In the era of the Great Resignation, work-life balance is increasingly important to the modern workforce. One emerging job perk that companies are offering is a paid rotational program. This allows employees to rotate through a variety of jobs at your company, helping them stay engaged in their work and find the role they’re best suited for. If you’re concerned that the typical job perks aren’t enough to meet your employees’ needs, a paid rotational program might be a great option.
What Is a Paid Rotational Program?
A paid rotational program is one in which a company allows their employees (usually entry-level) to move through and work in several job roles for a specific period. These can be positions within a certain department or across various departments. It’s most common in industries like finance, healthcare and media but can work for companies in many other fields.
The program gives employees opportunities to learn about different jobs in the company they wouldn’t be exposed to if they just applied for a standard full-time position. It also encourages them to make more connections within the organization, gain diverse professional experience, and develop skills that support their long-term career goals.
This perk also benefits employers. With paid rotational programs, you can develop talent quicker than conventional career paths, helping you create adaptable employees with a wide range of skills and a stronger relationship to your company.
Encouraging Employee Retention
According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS), 3 to 4.5 million American workers quit their jobs each month. However, a report by LinkedIn found that 94% of workers would stay with their current employer if the company invested in their long-term learning, demonstrating how much the average worker values opportunities for professional development.
Offering a paid rotational program is one way to show your employees that you’re interested in their growth and development from the very start. It also shows that you value their individual needs and talents and want to set them up for long-term success.
Another major factor hurting employee engagement is chronic boredom at work, especially among younger workers. If your employees feel like their jobs are pointless, it’s harder for them to stay focused and productive.
Sometimes, the reason for an employee’s lack of engagement isn’t that the job itself is boring — it just isn’t the right fit for that particular person. Offering the opportunity to rotate roles encourages these employees to find where in your company their skills work best, making them less likely to search for another job.
Implementing a Paid Rotational Program
How you implement a paid rotational program in your workplace depends on the unique structure, needs, and goals of your company, but here are some basic guidelines to get started:
Understand your goals as an employer. What do you want your employees to gain from the experience, and how will you ensure their success? How does the program fit your staffing needs? Make sure that the program you design enhances, rather than diminishes, your company’s normal operations.
Test the program. Try it out with a select group of staff or a specific department to see how it functions and work out any kinks before you go company-wide.
Continually revise your program. Just as no job is one-size-fits-all, no program is perfect. Keep updating your program based on how it functions, what issues you encounter, and any changing business needs.
Figure out a post-rotation succession plan. Make sure you know where you want to place your employees once the program is complete so that everyone is set up for long-term success.
Final Thoughts
Employee retention is an intimidating prospect when you’re up against the “Big Quit.” However, making your employees feel valued goes a long way in keeping them on board.
If you’re struggling with turnover, try seeing how a paid rotation program could function in your workplace. You might not retain every candidate under the sun, but the ones you do keep will be grateful to work for a company that cares.
