How to Support Employee Development
Employee development is a vital part of growing a business. Investing in employees is a smart move because it encourages loyalty which boosts retention and engagement. It also boosts business reputation which is invaluable in modern society. People want to know that where they’re going to work will be a long term, nurturing investment both regarding their professional development and their overall well-being. So, with a view to focussing on employee development, here are some strategies worth exploring.
Talk About Professional Goals
The majority of people in the workplace will have some sort of goal to work towards in their personal, professional journey. As a company, you can help them realise these visions and see things through to fruition. Having an open narrative about goals and dreams can be a regular feature in their KPI documentation. In fact, these two things work collaboratively to support a holistic approach to boosting career paths and supporting development. When you play an active role in this, you are opening doors that might otherwise be unattainable. This input will be highly advantageous for any employee under your roof.
Invest in Individual Training Opportunities
These insights may lead to a redefining of training opportunities within the walls of the organisation. The question of whether or not businesses should invest in individual training should always be answered with a yes. Not only does it support a better outcome for your projects and overall capacity, but it also serves to increase engagement and improve the workforce at the ground level too.
Focus on the Skills of the Whole Team
Alongside individual focuses, there should be a wider discussion about the entire team too. It makes sense from a business perspective to support everyone in finding their niche and moving forward. Forward movement is the best way to go, and it goes without saying! Team development could be more general. For instance, there might be a focus on improving and enhancing skill gaps within the organisation such as customer service abilities or communication channels.
Performance Measurement Strategies
A more active step to take centres around measuring staff performance on a regular basis. If you don’t keep track of how people are getting along, you will have no quantifiable, actionable data to bring to the table and work with. It is a simple equation, but an effective one. Every employee on the task force should and must have a clear performance expectation written down and communicated to them. Through this process, there will be no miscommunication or misinterpretation on either side as to what needs to happen as a basic demand.
Have Realistic Expectations
Everyone is different. What one person brings to the team may be in complete contrast to the person sitting next to them. People come from different backgrounds and have a variety of demands and restrictions on their time and engagement capacity, and it is always helpful to be mindful of these factors when working toward further development. Being realistic looks like getting to know your employees and their personal circumstances. When you get to know the backstory, it puts their performance into a wider, more informative context. This can then be used to tailor their trajectory in a way that works for them, as opposed to a set format that would be instantly discredited on a wider scale.
Create a Supportive Environment
Development can only happen if the work environment is a supportive one. When people feel nurtured, they are more likely to invest their energy into the space and live up to their work based responsibilities. Supporting employees takes many different shapes, and it is down to your bespoke makeup as to what works vs what just doesn’t.
Be the Example: Foster Positive Communication
Above all else, positive communication should be an absolute core focus. When you scaffold this part of a business, everything else falls into place. Workplaces that communicate effectively have staff who feel like they can do what they need to do. There should always be clear consequences and discussions when things don’t work out quite how they’re supposed to do. Similarly, frequent check-ins and talks about project updates are also extremely useful for general development agendas. There is always something to talk about in a fast-paced project-focused environment, so make sure that is at the heart of everything that is happening.
Supporting employee development is important because it helps your business grow. It is always better for your company to have a strong retention rate and employees who feel engaged at work. This leads to better productivity and well-being amongst staff, two key factors for driving successful outcomes.
