Cross-training employees brings big value for franchises

When you’re a franchise owner, you want your employees to work at a peak level of productivity and be able to manage a variety of tasks, particularly if you’re not always able to manage operations on-site.

Franchise owners face a specific set of concerns when it comes to training employees, and they often shy away from cross-training because they think it will be too time or labor intensive. eLearning moves past these limitations and provides new opportunities for franchise owners to cross-train their employees in a way that will have a significant positive impact on their business.

Why is Cross-Training Important for Franchises?

As a franchise owner, you want employees who are motivated, empowered to make their own decisions and who are self-starters. Often, franchise employees get stuck in the rut of saying “that’s not my job,” rather than taking the reins and demonstrating initiative in the workplace.

This may not be the result of lacking a desire to do tasks outside of one’s set job requirements, but may be instead the result of not feeling as if he or she is capable or prepared to do tasks outside of their set job.

When you take the time to cross-train your franchise employees, you’re allowing them to think outside the box of a strict set of job requirements, which often leads to employees that are willing to go the extra mile, perform a myriad of duties, and be more engaged in their job.

Not only does cross-training your franchise employees make it more likely they’ll step in and fulfill other important roles while on the job, but it also shows you’re concerned with the future of your employees, and would like to see them in a long-term role within your company, thereby increasing the likelihood of internal promotions. Employee turnover is a significant problem for franchises, and by investing the time to cross-train employees, you’re likely to reduce that turnover, and save on overall training time in the long-run.

Ultimately, cross-training your employees increases their value, and a valuable employee is one who’s more likely to enjoy stable job security. This is beneficial for not just employees, but also employers, because hiring and firing can be costly and time-consuming.

Why eLearning is the Answer for Cross-Training Franchise Employees

As mentioned at the start of this article, despite the advantages of cross-training franchise employees, many owners are reluctant to embrace this concept. They feel as if they don’t have the time, the money or the other necessary resources to dedicate to training employees on a broad range of skills.

Fortunately, eLearning tackles all of these issues.

It’s possible to cross-train your employees comprehensively before ever having them step foot on the floor where actual work is done. This avoids the possible cost of mistakes that could be made by an ill-equipped employee, and also saves the resources of having to provide extensive on-the-job training. This type of training can come only after the employees has completed the necessary eLearning training, ensuring productivity isn’t affected.

Additionally, franchise employees can complete their cross-training learning at their own pace, and there’s no time or costs associated with traveling, hiring instructors or setting up a classroom learning experience. Everyone is able to remain in their positions, and continue working at their normal pace, but learning can also be happening without interrupting this flow.

Also, franchise employees may have extremely varied education and experience levels, from the entry-level minimum wage employee, to the highly experienced manager, and eLearning can be tailored and customized to suit the individualized needs of a workplace that’s diverse in its background.

Fostering a Positive Atmosphere with Cross-Training

Finally, one of the most positive benefits of cross-training your employees? You can help foster a sense of community and team work for your franchise. When you build a strong franchise team, this positive attitude is going to lead to monetary benefits as well, particularly when your customers notice the performance of your employees.

Luckily for franchise owners, gone are the days when cross-training was expensive and burdensome, and there are ample new opportunities for cross-training employees in a way that’s meaningful and can have a nearly instantaneous impact on your business and your bottom line.

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