CROSS-TRAINING AND JOB ROTATING

A PROPERLY managed business can continue successful operation during the temporary or permanent absence of any given employee or manager. Jerry L. Stead, chairman, CEO and president of Square D Co, keeps putting this question to his colleagues: "If you fell under a bus tomorrow morning, who would replace you?"

The best managers prepare and provide for the continuation of business by cross-training and rotating their employees. Cross-training ensures there will be trained people to back up and cover all job responsibilities.

Cross-training and rotation also keeps employees stimulated and challenged, while they gain new knowledge and skills.

How is cross-training accomplished?

Some of the common approaches managers use include special project assignments, classroom training, understudy assignments and job rotation. Special project assignments such as preparing a budget, updating a policy, or running a new machine can expose people to new tasks and responsibilities. Classroom training provides opportunities to learn new information, attitudes and behaviors.

There are a wide range of academic courses, as well a seminars and workshops, that managers can use to develop and cross-train employees. An understudy assignment is often set up as an "assistant to" position. The trainee is usually assigned to one person for a given length of time. This arrangement allows a person to work closely with another, usually an expert, to gain knowledge and skills in a specific area.

These types of position programmes allow for a limited number of employees to rotate through one or more positions. These assignments provide exposure to other groups and functions within the business. Many of the best managers believe in life-long learning. One Hamilton-Standard managers states: "I constantly go to seminars, read books and listen to other managers trying to pick up new ideas and techniques." Such managers also believe in developing employees and frequently offering them new and challenging assignments.

The signs of being an outstanding manager often appear through the performance of employees:
-    Do they possess the required skills and knowledge?
-    Can they fill in for others employees?
-    Are they prepared for increased responsibilities?
-    Do they adjust to changing job requirements?
-    Are they continuing to learn?

This article was adopted from the old Malaysian, New Straits Times.