Gone are the days when people were hired to perform a single, distinct job, then stuck to that role without ever deviating into another area of the business. Business in today’s technological spider web is always evolving, requiring modern work environments to be dynamic and adaptable. Employees that can capably hand multiple roles, tasks, and responsibilities provide your business with the versatility needed to thrive in a constantly changing business climate.

Therefore, in order to maximize the potential of your business it is imperative to stockpile employees with varied skillsets capable of adequately filling multiple roles. Of course, it is also important to follow training practices that will be effective in producing multi-talented employees and raising the skill level of the entire organization. Here are some of the ways to make sure that happens:

Choose Wisely

Not all skills are created equal. It is important to narrow down the options and focus on training employees in areas that will prove most useful in the big picture. While versatility is a virtue, it is obviously unrealistic to expect every employee to be proficient in every aspect of the business. Choose the tasks, skills, and functions that most often require group participation or additional help.

Share the Plan

People are naturally resistant to change. It is important for employees to understand why they are being asked to train in new and unfamiliar areas of the business. Will they be collaborating directly with these departments? Are you hoping to build a safety net for when project leads are unavailable or overly committed? Are you grooming them for promotion or an enhancement of their current position? Making sure they understand the end game will help avoid apathy.

Keep it Relevant

Don’t promote additional training just for the sake of it. It has to directly correlate to the goals you are trying to achieve and the skills you hope to increase. Offering a program that is too general when you really have specific expertise in mind only serves to waste everyone’s time and reduce the employee’s enthusiasm for the project. Too specific, and it may require multiple trainings to accomplish anything useful.

Outline the Objectives

Clear and straightforward training programs with definite endpoints and measurable results make it easy for employees to understand what is expected of them. When they know what you are hoping to accomplish they are more likely to be receptive to the idea, rather than a vague concept of how it might be useful. In the appropriate situation, including a reward or incentive aspect to the training can be a great way to generate enthusiasm for the project.

Modern businesses require modern employees, and that means being flexible, skilled in multiple areas and having a thorough understanding of more than a single position. Choosing a simple, effective software to implement a training program without creating additional burden is the first step in taking your business to the next level.

Mar 5^th 2019.