Use job rotation to reduce training costs
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Sustaining employee interest in a single job is not easy, which is perhaps why retention poses such a big challenge for businesses today. People outgrow their jobs quickly and it may not be possible for employers to provide enough diversity within a vertical career framework to maintain employee interest in the job.
This is where job rotation steps in to provide much needed variety and job enrichment from an employee’s perspective. Job rotation programmes serve a variety of purposes from simply staffing jobs, to providing orientation to new employees, preventing stagnation and job boredom, and giving employees the opportunity to explore alternative career paths.
Employees who participate in job rotation programmes develop a wide range of skills, are more adaptable to changes in jobs and career, and in general are far more satisfied with their jobs when compared to workers who specialise in a single skill set or domain.
Here are a few tips for you to make the most of a job rotation program in your organisation.
To be effective, job rotation programmes need to be carefully planned and organised. Most job rotation programmes fail simply because not enough thought goes into implementing them, or because they are merely viewed as stop gap arrangements with no recognition of the added value it brings to employees.
Preparation is key to the success of any job rotation programme. Carefully analyse the feasibility of setting up a programme, work out the implementation issues, and set up realistic schedules for each position. Formulate clear policies regarding who will be eligible, whether it will be mandatory or voluntary, whether employees will be restricted to certain jobs or will be open to all job classifications.
Consider making job rotation a part and parcel of your training and career development initiatives. Not all jobs may be suitable for job rotation, but the large majority of jobs including technical, clerical, HR, administrative and managerial tasks can be handled by comparative non experts with a little training. Alternatively, you can also link rotation with the individual career goals of employees and make it a part of a planned career development initiative. Involve the employee in planning job rotations so that there is a clear understanding of mutual expectations, and the road ahead.
Understand that job rotation is not a substitute for training. It must be supported by parallel developmental goals and initiatives, and skills that are not enhanced by job rotation need to be dealt with through separate training programmes and management coaching.Decide who will benefit the most from participating in job rotation programmes.
Some organisations tend to rotate employees faster in early-career stages and slow down in later-career stages. This practice is based on the assumption that employees who are at an early stage of their career are more open to job rotation than senior level executives.
People who are starting out in their careers typically are more eager to demonstrate their willingness to learn, to advance and to take on increasing responsibilities to enhance their skill development. They also have more to learn and benefit from rotation experiences, adding higher value to their career prospects. But job rotation can also be used to assist later career and plateaued employees, to mitigate the mind-numbing monotony of the plateauing process, and make the employees’ work more interesting and stimulating.
Job rotations can be used as a developmental alternative to promotions. In times of economic recession or downsizing, it may not be always possible to reward employees with promotions and big hikes. In such a scenario, job rotations are a way of demonstrating that the company has faith in employees’ abilities and wants to provide them with opportunities for career growth.
Adopt best practices to get the most out of your rotation programmes. Pay utmost attention to the selection of jobs, partnering with employee goals and increasing awareness among staff about the value of job rotations as a developmental tool.
Job rotation offers a number of benefits for organisations. It is especially useful in helping employees cultivate valuable, organisation specific skills, and prepares the ground for lateral transfers and promotions. A systematic, well-designed job rotation program can help reduce training costs, reduce turnover, and improve employee morale and productivity. It can also endow a company with greater flexibility, and help take the edge out of contingency staffing. But perhaps the greatest benefit that accrues to organisations through job rotation programmes is its capacity to contribute to employee self- worth, motivation and job satisfaction.
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BINDU SRIDHAR
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