Understanding the Power of an Effective Employee Development Strategy
Your company’s employee development strategy and plan hold immense importance when it comes to fostering sustainable business growth. As an employee, you understand that acquiring new skills in the workplace not only enhances your efficiency and the quality of your work, but it also increases your likelihood of remaining with the organization for a longer period of time. Nowadays, you won’t even consider accepting a high-paying job offer if it doesn’t come with promising development opportunities. Likewise, if you, as a valued member of the team, lack structured and on-demand options to expand your skill set, you’re more likely to consider leaving the company.
In this section, you will discover the significance of prioritizing employee development in the current landscape, along with a variety of employee development strategies that you can personally implement to achieve significant accomplishments. These strategies will not only cater to the growth aspirations of employees but also satisfy the expectations of executives who seek tangible positive outcomes.
Understanding the Employee Development Plan
When you join an organization, it’s important to recognize that no matter your background or level of expertise, there will always be room for growth and learning. Whether you’re a career switcher, a recent college graduate, a mid-career professional, or even a C-suite executive, acquiring new skills is essential for success. From a broader perspective, employee development encompasses various learning opportunities provided by the organization.
To kickstart this process, staff development strategies and plans can be immensely valuable. They enable you to identify your goals and track your progress visually. Additionally, organizations should strive to create and implement programs that are flexible in design and function, catering to the diverse development needs of employees across different experience levels. By doing so, they can effectively support the growth and learning journeys of their workforce.
A List of High-Impact Staff Development Strategy
When it comes to employee development, you understand that there is no universal approach that fits everyone. However, you’ll discover that there are numerous avenues available for you to explore when designing and implementing a comprehensive employee development program. Out of the extensive range of possibilities, there are five strategies that stand out as both prevalent and highly effective for businesses like yours. These strategies have proven to have a significant impact on the growth and development of employees.
Onboarding
When you join an organization, it’s important to recognize that even if you possess the right skills, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll know everything there is to know about the company from the start. That’s why most organizations have some form of onboarding programs in place, even if they are informal or lack structure. These programs aim to provide you with the necessary time and support to adapt to the company’s culture and processes, which are integral aspects of the onboarding process.
The effectiveness of onboarding programs plays a vital role in employee retention. However, it’s unfortunate that many companies struggle to develop and implement effective onboarding programs. Surprisingly, according to a Gallup study, only 12% of employees believe their organization excels in the onboarding process. Furthermore, a Korn Ferry survey revealed that as many as 25% of new hires quit within the first six months. Understanding these statistics emphasizes the importance of implementing a well-designed onboarding process to ensure a positive experience for new employees and mitigate early attrition rates.
Directed & Self-Directed Courses
Employee development courses offer you a fantastic opportunity to enhance your skills and knowledge relevant to your role. There are two primary avenues available to you: directed and self-directed content.
Directed courses involve engaging external trainers to impart new skills to employees, or conducting internal courses facilitated by experienced team members, either in-person or through virtual platforms.
Self-directed courses empower you to learn new skills at your own pace. Your organization may offer self-directed courses internally, acquire licensed courses, or provide dedicated time for you to explore self-directed courses from renowned providers such as Coursera, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning, or Udacity.
These options ensure that you have the flexibility and resources to pursue employee development at your own convenience, promoting continuous learning and growth within your organization.
Workshops & Conferences
During the COVID era, you experienced firsthand how popular workshops and conferences were greatly impacted. However, adaptable companies like yours managed to navigate through this challenge by exploring virtual conferences and workshops, and some even took the initiative to host their own. As the world gradually returns to normalcy, the allure of in-person conferences will resurface.
Considering your preference, as well as that of many other workers, for in-person conferences, it’s highly likely that you’ll be eagerly waiting to sign up and prepare for these events, eagerly packing your bags in anticipation.
Conferences provide an excellent platform for you to familiarize yourself with new skills that are relevant to your industry. Furthermore, they offer a valuable opportunity to network with like-minded professionals in your field. This aspect of conferences holds immense importance as it allows you to expand your professional connections and forge meaningful relationships with others who share similar interests and goals.
Job Shadowing
Job shadowing often aligns with other employee development strategies, particularly during the onboarding process. However, it’s important to note that job shadowing is not exclusively limited to new hires or confined to onboarding programs. In fact, job shadowing pairs exceptionally well with mentoring initiatives, especially for individuals like yourself who seek to acquire functional skills through cross-departmental collaboration. By engaging in job shadowing experiences, you can enhance your knowledge, broaden your perspective, and establish meaningful connections with experienced professionals from different areas of the organization.
Mentoring
Lastly, but certainly not least, you’ll find that many organizations, including yours, recognize the significance of mentoring as a vital employee development strategy. In fact, it’s noteworthy that 92% of U.S. Fortune 500 companies and all of the top 50 US Fortune 50 companies have implemented diverse mentoring programs. The widespread adoption of mentoring programs stems from a simple reason: they serve as a practical pathway to achieve various other employee development strategies, or they can stand alone as a comprehensive employee development approach.
Develop a Foolproof Employment Development Strategy
As a valued employee of your organization, you hold the key to unlocking your full potential through effective employee development strategies. The importance of investing in your growth and learning cannot be overstated, as it directly contributes to sustainable business growth and enhances your overall job satisfaction and longevity within the company.
