Job redesign methods – 8 advantages of job rotation

Job redesign and design comprise several methods such as job rotation, job enrichment, job enlargement, and job simplification. Job rotation is one of the most effective tools used in job redesign to improve the competencies of employees. The efficiency of this method is based on organizational staff management strategy.

Job redesign methods – table of contents:

1. What is job rotation?
2. Conditions for conducting job rotation
3. Advantages of job rotation
4. Job redesign that enables job rotation
5. Summary

What is job rotation?

Job rotation cannot be a one-off and spontaneous action – it should be a well-planned process aiming at the improvement of skills among employees. Job rotation strengthens interpersonal relations in the company, but it raises numerous controversies, especially among employees. To gain employees’ acceptance managers should present the conception of job rotation in a clear, well-structured, and transparent way. Well-thought process of job rotation is beneficial both for the company and for the employees.

Job rotation prevents professional burnout and is one of the tools that allow the development of competencies as well as gaining new work experience. Job rotation is based on a planned exchange of work positions for a certain period and involves one or many employees. Differently speaking, job rotation is a type of delegating employees to perform other, new tasks. Replacement of somebody, who is not present is not a type of rotation. The main aim of job rotation, besides getting new skills, is to make employees aware of the character, level of difficulty, and time needed for the performance of tasks at various workplaces.

Time of delegation may vary – HR managers prefer the period from three to six months – in this case, we speak about short-term job rotation. Long-term job rotation takes usually two or three years and is applied to similar positions located in the other branch of the office. The main purpose of such type of job rotation is to prevent daily routine and professional burnout.

Job rotation is an innovative training method that requires self-discipline, and eagerness to develop from the side of the employee. Job rotation may be used on each level of the company organization – for labor posts, office jobs, and managerial positions. Job rotation may be directed at different hierarchy ranks – the employee may perform the duties of his supervisor or those that are lower in a hierarchy. Job rotation may be internal (all resources used are own) or external (employment of unemployed that will provide training for individuals employed permanently).

Conditions for conducting job rotation

The implementation plan has to be prepared before the realization of the job rotation program. Firstly, we have to set goals for job rotation and provide the justification for the change. What else is involved? What are the expectations? How do measure the results? What kind of support do we offer to the employee? The effectiveness of job rotation depends on the effect it brings to the company. It is worth talking with the employees ahead of the process – they need to understand and accept all the rules of job rotation. Communication is essential to increase positively the mood and morale of employees. It is worth remembering:

• Job rotation has to be adjusted to the group involved
• The plan and implementation of the method have to be designed by individuals who possess the necessary knowledge about the method
• One person should be made responsible for the realization of the program
• The list of participants should be made ahead of time
• All job posts involved in job rotation have to be carefully designed alongside the performed tasks
• The time of job rotation should be scheduled
• The progress of the process should be controlled and measured

Advantages of job rotation

Advantages:

• Increases attachment to the organization
• Motivational function
• New challenges and innovative ideas
• Understanding of relations and connections in the company
• Development of ability to cooperate and communicative skills
• Prevents boredom and professional burnout
• Professional development, new skills, and competencies
• Verification of abilities of key employees

Job redesign that enables job rotation

Job positions are the main elements of each organizational structure. Job redesign aims to the establishment the scope of duties and entitlements of each job post. Relationships and communicative channels that connect all the employees in the organization have to be designed as well. The process of job redesign is intended to organize workload and tasks related to the specific job position. Designing should be done in the context of the functioning of the whole organization, its structure of tasks, motivational processes, and teamwork projects.

There are several approaches to job redesign in human resources management. The main approach, specialization involves the division of duties into smaller elements and then the allocation of the narrow range of tasks to certain job posts. This approach to job redesign is not related to job rotation. The other strategy, the alternative approach, involves the substitution of employees – job rotation can be placed in this category of methods. Redesigned job posts allow employees systematical exchange of job positions.

Summary

An occasional change of job posts in the organization brings many advantages both to the employees and the company. The procedure of job rotation that is well-designed and carefully performed does not entail the risk of failure. The exchange of job positions allows employees to change their perspectives and appreciate the work of others. New challenges prevent boredom and professional burnout and increase innovativeness and creativity. Companies that can perform processes of job redesign have a stronger position in the labor market.

Read also: 8 tips on how to reduce recruitment costs

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