Impact of Job Rotation on Organizational Performance

There are many reasons for implementing a job rotation system, including the potential for increased product quality, giving employees the opportunity to explore alternative career paths, and perhaps most importantly, preventing stagnation and job boredom. Sustaining employee interest in a single job is not easy, which is perhaps why retention poses such a big challenge for businesses, even in a slow economy. Employees outgrow their jobs quickly and it may not be possible for employers to provide enough diversity within a career path to maintain employee interest in the job. This is where job rotation steps in to provide job enrichment from an employee’s perspective. Employees who participate in job rotation programs develop a wide range of skills, are more adaptable to changes in jobs and career, and are generally more engaged and satisfied with their jobs when compared to workers who specialize in a single skill set or domain. Ortega (2001) investment in staff developme...

Traditionally, job rotation is usually addressed at an organizational level. From the employers’ point of view, organizational theorists have advocated frequent rotation as a means of reducing fatigue and boredom on jobs so as to maintain productivity (Miller, et al 1973) and fairly frequent rotation after the initial hiring as a means of orientation and placement (Wexley and Latham, 1981). Job rotation enables the training of workers to be backups for other workers so that managers have a more flexible work force and a ready supply of trained workers (Rothwell et al, 1994). When rotation occurs at longer intervals, it has been thought as a practice of progressive human resource development or a means of enhancing the value of work experience for career development (Campion, et al, 1994). Also from the employers’ standpoint, however, the practice of job rotation may be very costly. As pointed out by Yoder, et al (1958), while job rotation may encourage generalization, it preve...

Job Rotation in Practice The job rotation applications are significant not only for production workers but also for employees considered as manager candidates. In firms, qualified workers who are expected to be promoted as managers are required to have a broad view of the entire firm. The workers have experienced various production segments by rotating through different jobs, effectively learning many aspects of the company as a manager point of view. Rotation influences motivation and the direction of career development Working with many people at different time periods, develop human relations and support internal and external communication among departments. Rotation gives several cues about how to establish communication with people with different behavioural characteristics. Employees who are closer to each other in a social context will be able to resolve any problems which may arise during technical processes more easily. This makes it feasible for the workplace t...