Your company can only be as good as your collective workforce. Many companies have good people working for them, but that staff is not as effective and highly functioning as it could be. If you want a more effective workforce, then it is up to you to take steps to improve their training and knowledge. Here are four specific ways to develop a more highly functioning staff.

1. Make sure job descriptions are clear.

Sometimes, employees are left wondering which tasks do and do not fall under their job description. Certain tasks may get neglected because staff are not sure who is supposed to handle them. Other tasks may be performed poorly because several staff members are sharing the responsibility when the task would be better off delegated to a single person. To ensure efficiency, make sure each staff member's job description is clear and concise. Eliminate overlaps. If there are tasks that seem to be skipped, check to ensure they are actually assigned to someone.

2. Perform quarterly evaluations.

Some companies only evaluate staff once a year or twice a year. But a year is a long time—staff can really veer off track given that much time between evals. Move towards evaluating staff every quarter. Be kind but constructive in your evaluations. Point out things that staff members do well, but don't be afraid to be critical, too. People cannot improve if they do not know which areas to focus on.

3. Assign senior "buddies" to less-seasoned employees.

Some companies take a sink-or-swim approach to new employees, tossing them into the mix and hoping they figure things out sooner rather than later. Often, this approach is taken out of fear of wasting senior members' time training new employees. But it may leave your new employees with a lack of understanding of some of your business's more intricate processes. Assign each new employee a more senior "buddy" to train and assist them for at least a month to expedite their learning process.

4. Send staff for outside training.

Realize that staff members cannot always learn all that is needed inside your office walls. Keep an eye out for training workshops and seminars that you think your staff may benefit from, and send qualified staff members. Those who go to the conferences can come back and share the knowledge they gained with the rest of your team.

Contact a company that provides workforce effectiveness solutions for additional information.