An organization is only as strong as the tools used to build it. When managing a business, it is important to understand what each area of your company specializes in doing what, and how they help make it thrive. At the same time, it is crucial for an organization to support cross-departmental rotation, as it can bring various rewards for executives, managers, and employees. Below we will list reasons why rotations are important within an organization.
1- Building the Skillset of Your Future Executives and Leaders
For a manager to successfully execute proper managing skills in a business, you must have knowledge of what each area does and why it is crucial to the overall production. When you promote cross-department rotation, each employee can discover new strengths without having to leave the job. Some employees will find themselves passionate about their new role. This can inspire them to want to lead and give them the expertise and experience behind them to do so. By implementing cross-departmental rotation, you can promote from within. For example, when someone works in operations, strategy, and risk departments, they can understand the complete picture and receive a holistic view on how to manage. Instead of requiring your employees to head back to school to obtain an MBA or sponsoring them for expensive executive MBA programs, an organization can support rotation that wouldn’t cost them anything extra. It would also help the staff build a practical experience through this real-life MBA opportunity within your own company. Not only will this benefit the overall flow of the business, but it will also help when scouting and hiring new employees, as managers and executives will know what to look for and be able to seek out the best fit for the job.
2- It Will Keep The Company Working as One
It is vital to have your organization and its employees working in sync. To have a successful brand, all ideas and areas must mesh. When sections of your business work with separate and contradictory goals in mind, then the overall mission will move in a non-existent direction. This also promotes a “silo” type of organization, where every department works independently and neglects to share information with one another. However, if an organization works together, and each team member understands the importance of all areas within the business, they can successfully work to break records and achieve the original goal. For example, in rowing competitions, the team members who paddle in one-direction advance fast and win. Those teams who paddle in different directions don’t go anywhere, and they end up losing. The positives from corresponding can be (and is not limited to) a rise in sales, target hiring individuals fit for the roles needed and boosting productivity.
3- It Offers an Opportunity for an In-house Career Transition
When an employee has the option to explore new areas of work inside their current company, they have the room to grow without departing your organization to shop around elsewhere. This will not only develop a new future option for these employees but also loyalty, as they know you value their worth by giving them options to further their skill sets. These new skills can motivate them to thrive. When employees are given new learning opportunities, it allows them to see the growth that they might not have seen in their old roles. They face new challenges which will motivate them in their positions. Providing your workers the opportunity to explore new talents and paths in-house, exposes them to new mindsets on how to complete their tasks. For example, when an employee in development rotates into sales, then they can view how important marketing is in successfully selling a product.
4- It Helps the Company Feel as One
Politics are always an issue in each organization. People can feel superior to others, constantly trying to compete and show management that they are performing above everyone else. By implementing rotations, politics can be avoided almost completely. Rotations help keep the company feeling like one, there is no “this team” versus “that team”. The teams are always changing and adapting. It is important to push forward the idea that your company is a giant “family”, where everybody is valuable- there is no “favorite child”. Keep the politics at a minimum, this is far more beneficial when growing your company and helping it to thrive.
