Offer training opportunities such as role rotation, job shadowing
In order for competitive businesses to succeed in today's economic climate, organizations need to realize the full potential of employees, keep them productive and engaged — and one way to achieve this is through career development, according to Randstad.
By implementing an effective career development process, organizations can ensure they have the right people with the right skills to get the job done and meet their objectives. It provides the means to build a talent pool able to meet current and future needs through continued development of employees with the knowledge and skills the organization needs to succeed, said Randstad.
Career development is not just a powerful employee motivator and retention tool, but is a competitive strength when it comes to attracting new talent and can have a profound impact on a company's bottom line, said Stacy Parker, executive vice-president of marketing for Randstad Canada.
"Aligning an employees' vision of career success along with the company's strategic business goals and objectives is not just a nice thing to do — it's vital to good business," she said.
Career development is a two-way street between organizations and employees. Striking the right balance between the capability needs of the organization and employee comes down to a fine-tuned career development strategy.
According to Parker, in order to protect their talent pool, organizations today must provide the tools and resources their employees need to manage their careers.
"The stronger our people, the stronger our corporations,” she said. “When employees have a viable career development plan in place, they feel valued by and take a greater interest in the organization, which in turn provides greater meaning to their work and becomes a key driver of productivity, retention and performance. It's really a win-win situation."
To foster career development in the workplace, Parker suggests employers do the following:
•Talk to employees regularly about their development. Get a clear picture of what they believe their strengths and weaknesses are.
•Create training opportunities. They can include on-the-job training, special projects, role rotation assignments or job shadowing.
•Set goals with employees then help them create a plan to meet that goal.
•Provide mentorship opportunities for employees to develop their strengths with a strong performer within the organization.
It's important for managers to embrace career development, said Parker.
"Employers need to master the art of discussing career paths with employees while focusing on understanding and incorporating that particular employee's goals," she said. "To retain the best and brightest, organizations must do everything they can to help their leaders advance."
