As an employer, you want to ensure your team is in tip-top shape to support your organization and develop their own expertise. The best way to accomplish your goals is through employee development. There are numerous ways to promote employee development, but we have a few favorites.
Make Professional Development a Benefit
Obtaining an advanced degree is pretty expensive. Many people avoid seeking a higher ed degree simply because of its cost. However, some organizations support their employees’ desires for higher learning by offering assistance with their tuition.
Tuition assistance can be a lifesaver for employees seeking to further their education. However, it doesn’t only benefit employees — it also helps your company. Knowledgeable workers are more likely to recommend new processes or ideas that can positively impact your organization.
If you can’t afford a full-blown tuition assistance program, you can provide professional development in other ways. For instance, you could offer a stipend toward online courses through Coursera or encourage workers to join professional networking organizations like Toastmasters International.
Offer Ongoing Learning Through HCM
Your human capital management (HCM) system probably provides many features, like employee and benefits management and time tracking. Sometimes, it includes training modules that can assist in the employee development process.
With training modules, your employees can learn new skills that are helpful for their roles. For instance, you could incorporate a teamwork and collaboration course or an advanced Excel skills workshop.
Most HCM systems have predeveloped training courses you can purchase and assign to employees. However, developing your own classes and distributing them to specific workers is possible.
HCM learning is an inexpensive way to promote education and development among your workers. Check your current system to determine whether training is available. If it’s not, you may be able to purchase a module to implement it.
Poll Your Employees
One of the best ways to connect your workers with skill development is through a simple poll. When you ask your workers what they’d most like to learn, they will likely respond with various answers. Some may be interested in coding or programming languages, while others may be keen on management training.
When you know the skills your workers would most like to learn, you can decide on an appropriate medium to teach them. For instance, you may be able to purchase an online training course for them to attend or even have them enroll in a local college class.
Numerous corporate training companies can help your employees develop the skills they’re most interested in. If enough employees express their desire to learn a specific ability, purchasing the services of a corporate trainer can allow you to reach all of the employees at once through customized training.
Offer Mentorship Programs
Frequently, employees who are early in their careers could use a little help as they learn to grasp the work environment. Connecting your younger employees with employees who have an aptitude for their roles can significantly benefit your organization.
Mentors in higher-level positions can guide your workers as they navigate the employment landscape. They can explain their career trajectory and what they did that made them successful in their roles.
Mentorship helps employees avoid serious mistakes that can harm their careers and helps them when they feel at a loss in a work situation. You can identify potential mentors in your company and connect them with employees who need the most assistance.
Provide a Career Path
Another way to encourage employee development is through a clear career path. This means highlighting the future roles a worker could quality for if they stay with the organization long-term.
You can create a career path for each role in your organization. In the document, you’ll list the skills, experience, and education each position requires. Individuals in lower-level roles will know what to achieve if they seek a future promotion.
Career paths give a motivational boost to employees who want to stay with the company and flourish. They’ll be able to work on what they need to move on to their next role as they continuing developing their leadership skills within the company
Create a Robust Employee Benefits Package
Benefits Advisory Group helps employers design benefits packages that attract qualified and talented professionals. Contact us today to learn more. We look forward to strategizing with you!