Job rotation can take place happenstance or it can be planned and implemented carefully with particular end results in mind. The worker who is engaged in a carefully planned job rotation will benefit and learn.

These are ways to effective job rotation.

• Job Rotation must initiate with an end goal. The rotation determines the job changes. Hence, if a department in which every worker is cross-trained to do every job is the goal, a careful structuring of the rotation must occur. If the development of individual employees, for eventual promotion, to advance the employees’ career options, to avoid job boredom, or to create backup help for vacation times, is the goal, the job rotation plans will differ. Effective rotation specifies the aim to start.

• Rotation must be carefully planned. An optimum training plan assists the employee build upon the skills learned at each step of a rotation. So, the plan involves the employee participating in a series of jobs on a path that other employees have followed that resulted in a fully trained employee, or the accomplishment of the goal.
• Employees are capable to assess whether the job rotation is acquiring the goals. Consequently, the steps in a rotation should be measurable and build upon each other.

• Both the employee and the organization require benefiting from the rotation. Constantly teaching employees new job skills is time-consuming and saps organizational energy. If the employee sees nothing in it for him, after he puts forth the effort necessary to learn new jobs, job rotation won’t work or motivate employees. Additional compensation is often provided as employees learn new or more difficult jobs in a job rotation. Or, employees who are cross-trained to do more jobs are paid more because of the employer’s increased flexibility that results from their learning.

• A mentor, internal trainer, or supervisor/trainer is given at each step of the rotation plan. As an employee moves to each new job, he or she is assigned to another employee who has the responsibility to teach, answer questions, and mentor during the training.
• Written documentation, an employee manual, or online resource enhances employee learning. Written documentation about various aspects of each job is helpful to reduce the employee learning curve in job rotation.

Pros of Job Rotation

Rotation offers a career path for employees when promotions are not available, or when the employee does not want a promotion or management responsibilities. Job rotation provides advantages for an employee. In a job rotation, the employee:

• Gains knowledge and skills by learning different jobs that require new skills and provide different responsibilities.
• Overcomes potential boredom and job dissatisfaction by having a new and different job with changed responsibilities and tasks.
• Is given a new challenge, an opportunity for the employee to expand his or her knowledge, accomplishments, reach, impact, and potentially, influence different aspects of the organization.
• May learn about different facets of the organization and how work is accomplished in different departments or job functions. (This will build his or her organizational knowledge and ability to get things done.)
• Is ready for an eventual promotion, in a succession plan, by receiving the chance to expand his or her skill set and responsibilities, and gain broader knowledge about the organization.
• Gains visibility with a new group of colleagues and managers. Visibility for a good employee brings potential opportunities.