The job shadow program was voluntary and consisted of the following assumptions and elements :
• Employees who committed were expected to visit three to six different departments or functional areas each year . The objectives for each visit were to learn how those employees went about doing their work , how the work added value to the company or customers , what challenges needed to be overcome , etc .
• Each department was expected to host up to six job shadowers per year .
• Job shadowing sessions lasted for one to three hours , depending on scope and complexity of the department or functional area .
• This was not about learning HOW to do the work ; it wasn ’ t supposed to be “ cross-training .” Instead , it was about understanding the work , understanding how their own roles fit in the process , and understanding the people and behaviors that either added value or distracted from it .
• Each job shadower was expected to return to his / her own departments / programs and share what he / she learned .
• Each job shadower completed a questionnaire at the end of each session . This questionnaire asked what the shadower learned , how he / she could use it in his / her own area , and if he / she had suggestions for improvements .
Now , you may think that shadowing just a few other areas over the course of a year is not significant , but there was a reason for this ! The small number , combined with the short amount of time spent in each area was important ; It kept things focused , didn ’ t distract from daily work in the department , and didn ’ t overwhelm the shadowers . At the end of one year , employees participating in this program spent less than 15 hours for the year but learned an incredible amount !
The same leaders who want higher performing employees often quickly declare they don ’ t have the time , money , or resources for professional development . The questionnaire referenced above was incredibly valuable . It forced the individuals to be active participants in organizational improvement . The questionnaire encouraged them to think about how to apply what they had learned , and to speak up about things they thought could be improved . Not every opinion was considered “ golden ” but with enough people shadowing different departments and offering their opinions , several improvement opportunities surfaced . Redundant work was eliminated , equipment was upgraded , technology and automation was identified , and processes were streamlined .
All participating individuals benefited from developing business relationships , gaining appreciation and understanding about different departments , and seeing the “ big picture view ” of how the organization worked . This also improved communication across departments , opened career paths , and helped employees understand processes better , especially those up and down-stream from their own work . Finally , the organization benefited from fresh ideas and improved processes .
Human Resources set up the framework for the job shadow program but the content , length of a session , and the number of shadowers hosted each year was completely up to the participating departments . To reduce anyone being overwhelmed , different departments were highlighted each year .
As we all know , business success relies upon the people doing the work . Professional development can be expensive and time consuming but sometimes , a little bit of creativity and innovation produce benefits that greatly warrant the costs .
Broc Edwards Director of Talent Management , Baylor University
January 2017 29