Balancing Your Workforce Strategy with Versatile Employees

Hybrid cars are not the only newest fad—so are hybrid jobs, especially in small to mid-sized businesses. A hybrid job is when an employee is expected to spend a portion of their day or week performing duties that aren’t traditionally included in their primary job. For example, an employee might spend 50% of their time working in a manufacturing shop assembling equipment, and when the work on the floor slows, they may travel to job sites and perform installation of the equipment. Another common scenario in smaller organizations is an office manager who performs HR and finance duties, and also maintains the website.

The duties in each role are related, and some of the skills are transferable, but hybrid jobs require an extra level of versatility and flexibility.

Employees who can transition seamlessly between their primary and secondary responsibilities prove their value during an economic downturn, or even just routine ebbs and flows in business operations.

Creating Hybrid Roles in Your Organization

Hybrid roles need employees who have a diverse skillset and a variety in their work history. Consider expanding your recruiting outreach to non-traditional candidates who can offer that versatility. Non- traditional candidates, like an account manager with an entrepreneurial background, or a Drafter who started their career as a machinist, provide unique perspectives and are more apt to succeed in a hybrid job.

Alternatively, help your existing employees develop invaluable skills that perhaps aren’t traditionally required in their role. Consider this example: on staff is a mechanical engineer with a strong technical aptitude but limited interpersonal skills—your organization could help prepare them for the next step in their career with leadership and/or communication training. Some popular Archbright University classes that could help this employee are Supervisory Skills, Coaching for Success, or Emotional Intelligence at Work. These are only a few examples of classes that develop skills that can immediately be applied to their job. Developing current employees is not only more cost effective than hiring from outside the organization, but it boosts employee loyalty, engagement, and productivity.

Today’s workforce is changing.

Creating hybrid roles and hiring versatile employees is a winning strategy in this competitive and dynamic market.

With mozzo, Archbright’s member-exclusive platform, there are resources to help you provide opportunities for your employees to develop their skills. One feature is the Virtual Training Library, with short videos on various HR, safety, and compliance topics, which you can assign to your employees. Learn more about this tool today.