Analysis of the Impact of Cross-Training on Employee Sustainability with Simulation Approach
Özet
This study examines the impact of cross-training on employee sustainability using a simulation approach, emphasizing its critical significance in mitigating severe labor shortages exacerbated by crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Sustainable human resource management integrates financial, social, and ecological goals to foster long-term workforce retention, employee well-being, and overall organizational stability. Within this framework, cross-training functions as an effective managerial strategy that enhances operational flexibility, facilitates talent discovery, and boosts employee motivation while significantly reducing operational continuity risks and workplace monotony. However, improperly implemented cross-training programs risk diluting core specialization, increasing confusion, and lowering employee morale, making risk-free pre-implementation evaluation essential. To address these decision-making uncertainties without incurring actual financial or operational costs, the authors utilize a two-stage simulation algorithm applied to a hypothetical six-unit hospital environment facing staffing shortages. Four distinct cross-training models are systematically evaluated across a thousand scenario iterations: no cross-training, full cross-training, reciprocal cross-training, and chain cross-training. The simulation results demonstrate that while full cross-training delivers the maximum reduction in staff workload, its implementation is practically unrealistic and financially prohibitive. Consequently, the reciprocal cross-training model emerges as the most realistic, cost-effective, and viable strategy for ensuring employee sustainability and maintaining operational continuity.
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