Plan A Job Learning Day Each Month

Having your employees learn more about what their fellow employees do is invaluable. When everyone knows how each job/position on your team fits together, your team can accomplish so much more. Plus, the new-found knowledge drives a better appreciation for what everyone does, and proves to the team, that success comes only when all the pieces fit together like a well-oiled machine.

So, plan a half day where you pair up employees. Once paired, one employee explains to his (or her) partner what he does in a “typical” day. Allow enough time for sharing samples of his work and for Q&A. Then, it's the second person's turn to share about their “typical” day. If your half day is a morning, suggest the pairs of employees have lunch together, where they can finish by incorporating more discussion about away-from-work hobbies and interests.

Schedule your job learning days for once a month and have your employees meet with different partners each time. It's best when they meet in their respective offices/cubicles.

Activities like these help your team to bond. Plus, they often generate some creative idea sharing that can boost productivity. Odds are as well that most employees will learn that their co-workers' jobs are more difficult than they might have originally thought. That knowledge builds greater mutual respect, which is vital to a team's success.