Companies that invest in employee development are more resilient against workforce shifts and economic downturns than those who fail to shut the revolving door of new hires and departures. When employees have clarity around developmental resources and feel the company is invested in their growth, they’re more likely to stick around for the long haul.
“If you're not part of your employees’ career planning conversations, then your company may not be part of their future plans,” said Mark Herschberg, author of The Career Toolkit: Essential Skills for Success That No One Taught You. “Having well-defined career paths at your organisation allows you to provide clarity on how your organisation can help employees on their journey. If they can't see that path with your company, they'll look for it elsewhere.”
When implemented together, individual development plans (IDPs), career tracks, and developmental reviews create a steady, ongoing, upward push for growth that leads to increased performance and satisfaction among employees.
How To Get Started With Employee Development
Though development plans are tailored to each employee, they don’t have to create a pile of extra paperwork. HR leaders can integrate employee development initiatives into existing cadences for appraisals and growth.
- 1. Add questions about development to your existing engagement surveys to identify gaps where employees could use more support from managers or company resources.
- 2. Use our templates for individual development plans, competencies and developmental reviews to seamlessly customise information for employees and their supervisors.
- 3. Once you’ve established developmental infrastructure across your organisation, make sure employees know it exists, where to access it, and who to ask for more information.
Investing in career development isn’t just beneficial for employees. Organisations with robust development programs end up with a workforce with greater skill sets, reduced turnover and improved satisfaction — ultimately establishing themselves as an employer of choice.
To learn more about why we believe performance, engagement, and development belong together, download our ebook, How to Use Performance Management to Inspire Employee Growth, or request a demo.
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