Seven ways to support employee advancement in your organisation

Talented professionals want to work for an organisation that will help them to build skills and knowledge and further their careers

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Robert Half

Leading employers know how important it is to place employees’ professional development at the heart of their organisations. If your organisation isn’t supporting employee career advancement, you risk undermining morale and productivity by leaving talented workers feeling that they aren’t valued. In the longer term, you could face the loss of these dispirited employees to competitors. Here are some strategies you can follow to promote the development of employees. 

Take a personal interest in employee career goals

You should hold regular one-to-one meetings with team members so you can stay attuned to their career aspirations and expectations. This kind of support can help your staff feel valued and lead to greater productivity and loyalty.

Helping your employees outline a potential career path within the organisation can help them better visualise their future at the organisation. You should identify specific milestones for achievement and the supporting resources employees will be likely to need to tap into on their journey. Clear, direct and consistent communication about career advancement steps can help workers feel more engaged.

Promote the training and development of employees

Job training and continuing education help to fuel employee career growth. You should encourage team members to pursue relevant courses and workshops that will further their career advancement. 

In addition to nurturing individual needs, and growing specific skills, you should help your employees keep up with what’s happening in the wider industry. One cost-effective method that’s easy to arrange is to host virtual lunch-and-learn sessions. Give your employees the time and flexibility to engage in industry events and consider asking them to share what they learn with their colleagues.

Encourage mentoring and job shadowing

Establishing a formal mentoring programme is a great way to invest in the personal and professional growth of your employees. Mentoring can also be an effective tool for onboarding remote staff.

Though often seen as a transfer of knowledge from experienced team members to less-seasoned employees, mentoring in the workplace is a two-way street. While senior staff members can offer hard-earned insights and professional guidance to less-experienced colleagues, they also can benefit from the fresh perspectives and technological know how of up-and-coming employees.

Rotate employee roles

The human brain thrives on variety, and job rotation is a smart way to vary your employees’ daily routine. Consider allowing employees to work in different, but related, departments or positions. These opportunities will help your team members gain new skills, more appreciation for their colleagues’ duties and a better understanding of the organisation.

Job rotation can also be an effective way to increase cross-departmental collaboration and build rapport in a remote team. The organisation will benefit from having a more well-rounded workforce.

Support work-life balance

Encourage your employees to work smart, maximise their efficiency and leave time and energy for their interests outside of work. This advice is especially important for remote team members who may find it difficult at times to keep work and life separate.

Taking a proactive approach to your team’s well-being can prevent stress from arising and leading to burnout. Adopting flexible policies that enhance work-life balance can lift employee morale. You’ll help your workers find the time to do their jobs, attend to personal demands and even engage in professional development activities that can aid their career advancement.

Paint the big picture

Reminding employees of their unique contributions to the organisation’s mission adds meaning to their role. It can also increase their motivation to expand their responsibilities and advance in the organisation.

Offer regular insights into how their day-to-day actions make a difference to the organisation. In your regular updates to team members be sure to highlight any progress toward key objectives and acknowledge individual employees for specific achievements that are helping to drive the organisation toward those goals.

Create a succession planning programme

Succession planning can demonstrate to high-potential employees that you not only want to invest in their professional development but also see them evolving into future leaders of the organisation. Create a succession plan for every key position in your organisation to motivate employees to learn the skills and knowledge needed for career advancement. Your employees will be better positioned to achieve their career goals if they know they have manager support. 

Emphasising employee career growth can create significant and lasting benefits for your workers – it can also help position your organisation to be even more competitive.