Today’s job seekers aren’t just looking for employment opportunities; they also want growth opportunities. Statistics show that 80 percent of workers in the US see professional training and development as key factors when considering a job. They are looking for employers who will help them grow their skills and advance their careers.
The good news for employers is that providing professional training and development is a win-win situation. Employees gain the capabilities and opportunities they want, and employers get a more engaged, productive, and loyal workforce.
But professional growth is an investment. And not every initiative will bear fruit. Companies that want to develop an effective and efficient strategy for professional training and development should consider taking the following steps.
Use open communication to support professional growth
The one-on-one conversations managers have with those they oversee typically focus on company goals. Managers introduce and explain new company initiatives and the role employees will play in helping the initiatives to succeed. They also address the employee’s performance as it relates to current goals.
One-on-ones can become an effective tool for professional training and development by adding personal goals to the conversation. This can start with exploring the employee’s career goals. Managers should find out what their employees are passionate about and what ideas they have about expressing their passion in the workplace.
Managers can provide guidance on professional development to help employees achieve their goals, pointing out what the company offers in those areas. They can also help by defining a few steps the employee can take toward their goals — trainings, certifications, book studies — and revisiting those steps in future meetings to assess their impact.
Seeking feedback on how the company is encouraging professional growth is also valuable. There can be gaps between the resources a company makes available and the opportunities to apply those resources in practical ways. Employees may find, for example, that their workload keeps them from taking advantage of a company’s career growth opportunities. Managers can help restructure schedules in a way that allows employees to make progress.
The key to encouraging growth through one-on-ones is creating a safe space for dialogue and idea sharing. Employees need to see their manager appreciates their goals and is willing to support them. There’s nothing wrong with discussing the goals in the context of the company, especially when exploring what internal opportunities might exist for growth, but managers should avoid framing the value of an employee’s growth strictly in terms of what it delivers to the company.
Identify the resources that work best for your organization
Companies that make professional growth a priority have a wide variety of resources to choose from. Choosing the right one for your context and culture is essential. Investing in the wrong type of development will not only waste money but also frustrate employees.
Online training programs work well for companies using a remote work model because they are flexible in terms of when they can be utilized and allow training to be self-directed. Leveraging company leaders to prepare and present training makes it less costly and more focused on the content most relevant to employees.
Mentorship programs are great when employees are onsite. They allow professional development to be more personalized, with programs assigning mentees to mentors with experience with the type of growth they seek. Mentorship also allows employees to see training in action as they watch their mentors navigate business challenges and apply expertise.
Conferences are impactful because they pair professional development with team-building. They provide a shared experience for employees, allowing them to learn and grow through presentations that teams can coalesce around. If taking large teams to offsite conferences is unaffordable, companies can organize internal conferences that gather employees to hear from company executives or hired presenters.
Employee feedback will be extremely valuable as companies seek to determine what type of training and development works best for them. Companies should create feedback channels that allow employees to comment anonymously on what has been impactful and why.
Encourage development by acknowledging achievements
When employees grow, a company’s potential increases. While some employees will be internally motivated to seek that growth, others will need external incentives. Programs that recognize and reward achievements can provide those incentives.
Recognizing employees who take growth steps, such as completing a training or achieving a certification, communicates the value of professional growth and integrates it into the workplace culture. By adopting platforms like Motivosity or Bonusly that allow employees to acknowledge and reward each other, companies empower advocates for growth at all levels of the organization.
Acknowledgment and reward programs show employees that their efforts are noticed and appreciated. They inspire them to not only increase their professional capacity but also to use new skills to contribute to a company’s overall success.
Professional growth opportunities make a company more attractive
Although today’s workers are looking for growth opportunities, most are not finding them. Statistics show that only 39 percent of employees say they have growth opportunities at their current job, with 57 percent saying they need to leave their current job to gain the career growth they want to achieve.
The lack of opportunities creates an opportunity for companies that are willing to invest in their employees’ career goals. By putting professional training and development programs in place, companies create an environment that attracts and retains employees while also strengthening them in ways that can propel the company to greater levels of success.
