Train existing workforce rather than getting foreign workers

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I am writing with reference to the article ‘Corporate Jamaica is still pitching for imported workers’, published in The Gleaner on November 27.

I concur with the government to limit immigrants and enforce those limits that protect the interests of the Jamaican workers.

Employers cross-train workers to increase workforce flexibility, improve overall productivity, boost collaboration within teams, enhance employee skills, and better adapt to changing business needs, by giving employees a broader range of knowledge and abilities across different areas of the company; essentially making them more versatile and valuable to the organisation.

This also makes companies more resilient to changes in workload issues or staffing, while providing opportunities for career development for individuals.

For employers, with cross-training, organisations are better equipped to recover quickly from disruptions and handle transitions gracefully. To be specific, employees will be able to easily step into other roles to make sure the job gets done, especially in the event that a key employee leaves.

Finally, cross-training reduces recruitment costs. Internal mobility allows companies to fill gaps with existing employees, instead of hiring new ones.

CARGILL KELLY