an alternative exercise to build and maintain endurance. swimmers practicing rowing to keep up their exercise capacity and work similar muscle groups. football players running to build endurance or lifting weights to build size and strength.
What is crossCross-training is the practice of training your people to work in several different roles, or training them to do tasks that lie outside their normal responsibilities. For instance, you might use cross-training to teach someone who works in Collections how to work in the Billing Department, and vice versa.
What is crosscross-training is. training in different way to improve overall performance. cross-training also does what. takes advantage of the effectiveness of each training method and combining them to eliminate the shortcomings of each method.
|
