Cross Training in Business, Don't Be Left Puzzle-d

Cross training…

I’m not talking about training for a triathlon. I’m referring to having your employees know more about your company that just what they “do”.

In my former life, before Once Upon A Puzzle, I worked in the field of "pre-press". Back in the days when the dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was fresh out of college I started at the bottom of the color separation food chain… proofing. I worked there for a few months and went on to contacting for a few weeks. From contacting I moved to stripping where I stayed for a few years. After stripping I moved into the position of account rep, handling the company's largest account and several others.

While working one Saturday we were finished for the day. Being the senior member in the plant that day I let everyone leave as I packed up the day’s work. As I was preparing the packages for the messenger pick up I noticed a mistake that the QC department had overlooked. The job was for our biggest client, the package was being shipped internationally and we were one a STRICT deadline for delivery.

Because I had worked in so many departments throughout the production process I looked at the error and knew just how to fix it. I went back to the stripped flats and made the corrections, contacted and output new films, created the necessary color proofs and folded blueprints and packed the job in time for Airborne (do they still exist??) to make the pickup.

While this is an extreme case, a little “extra” knowledge can go a long way. Had I not known what I knew (did you follow that?) we would have been late on the deadline and angered our largest (and most lucrative) customer.

So... when you are installing that new software or new piece of equipment have everyone that may ever “need to know” how to use it in on the training sessions. Even if they never have position in that department. An extra set of eyes with some "bonus" training behind them may be able to help avoid a missed deadline.

Knowledgeable staff = Prompt and on-time delivery = Happy Customer!!

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Tags: a, business, employee, once, practices, pro-active, puzzle, training, upon

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Comment by Beth LeWarn on March 31, 2011 at 9:30am: Lisa,

Thanks for your comments. I've found that there are so many people that say "Oh, I'd never need to know that." or "That's not my job." and it astounds me! I say bring it on, I can't know too much!

Comment by Lisa Savage on March 30, 2011 at 11:55pm: I hear you! Once upon a time I was a lab tech. Fresh out of high school. I could have stayed at the same level my entire professional life, because I didn't have any formal training. After 8 years, I can say that I was at the same level as some of the Chemists. It made me feel pretty good. I could be left alone and run the lab, at least for 5 mins! I believe in learning throughout my entire life. I think that helps me now in my creative business. Never.Stop.Learning!