What career development for employeesWhat career development for employees career development for employees: how you and your employees can grow
It is in human nature to want to grow in a role. Accordingly, job satisfaction is not static but changes over time. A job that you were still happy about as a 20-year-old will probably no longer offer the same fulfillment once you are over 30. Therefore,What career development for employees the personal development of employees should be of great importance for companies that want to have a motivated and productive team.
Personnel development activities ensure that employees see a clear path between their current situation in the company and the goals they want to achieve. Employees feel a stronger bond with their company when they know that they make an important contribution to the company’s success and have attractive future prospects.
Lack of career opportunities or promotion opportunities are the main reasons why employees leave their company. Gallup studies show that almost a third of employees would leave an employer elsewhere for a career promotion opportunity.
In addition, professional development and good career opportunities are very important for 87% of millennials. They are facing a future in a potential gig economy, in which companies that offer real opportunities for advancement can easily differentiate themselves from the competition. The extent to which an employee feels that he has opportunities for growth and professional progress within a company is one of the decisive indicators regarding employee turnover.
The phase of life in which an employee finds himself also plays a decisive role in how fulfilled he is in his position, how much effort he wants to invest in his work, and how motivated he is to develop himself. For career starters, annual salary increases may not be as important as the opportunity to develop their skills. An employee who has recently completed his studies may not feel as tied to a company as young parents do. Understanding how the stage of life influences personal development can help employers better understand their employees and create tailor-made development opportunities for them.
Donald Super’s “Life Career Rainbow”
In 1980, the writer Donald Super presented a model that he called “The Life Career Rainbow”—a model for understanding and balancing an employee’s self-image with his personal and professional life. The Life Career Rainbow marks the “life roles,” i.e., the stages of a person’s life What career development for employees (child, student, leisurer, citizen, employee, parent, spouse, and family man) at further career levels.
Donald Super outlined in his model the following five phases of life that determine career development:
1. Growth (14 years of age and younger): Physical growth is a top priority at this stage of life. In the growth phase, people find out who they are and where their talents and interests lie.
2. Exploration (ages 14–25 years): In this phase, people begin to try out different roles that could later be their long-term career goals. He learns what is required in certain positions and what tasks he is willing to take on. At the end of the exploration phase, most people focused their attention on a specific profession and set the essential parameters (position, salary, working hours, benefits, etc.). However, people could also be disappointed later by their former dream job; therefore, it is not uncommon for you to return to this phase later in life to pursue a different career.
3. Foundation (26–45 years): At this time, a man settles down in his chosen career; he is productive, motivated, and feels a sense of fulfillment in his work. Early in this phase, employees can visit an experienced mentor who shows them where their career should go. Man now understands the corporate culture and social customs that he will encounter throughout his career. He feels both a sense of responsibility and personal responsibility for the work he does.
4. Maintenance (46–65 years): The employee wants to maintain the dynamic achieved so far in his career at this stage. He attends training courses and conferences and reads specialist literature to stay up-to-date on his job. As an experienced employee, mistakes are not easily forgiven for him, and he is probably responsible for more than just his own performance.
5. Withdrawal (from 65 years): At this stage, a man begins to disengage from his work after decades of service. He no longer sees himself as a worker and prefers to take on the role of a leisure and/or family person. He does the remaining tasks before retiring.
How employers can support professional development
It is important for managers to be encouraged to advise and coach their employees. The supporting role of the manager has decreased somewhat in recent years due to increased responsibility and a higher workload. So it is now essential to motivate your management and support them in sharing their skills and knowledge with their employees in a more structured manner in order to promote long-term, positive development.
Establish an ongoing program to promote skills and knowledge in your company. Information is becoming obsolete faster than ever before. Therefore, it is important that companies make learning per se a permanent goal. However, pay attention to the workload of your employees: Do not force employees who have already been revised to assume additional obligations with regard to their personal development. Instead, employees should have the opportunity to opt for further training opportunities and make them as flexible as possible. With mobile training, e.g., B. on the go, at home, or ad hoc training options that are chosen when it is time, you react purposefully to the busy schedules of your employees.
Build trust in the managers of your company.
A survey by the American Psychological Association shows that only half of employees expect their employers’ openness and honesty. One in four states that they do not trust their employer at all. This lack of trust inevitably leads to motivational problems in personal development. Employees long for reliability in a management team. one that leads by example and does not lead to an approach that says, “Do what I say and do not ask uncomfortable questions.” Embody a company that attracts talent through a culture of honesty and transparency.
Promote a culture that allows employees to help shape their own advancement. With five generations of employees ranging from traditionalists to Generation Z, a generic approach to learning in the workplace is no longer sufficient. However, employers can define the values and cultural framework that encourage and reward each employee for their personal development. Try to provide a set of personal development plans that are flexible enough to benefit employees regardless of age, hierarchy level, or function.
How individuals can work on their personal development
Inquire about ways to accompany other employees in your company for a day. Monitoring other roles can give you a holistic view of the goals of your company while at the same time increasing your awareness of your role and value in the organization. You can learn new skills and systems, as well as how to use specific software, from your colleagues. By the way, this is also how you make yourself more valuable to your company.
Explore new things to expand your experience. It is easy to pursue your routine alone. However, trying yourself out in other areas can revive your motivational ability and add some variety to your work. The experience and skills you gain through new tasks, combined with an open-minded, team-oriented attitude, significantly increase your career opportunities.
Take part in courses and training to expand and deepen your knowledge.
New concepts and procedures are constantly being introduced in many areas. Stay up-to-date on your job and your industry. An innovation you have read about could be useful for your next big project.
Find a mentor you appreciate
Mentors can be encouraging role models.Ask an experienced colleague whose work strikes you if you may discuss an idea over coffee. He will probably feel honored and, of course, offer his support. Relying on someone else’s experience is a great way to acquire knowledge and familiarize yourself with something new.
Find out how your company can help you further your education. Many companies now offer study-accompanying programs for bachelor’s and MBA programs. Employee career development? If you are thinking about completing further studies, your company may want to invest in your future skills and knowledge.
Finally, ask yourself: Would you like to share your expertise from studies, further education, or experience with your team? Others in your company can benefit from your expertise. Put together a presentation to inform your employees about your skills. This may inspire others to follow in your footsteps and will undoubtedly catch the attention of senior management.
It’s crucial to know where you are and what success means whether you’re developing yourself or your colleagues.
You can establish a valuable development environment by understanding your employees’ career needs.
