What is employee cross-boarding?

Glossary/C/Cross-boarding

What is cross-boarding?

Cross-boarding is the process of assessing existing employees and choosing the best fit to fill up a vacant position. It also involves training the chosen employee for their proposed promotion or position swap.

Cross-boarding leverages the organization’s existing resources instead of hiring new employees to fill in the vacant positions. Cross-boarding is only possible when those from the HR department or at managerial positions can keep an eye out for employees who have the skills or potential to fill up such vacancies.

Not to be confused with:

Employee Offboarding

Offboarding is the process that allows employees to officially separate themselves from their positi...

Employee Onboarding

Employee onboarding is the process of familiarizing a new hire with their role, the policies, and th...

Not to be confused with:

Employee Offboarding

Offboarding is the process that allows employees to officially separate themselves from their positi...

Employee Onboarding

Employee onboarding is the process of familiarizing a new hire with their role, the policies, and th...

Employee Offboarding

Offboarding is the process that allows employees to officially separate themselves from their positi...

Employee Onboarding

Employee onboarding is the process of familiarizing a new hire with their role, the policies, and th...

Employee Offboarding

Offboarding is the process that allows employees to officially separate themselves from their positi...

Employee Onboarding

Employee onboarding is the process of familiarizing a new hire with their role, the policies, and th...

Offboarding refers to the formal process through which an employee is separated from the workplace either through resignation, termination, or even retirement. Cross-boarding, on the other hand, involves separating an employee from their current role in the organization with the specific motive to fill another vacant position. Unlike offboarding, cross boarding does not involve any separation between the employee and the organization.

Even though closely related, cross-boarding and onboarding are not quite the same things. Onboarding is the process of familiarizing a new hire with the organization and its functions. It lasts till the time the employee becomes a productive member of the organization. However, cross boarding does not involve a new hire and instead works with an existing employee of the organization, helping them fill in a vacant position, and supporting them with resources and training till they are comfortable in the new role.

Why should we build a separate cross boarding process flow?

Building a separate cross boarding process flow ensures a smoother transition for the organization as well as the employee. Having a step-wise process in place also strengthens professional relationships between the employee and his or her peer group.

Ideally, cross boarding process flows should be transparent and allow employees and the departments involved to have access to a unified dashboard that lets them look at the changes in the role. This helps the employee’s present department to prepare for the transition and allows the other department to prepare for the new addition. The process flow also familiarizes the employee with their new teammates and ensures they do not feel lost in their new role.