However, a global pandemic is the absolute worst-case scenario that we are unfortunately (and often unpreparedly) faced with. Even in normal times, unexpected things can happen. Your star employee could suddenly be offered their dream job abroad. Another employee might need to take a long leave of absence due to a sudden, unfortunate bereavement of a loved one.
In either case, if the employee was the only one with the knowledge to perform their work, the management may not find enough time for a handover. Chances are that whoever would pick up where they left off would not be able to perform their work optimally. With a backup in place, the tasks could be divided amongst the existing workforce, then handed over smoothly to a successor or returned to the employee upon their return.
Lateral cross-training is the foremost tool an organisation can use to ensure that the workforce is prepared to tackle any unanticipated turn of events. In a business where multiple employees know how to perform any given set of tasks, there is no unnecessary dependence on a single person. A well-structured job-rotation scheme to cross-train employees could be put in place with mentorship provided at each stage. A mentor, who could be an employee such as a supervisor or an external trainer would be responsible to teach the tasks and answer any resulting queries. None of this could work without formal documentation addressing every level of the learning curve. The documentation could take shape of training videos and process guides, to name a few.
Not only does enhancement of the employees’ skills benefit the business, but also the employees themselves. It is likely to improve their morale and confidence by making their work more rewarding and challenging. When the time comes, empowered employees and their organisations can together cope better with the whatever challenges come their way!