Cross-Trained Workforce

Don D · August 2003

One of my September projects is to begin an analysis of which employees are trained/cross-trained for the various jobs in the plant. Do any of you have a tool that you use to assist with such an analysis? Or can you recommend an approach that has worked for you. I've done the personnel-file analysis and can't conclude much from that.

TN HR · August 2003

Sounds like you don't have many options available. I would probably begin by asking current supervisors if they can recall any sort of formal or informal (OJT) type of instruction. Depending on the answers you get I would then develop a course of action to either retrain or provide some sort of refresher training so that you bring the people you need to current.

Again, being new to this forum, and not knowing your industry or business model it is hard to offer any more than this.

I hope this gives you some ideas.

HRanna · August 2003

It sounds a bit simplistic, but I use a training matrix. Create a spreadsheet showing each employee across the top, and each job/position/work station down the side. Fill in the corresponding boxes for each employee for the jobs for which they have been trained. Then have your supervisors review the information and update it accordingly (get the info from the people who really know).

This helps me become better versed on the different jobs out there (we are a manufacturing facility with numerous jobs on the floor I am not completely familiar with) and is a good visual aid for the Supervisors. It is also a good way to identify jobs where we have had little cross training (a whole blank row!) and brings the point home to the supervisors (what will you do when the one person who can do this job is not here?). I use it to track the training completed by new employees as well.

The supervisors like updating it when that have accomplished cross training, and management likes it as a tool for discussion, evaluations, etc.

Don D · August 2003

Good ideas. I should have clarified: Our facility is one of hundreds nationally that are manufacturing facilities. We make high-dollar solenoid valves for every application in the world that has equipment with fluid flowing inside it: Ice machines, air conditioners, automobiles, heavy refrigeration systems, coffee makers, space shuttles, water pumping stations, carburetion, acquarium pumps, on and on. Our particular plant jobs include maintenance, machining, assembly, tooling, quality control, shipping, receiving. The assembly trades have multiple areas of expertise and its those combinations that I need to nail down. I may be surprised to learn that 90% of our workforce is cross-trained (as some tell me) or I may find that 5% are crosstrained (as I often suspect).

mwild31 · August 2003

Don, I do have skills matrixes available if you would like to see them. They may not be aligned with the product your company makes, but they would give you a good jumping point - I do have a Shipping & Receiving Matrix that you might find very helpful. The key is to break the skills down to their simplest parts - in our industry it doesn't make sense to go by a particular product or style as we are largely a custom shop - we focussed on the skills to make those products/styles instead. Let me know.

djacobs475 · August 2003

mwild31,

Would you be able to share your matrix with me too? I would greatly appreciate that. On my endless "Projects" list is the evaluation of cross-training and job sharing skills, this would certainly be helpful in that quest.

Thanks so much.
D. Jacobs
[email]djacobs@teamist.net[/email]

safety · August 2003

We area a manufacturing environment and our quality Assurance team brainstormed this issue several months back. We decided to have work teams and supervisors submit on-the-job training checklists to the QA team for each job in the plant. The QA team along with senior management reviewed these and all are now in place and in use. When we have a new-hire or job change the ee in question is trained and evaluated according to these checklists. It was great to get the ee's involved in this process as they now have greater ownership of their respective positions.

Don D · August 2003

MWild: I would like to see the training matrix. Sounds useful and I will adapt it to the project. You can email it using the email icon here on the Forum or my fax is 601.853.7259. Safety; good idea to include others in the project. I was dreading having to go it alone since I'm new here and don't yet know the intracacies of all of these jobs. The supervisors and QA people will be much better prepared to handle that piece than I am. I also plan to develop a simple one page, 10 item, large font form that will allow each production employee to list their basic job components, requirements and other jobs they have held or trained in. I made a short run at that two months ago and the word got out quickly that, "Hey, the new guy is going to give everybody a raise." Real popular in the plant....real unpopular up front.

System · August 2003

mwild31,

I have been working on the very same thing. We have a Public Works department with different crews - water & water treatment, water & wastewater, roads, concrete, parks maintenance, etc. Crews are cross-trained for absences and emergencies.

If you don't mind, would you share your matrix with me also?

my email address is [email]hrdir@iximd.com[/email]

By the way, Don says you can email by using an email icon on the Forum. How do we do that?

Thanx in advance.

"Sam"

Karla · August 2003

mwild31,

I would also be interested in seeing your matrix. This is something I have had on my to-do list for quite awhile.

My e-mail is [email]k_christian@admworld.com[/email]

Thanks!

Karla

Leslie · August 2003

Sam, right under each poster's name there are four icons. The first is an envelope with a paper and pencil in front of it. Click on that. If the poster has listed an email address it will load onto an email in your system so you can send to whomever you'd like. If that doesn't work, a click on the second icon, the note with writing on it, will send them a message into their private mailbox right here on the forum.

mwild31 · August 2003

To all that requested it - I will be more than happy to send the matrix to you - however - I have meetings this morning until about 12:30 p.m. - so I will have to send them this afternoon. I hope they help - at least as a jumping off point at a minimum. x:-)

persab · August 2003

Please send me the matrix. My email is:

[email]blackmon@ulm.edu[/email]

mwild31 · September 2003

Hi everyone

I apologize - I've been out sick for the last several days and have been unable to send the matrix information as promised. I have sent the matrix to those that sent their fax numbers - but I'm unable to do so for folks that sent their email address as the program we use for the matrix is in Visio. If you have Visio - please let me know and if you don't please send me your fax information by using the private email function. Thanks!

persab · September 2003

We do not have Visio. Please fax to 318-342-5144.

Cross-Trained Workforce

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