Did you know that there's a way to help improve employee morale, increase agility and boost collaboration? It may sound too good to be true, but the solution can be simple: cross-train your employees.

Cross-training can help empower employees to work more effectively across departments, so they can be proactive and collaborative. This, in turn, can help boost morale and productivity, leading to greater employee retention.

At its core, cross-training simply means providing employees with skills and knowledge outside their official job description. But in practice, cross-training builds employee skill sets so they better understand what's needed to operate the business.

Effective cross-training means pinpointing the skills and tasks specific to each department or position, then training employees from other areas of the company in those areas. That way, employees can step in when necessary.

When an employee sees their position as a dead end – with little to no room to move onward and upward – their motivation and morale drop. That can be a recipe for employee turnover.

But when employees receive training in other positions and departments, they know there's room for growth. They'll be motivated to stay on and seek out training opportunities. Plus, by providing training, you're demonstrating that you care about your employee's career growth.

Not only does having backup help other employees in a pinch, but it also helps your company prepare for the future. Instead of outsourcing when support is needed, cross-training allows your business to draw from within.

When employees share specialized knowledge, your business isn't left hanging when one employee moves on or takes time off. This makes your company more sustainable through times of transition.

Another benefit of cross-training? Greater efficiency. When a company engages in cross-training, departments are tasked with identifying key skills and knowledge. The process of identifying, honing and teaching these skills will, in itself, solidify what's truly important to a position, thus improving efficiency.

Cross-training also boosts agility. By providing on-the-job training, you'll discover employees' skills and talents. This expands your company's toolbox, so you're more able to respond and adapt.