Building redundancy and success with cross training

RCS Influencer Rae Fistonich says cross training leads to a more knowledgeable and versatile team.

Cross training employees brings a work life balance and builds some redundancies that are needed for any company to be successful. No single person should have all the knowledge when it comes to productivity and functionality within an organization.

Employee retention and overall satisfaction can be significantly impacted when cross training does not happen. Employees are successful when there are opportunities for their personal and professional growth through learning new tasks. They tend to engage more when learning new skills and it reduces burnout and monotony.

There's also a case to be made that cross training employees increases productivity and efficiency within your organization. It allows for a diversification in skills so each employee has the opportunity to have a variety of skills allowing for improved processes and a better overall workflow.

Of course, cost savings is also a big one. You get to reduce your hiring needs when cross training occurs as there will be multiple employees who are able to step in when needed.

If the loss of a key person happens, then companies can reduce the risk associated with that loss by ensuring that that vital information/knowledge is retained within the company.

Finally, I believe that cross training also improves teamwork and collaboration. Employees who have a greater understanding of multiple aspects of the business are essentially better equipped to collaborate across departments, which can help foster a more cohesive work environment. This breeds an encouragement of knowledge sharing and leads to a more knowledgeable and versatile team.