MULTI–SKILLING: Why relevant in a South African context
This article has an OD perspective to multi-skilling
Why multi-skilling?
The excessive influences on productivity (whether internal / external) in a South African context demands a situational and flexible approach to ensure that work can continue.
To ensure ongoing productivity, there needs to be a core functional group able to do “everything” in the workplace to ensure that work does not grind to a halt, leading to decreased or no productivity.
Similarly, the organisation also should not be dependent on an external agency to constantly “train” their staff.
An organisation can readily respond to the many challenges if it has a multi-skilled workforce.
Multi-skilling is a way of organising work so that people are able to acquire and use a greater range of skills.
Advantages of multi-skilling include:
- Keeping abreast with rapid technological change
- Job satisfaction
- Labour flexibility
- Knowledge of the entire work process
- Work efficiency
- Encouragement of teamwork
- Increased labour productivity
- Cost reduction
- Reduced downtime
- Reduction of industrial conflict
Multi-skilling is not a new concept. Within a South African context, multi-skilling is a word often used, however not always understood. Multi-skilling provides a vehicle for implementing many opportunities for change and has its own theoretical background.
By providing a framework for multi-skilling, the organisation can better position itself to handle the many complex challenges that organisations are / will be faced with.
Flexibilty is important in any system that seeks to cope with many challenges. Flexibility is the common thread that weaves its way through many issues that are hopelessly intertwined (and complex).
Fundamentally, multi-skilling can either be horizontal or vertical.
Horizontal multi-skilling (or cross-skilling) provides a person with diverse skills at a similar level of complexity. This is often accompanied by the removal of demarcation barriers.
For example, a person who has acquired the skills to operate a specific machine may then learn to operate another machine. A number of skills from operating one machine would carry over to operating the other (new) machine.
Vertical multi-skilling (or up-skilling) provides a person with additional skills at a higher level of complexity.
For example, a person who can operate a machine would then learn how to do basic maintenance work on the machine and ultimately learn to train others to do these tasks.
The organisation can and should develop its own framework for multi-skilling, as there are many models available. Each organisation is unique and operates in a different context, therefore there is no ideal model.
Multi-skilling is not moving from one stable state to a better stable state – it is the creation of a dynamic learning environment that can readily respond to future changes in order to gain a competitive edge in the quest for improved productivity.