5 tips to shape the future of employee development

Investing in employee development is the key to the health, success and future of your business. Fostering the physical, emotional and intellectual space allowing employees to flourish is fundamental. But not all approaches are created equal.

Another aspect of a healthy culture is employee learning and engagement. After all, once we’ve hired the best people, we want to protect our investment by motivating and developing them. Commitment requires ownership. When employees recognize the challenges of the business as their challenges; its success as their success; its future as well as their future – they become true ambassadors for the company.

Consider these five ways to shape the future of employee development:

Activate your team

The Future of Employee Development is a larger conversation around the personal and professional growth of employees. It’s employee-centric, mobile-centric, global in nature, and highly collaborative and interactive, says Katie Burke, Chief People Officer at HubSpot.

The next generation of employee development is about activating talent; the engine of business growth. When leaders inspire the best work of employees and cultivate leadership, we maximize our advantage.

Building from the inside

Your team is your asset, your secret recipe for success. No one is more versed in the intricacies of your business than the people who refine the nuances on a daily basis. Listen to them. Invite them to co-construct. Take risks with people by empowering them to solve complex problems, designing solutions that have real impact. Develop talents to grow with the company.

Institutionalize a spirit of innovation, and it will electrify your employees.

Jenny Dearborn, executive vice president of human resources at SAP, advises, “Give people a goal. We spend more waking hours of our lives contributing to our business or organization than doing anything else. When we can see and feel that these efforts are worth it and can tie what we do to the value our employer is trying to bring to the world, we are motivated to innovate, collaborate effectively, make a difference and work towards meaningful goals. “

Knowing that they have the opportunity to grow reminds employees of the vital role they play, a key emotional dimension of job fit. Involve leaders. Dearborn recommends, “Use the data and the facts to prove that employees’ lack of preparation for the future of work is a significant competitive disadvantage for your business. “

Champion leadership skills
Foster an authentic culture where employees can ask the tough questions comfortably and regularly, coach leaders to invite fearless discussions, and thank employees when they have the courage to ask tough questions. This builds trust and confidence while setting the standard for cultural communication.

Leaders have the dual role of leading teams and shaping cultural values ​​for future leaders whom they shape by example. Lisa Price, EVP of Human Resources at Nordstrom explains: “The values ​​help us in the interview and selection process and are then reinforced through onboarding, recognition and performance. Getting results is an important aspect of our success, but just as important is How? ‘Or’ What you get there. We ensure that the “how” (behaviors and values) is clear and integrated into our talent practices. “

Leaders as career guides

Know your team. Understand their strengths. While employees are responsible for executing their own career plans, leaders can connect, support, and foster opportunities. “The future of employee development is focused and focused experiences (extended assignments and rotations) and structured relationships (mentoring and coaching). Experiential development is the only thing that will reduce the clutter and noise of distraction that bombards employees in their work environment, ”says Dearborn.

Conduct focused development discussions that include action items. Solidify each effort, forge plans limited in time. Encourage employees to increase their self-awareness through continuous development activities such as self-reflection and mentoring. Provide exposure to other disciplines within the company that give employees the chance to learn about various careers. Offer perspectives on building support networks at different career stages. Be persistent in measuring the impact of your results.

Leaders train leaders

Give employees the opportunity to embark on projects that challenge them and build their self-confidence. Tailor each employee’s experience. Make sure employees have the plans, scope, and feedback that set them up for the next level. Invest in new muscles by building new abilities. Move the influence of abilities with increased range.

Price explains, “Ultimately, talent will make or destroy an organization’s ability to achieve its ambitions.

Taking deliberate risks on your employees strengthens your internal and external brand image; it makes your business an exciting place to work, grow and stay.