Career development and growth are an important part of employee retention and a significant investment in the success and future of any company. When employees feel like they are growing and advancing their careers, it gives them a sense of personal and professional achievement. They also tend to be less stressed and happier overall, as they feel as though they aren’t stagnating. Employers should strive to help employees focus on career growth, as it will strengthen the company and give employees a sense of pride in their work. Here are some tips employers should use to help employees focus on career growth:
- Organize mentorship programs
Organizations can help employees focus on career growth by allowing them to be mentored. Mentorship can take place informally, with an employee seeking advice from a senior employee. Or, mentorships can be formally set up through the company with specific goals and benchmarks that are set out at the beginning of this learning experience.
- Embed a learning culture
Employers can help employees focus on career growth by embedding a learning culture. The more employees are fully equipped, the better equipped they are to do their jobs well. By providing training and opportunities for professional development, employers will find that their employees’ performance improves as well.
- Have regular development meetings
Leaders within organizations should have regular development meetings with employees to set goals for both personal and professional growth. These can be scheduled or can take place during scheduled reviews, which are essential in promoting career development. When staff realizes their leaders have their interests at heart, they are more likely to work harder.
- Make professional development a core value
Organizations can help employees focus on career growth by making professional development a core value. This means it needs to be integral to the business and should be actively pursued by all leaders within the company. These efforts will eventually pay off in terms of performance, as well as sharing knowledge across teams which helps everyone improve their skillsets.
- Leaders should share their own examples of professional development
By sharing personal stories about their own professional development, leaders can inspire employees to find ways to improve themselves. If they show them how they have managed to reach the top, their staff will be more likely to follow that path.