You may remember your high school gym teacher extolling the benefits of “cross-training” for your physical health and fitness. Cross-training at work can improve your professional “fitness” and your ability to move up the career ladder, as well.
Here are six reasons to participate in cross-training programs—and to look for prospective employers that offer them:
Expand your skill set.
Cross training gives you the opportunity to learn new skills. These skills make you more employable on the job market, more valuable to your employer, and more likely toidentify the niche that you find most satisfying.
Enjoy your work more.
Studies show that employees who participate in cross-training are more satisfied with their jobs than employees who do not. Understanding work in other departments and how your daily tasks fit into the big picture can help you find greater meaning in pursuing your daily goals.
Build your professional network.
When you cross train, you enter other departments and speak to staff you may never have met before. Every new person you connect with and learn from may be a contact who can offer a valuable employment or other opportunity down the road.
Get more efficient.
Cross-training helps you improve the efficiency of your own work in two ways. First, it helps you see how it fits the company’s overall goals and mission, so you can reduce time spent on tasks that don’t move you toward this goal. Second, it enables you to take on some tasks yourself instead of waiting for someone in another department to handle them.
Become a leader.
Ever wonder if you have hidden talents? Cross-training can help you discover abilities you didn’t realize you had—including the ability to lead and motivate others.
Position yourself for advancement (or hiring).
By participating in cross-training, you demonstrate your interest in the company’s well-being as well as in your own professional growth. You also gain skills that may be essential in a leadership position—ensuring that you are the one who receives the next promotion or lands a job with a different employer.
At THE RIGHT STAFF, LLC, our recruiters can help you connect to some of the best job opportunities and employers in the Minneapolis area. Contact us today to learn more about our great job opportunities in Minnesota.