Employees, particularly Gen Z, want more opportunities to learn, grow, and advance their careers. Professional development is so crucial that 87% of Gen Z wish to do it. There are 68 million people in this generation in the United States currently aged 9–24. It’s safe to assume that this generation will significantly impact our workforce in the coming years. So, every organization should prepare for it. But, whatever generation, giving employees professional development opportunities keeps them engaged, which is essential because, according to a 2016 Udemy study, disengaged and bored employees are twice as likely to leave. The same survey showed that 80% of respondents agreed that learning new skills would make them more engaged. How does your company create those opportunities? One way is to offer a rotational program. Read on to learn how.

What Is a Rotational Program?

Rotational programs are company-organized initiatives wherein participating employees “rotate” through different aspects of the business for specific periods. New or existing employees can experience various business functions by holding actual, temporary positions and responsibilities in other departments.

The programs offer employees opportunities to learn more about the business, develop a more comprehensive business perspective, and build their skills by experiencing different job duties. There are a variety of advantages and disadvantages that come with building a job rotation program for one’s company. So, weigh the job rotation pros and cons before implementing the system.

THREE BEST PRACTICES

Following these three best practices can help rotation programs achieve business impact.

1. Set a clear purpose for the process: Before the organization implements a job rotation, it must define its purpose.

The organization should answer two questions:

Why implement the program?
What does the organization want to achieve? What are the specific outcomes the organization wants to achieve?

2. Start Small: When launching a rotation program, start rotating employees through different roles within a single department before rotating them through other departments.

3. Prepare a well-laid-out plan: Once the purpose and the objectives are clear, it is essential to draft an implementation plan.

The main questions to answer regarding the program include:

How can the organization achieve its goals?
What are the problems the organization might encounter?

A rotational job program can be a helpful strategy for most organizations. It tends to work efficiently, as it doesn’t just benefit the company but also provides advantages for the employees. Organizations can boost their bottom line and ensure employees learn the required skills to be more flexible and feel challenged enough to want to continue to be part of the organization.

Have you considered implementing a job rotation program but don’t know how to get started?

Schedule a call with me.