A recent survey by Work Institute showed that 22% of employee turnover was due to lack of career development opportunities. Keeping your employees happy and motivated isn't just about creating a positive work environment, but also about fostering their professional growth. According to a recent report, a staggering 22% of employees left their jobs due to a lack of career development opportunities. If you want to hold onto your top talent, prioritizing career advancement within your organization is crucial.
Creating a culture of development starts at the top. When leadership places a value on individual career growth, they can begin putting an employee career development program into place. Here are five practices leaders can start implementing today.
1. Understand employee goals and aspirations
Make it a priority to communicate regularly with employees to get to know their hopes and plans for their careers, and the actions they are taking to achieve those goals. This should not be restricted to an annual review. Weekly one-on-one meetings to look at progress will help keep them on track and align company support for their growth.
2. Help uncover employee strengths
When employees identify what they’re great at and enjoy doing, it’s easier to find growth opportunities based on their passions and capabilities. You can ascertain strengths both through diagnostic assessments and informal conversations with observant managers who can help employees see and understand their natural tendencies and talents.
3. Create development opportunities for employees
Promote training and encourage continuous learning to encourage and empower career growth. Offer staff the chance to gain career skills through online training and educational courses. Invest in workforce development by paying for courses for career advancement. Consider making it a requirement to pursue licenses or certifications to help people move forward in their careers.
4. Identify potential career progression
Define a clear path for advancement opportunities, identify options for promotions or transfers into new areas, and set out milestones for getting there. Be transparent about the skills employees must acquire and levels of proficiency they need to demonstrate to move ahead. By laying out their progress and helping them set their goals, you empower their career growth.
5. Start a mentoring program
It's crucial to establish a culture of mentorship within your organization that encourages the exchange of knowledge and experiences. A mentorship program can create space for peer coaching, and also pair seasoned staff with less-experienced colleagues. This not only allows veteran employees to share invaluable insights, honed strategies, and practical guidance, but it also provides a platform for newer employees to offer their own unique perspectives, current technological know-how, and a pulse on trending cultural dynamics. In such a symbiotic environment, every participant grows—emerging professionals develop their skills faster, while established experts stay connected with fresh ideas and evolving industry trends.
Learn more about workforce education programs at Arizona State University
ASU Career Catalyst partners with companies across industries to provide skills education and knowledge acquisition programs that support and encourage career advancement through workforce development, benefiting both employees and the organizations they serve.
As a top-tier university for innovation, ASU applies its unparalleled core of knowledge to partner with organizations and learners in critical areas ranging from foundational professional skills, to immersive leadership experiences, to advanced technical education in emerging fields. CareerCatalyst develops world-class workforce education solutions that align with business priorities and strategies and empower all learners to thrive in the future of work at every stage of their careers.
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