What Is Job Rotation? Pros And Cons To Know Before Trying It

Job Rotation: Is It The Right Move For Your Organization?

Although employee engagement is becoming increasingly important for businesses, the numbers are not too encouraging. The truth is that some employees are harder to retain than others. Especially as younger employees—millennials and Gen Zers—are becoming a significant part of the workforce, employers are finding themselves having to explore new ways to boost engagement and retention. A creative way to achieve this is by letting their employees try their hand in a new role or, in other words, practice job rotation. But what is job rotation, and how can you determine if it is the right fit for your company? Read this article to discover what it is about and explore some of its main pros and cons.

What Is Job Rotation?

Understanding what it is about becomes simpler once you break down this strategy into the two words that make it up. Basically, a job rotation or rotational program allows employees to try out different roles within their organization. For a set amount of time, employees take on the tasks and responsibilities of another position before rotating back to their original job. Apart from allowing employees to explore skills that they don’t usually utilize on a regular basis, job rotation also helps them better understand their organization’s culture, values, and core processes.

4 Types Of Job Rotation

It’s important to know that rotational programs don’t affect an employee’s salary and don’t equal a promotion, although it’s not impossible for them to result in one. To better understand this concept and the opportunities it could open up for an employee, let’s explore the 4 most common types of job rotation.

Horizontal Job Rotation

In this job rotation program, employees rotate across different roles on the same hierarchical tier as their original position. Horizontal job rotation ensures that the level of responsibility and complexity remains the same while employees gain insights into new areas of expertise. This approach helps employees develop a comprehensive understanding of their department of organization as a whole.

Vertical Job Rotation

Opposite to the previous model, vertical job rotation involves rotating employees to positions that are higher or lower in the hierarchy than their current one. For a junior manager, this could mean moving through various roles from entry-level to higher management positions. The purpose of this approach is to help employees enhance their leadership skills in preparation for a future promotion.

Lateral Job Rotation

Lateral job rotation is similar to horizontal in terms of hierarchy and complexity. However, instead of being limited to transfers within a department or function, lateral rotations expose employees to departments with distinct functions. For example, an employee from marketing might move to product development. This model promotes interdepartmental collaboration, skill acquisition, and innovation by encouraging employees to exchange ideas and perspectives.

Geographic Job Rotation

As the name suggests, geographic rotation is not focused on hierarchy but rather on location. In this model, employees are transferred to different geographic locations or branches without necessarily assuming a different role. Geographic job rotation aims to expose employees to different markets and diverse work environments, helping them broaden their horizons and gain a more global perspective of their organization.

Now that you know all about what job rotation is and its different models, it’s time to dive into its most important advantages and disadvantages.

5 Advantages You Can Leverage

1. Highlights Where Employees Perform Best

When hiring an employee, you may think they are a perfect fit only for the position they applied for. However, employees can surprise you, as well as themselves. A job rotation program can transfer them to a position that is entirely new to them but an unexpectedly good match for their skills. But even if you don’t uncover some hidden talent, job rotation is a great way to take employees out of their comfort zone and shed light on their strengths and weaknesses, helping them improve.

2. Reduces Boredom And Stagnation

Working in the same position for a long time can cause employees to feel disengaged or stagnant. As low engagement levels become a growing concern for businesses, rotational programs can prove a useful tool to help employees regain their excitement about going to work. Having new responsibilities to tackle and different colleagues to collaborate with will motivate employees to see their organization in a new light and prevent feelings of boredom. Not to mention that changing up their routine can spark their curiosity and creativity.

3. Promotes Learning And Development

Providing learning opportunities is a valuable asset for companies that want to keep their employees happy and satisfied. Job rotation is perfect for enhancing employees’ skillsets by exposing them to new environments and helping them acquire new skills organically. Through cross-training, employees move through the different departments of their company, gathering valuable insights and information they would not be able to access otherwise. As a result, they are empowered to grow professionally and become more attuned to the company’s overarching mission and goals.

4. Improves Employee Engagement And Retention

Job rotation programs can boost employee engagement by helping them better understand its intricate aspects and how their work contributes to achieving organizational goals. Another way job rotation increases engagement is by giving employees the opportunity to explore alternative career paths they might have been interested in. Without leaving the company, they can try different positions and possibly decide to take on a new role full-time. In any case, implementing job rotation highlights a company’s commitment to promoting employee engagement and growth, thus reducing turnover rates.

5. Prepares Your Organization For The Future

Things can be unpredictable in the business sector. Sudden industry changes, talent shortages, or resignations can put your organization in a precarious position. Unless you have had the foresight to prepare your organization for the unexpected through job rotation. As employees take on different roles and acquire new skills, you develop a versatile and flexible workforce. This way, if someone leaves, your team can step in to cover their responsibilities while you take the time to find a fitting replacement instead of hiring the first person who walks through the door.

4 Disadvantages To Look Out For

1. Might Prove Time-Consuming And Costly

Despite its many benefits, implementing job rotation comes at a cost for companies. When employees take on a new role, it’s understandable that they won’t really know what to do. Even with the help of their new team members, they will still need to undergo training to ensure the best results. Offering your employees adequate training will require significant time and money, which not all businesses can afford. However, if you know what you want to gain from rotational programs, the investment may well prove worthwhile.

2. Can Impact Productivity

When transferring to a new department, employees experience a learning curve that can affect their productivity. Until they get the support they need, they might underperform or make mistakes which can impact your organization’s overall success and, at times, even its reputation. This is something that businesses that deal primarily with clients need to carefully consider, as constant changes in teams can lead to frustration and ineffective communication. Furthermore, regularly rotating positions can overwhelm some employees, causing their engagement and efficiency to decline over time.

3. It’s Not A Cure-All For All Issues

Job rotation is not the solution to all your problems. While it can boost employee engagement or development, the truth is that it doesn’t work for everyone. Not all employees respond well to it as they might be happy in their role and not want to try others out. Moreover, job rotation doesn’t benefit professionals in certain industries, especially those in high-skilled positions that require extensive training, such as doctors, lawyers, and engineers. It’s important to know what you are trying to achieve with job rotation and ensure it aligns with your specific needs.

4. Can Result In Employee Frustration

In many cases, job rotation can lead to disgruntled employees. Although it’s not recommended in the first place, sometimes employees are forced to participate in job rotation programs. This can make them feel like they are being pulled away from their jobs, causing concerns about their workload and future opportunities for advancement. At the same time, frequently rotating between roles can be tiring. Employees might be happy in their positions and not interested in delving into new areas of expertise or grow tired of constantly undergoing training.

Conclusion

Although it’s not always easy and certainly not for everyone, many businesses have successfully implemented job rotation programs. Therefore, before implementing this strategy, it is important to analyze your company’s needs and identify specific ways in which job rotation could help. We hope this article has given you enough information about what job rotation is and how it can impact your business and encouraged you to try it out for yourself.