It’s an employee market right now – making employee retention even more challenging and essential. Learn how Career Development Opportunities can help you retain your best employees and four ways to develop your own program.
It is exhausting and expensive when employee turnover is high, and you find yourself continually recruiting, interviewing and training new hires.
Not only that, it is damaging to your business if your most valuable and experienced employees depart, taking a wealth of knowledge with them. Often, this information and experience are not easily trainable, taking a replacement a few years to get up to par.
So, how do you retain your top talent?
At Bridge Legal & HR Solutions, we have found companies can reduce turnover rates through a career development program.
The Advantages of a Career Development Program:
- They help to keep employees motivated and engaged.
- Employees can develop a sense of loyalty for employers that are willing to invest in their learning and development.
- It’s likely to attract job seekers if you emphasize and promote career development on your job posts or career page.
- These programs provide clarity to the employee about growth and career progression options.
- They can assist the organization with succession planning.
- Such programs also influence internal and external company culture by promoting a positive employer brand.
What to consider in providing Learning Pathways and Career Ladders
Organizations can use the following strategies to guide the development of their program:
1. Develop the learning pathway for each position.
Determine what steps need to be taken to move from point A to B. What training is required to move into a supervisory role? Does the roadmap only include a vertical move, or can it involve a lateral placement? How long would it take an employee to acquire the skills and knowledge to move to the next step?
2. Open the door to conversations about career progression.
Don’t leave it to your regular annual performance discussions. Rather, ensure you have regular performance evaluations. Talk about the different career ladders and personal interests of your employees. Your employees will feel encouraged and valued if their manager brings up the topic of their career development rather than the employee initiating the discussion.
3. Offer both vertical and horizontal career paths.
Not everyone wants to climb the corporate ladder. Employees may wish to explore lateral opportunities, which are alternatives and are often considered positive and successful. The employee will want to influence the pace of their career progression based on their current goals and life situation.
4. Offer special project assignments and designate mentors.
Consider projects that employees can undertake in the event they want to take on new responsibilities. For example, we’ve always found that identifying mentors to provide learning as part of the onboarding for new hires usually makes the employee feel valued and recognized for their contribution.
When employees see that the company encourages career development, they feel more confident about their opportunities and long-term growth. And when they are confident in a future with your company, they will be more likely to stay.
Don’t have enough time or resources to plan and implement a career pathway for your employees?
Bridge Legal & HR solutions can help you define learning pathways and roadmaps to implement career planning successfully. For more information, contact (647) 794-5442 or at admin@bridgelegalhr.ca
