Employee Growth Ideas to Power Organizational Success

In every industry, employees are thinking about how to keep their skills current. A Workplace Intelligence study from 2022 found that upskilling is a concern for employees. The survey showed that 78% of workers feel they lack the skills, and 71% are worried about their education holding them back from getting ahead. Furthermore, 70% of respondents expressed feeling unprepared for the evolving workplace.  

Savvy employers realize the benefits of supporting career growth opportunities for employees. But they may not know which employee growth and development ideas are best for their organization. In this article, we’ll explore multiple ways of creating career growth opportunities for employees and how to make the most of them.

What is growth opportunity in the workplace?

Every organization is brimming with employee growth opportunities—if you know where to look. Some growth opportunities in a company are already there, waiting to be unlocked. Others may require some additional coordination and planning. Here are some ideas to get started.

Stretch assignments. When you give an employee tasks or projects that are just beyond their usual responsibilities, they can build new knowledge and flex new skills. 

Cross-functional collaboration. Encourage different departments to team up on initiatives or solutions. Everyone involved gains a new perspective on their work. 

Mentoring. Experienced employees offer a wealth of knowledge and insight; connect them with less experienced workers to offer guidance and encouragement. 

Performance reviews. More than just a yearly chore, these are opportunities for employees to reflect on their accomplishments, skills, and areas for growth. 

Promotion. Career advancement gives employees a chance to try on new roles and spread their wings. 

What is an example of a growth opportunity?

While your organization can be a source of development opportunities, there are also powerful options outside your company. Growth opportunities examples might include:

• Training. Short-term learning that’s focused on specific areas such as technical skills like data analysis or soft skills like communication. 
• Education. Longer-term learning that builds up a broader base of knowledge and skills. Tuition assistance programs are an important tool to help employees pursue education. According to the 2024 SEI Consumer Survey, 91% of workers believe employers should be investing in their continued education.
• Professional certification. Industry recognized credentials are an important way to build job-relevant skills. 
• Leadership development. Emerging leaders can benefit from specialized training in  areas like decision making, delegation, and more. 
• Networking. Help employees make new connections across the organization. With each new contact, they have an opportunity to broaden their view of important business issues.

How do you identify career growth opportunities?

We’ve explored a long list of growth opportunities above. But identifying the biggest opportunity for growth examples for your employees can be challenging. Here’s a framework that might help. 

1. Clarify organizational goals. Where does your organization want to go? List the specific goals and metrics you’ll use to track them. 
2. Explore business trends. Research how economic, workplace, and technology developments may impact your business.  
3. Assess employee skills. Conduct a formal evaluation of where your employees stand—this will help you identify skill gaps you need to fill. 
4. Set employee goals. Lay out individualized goals for each employee and make sure those goals support organizational objectives.  
5. Investigate learning options. Look internally and externally for development ideas that can help employees build necessary skills. 

How do you demonstrate growth in the workplace?

As we’ve seen, there are multiple ways to enable employee growth. But how can you be sure that growth is really happening? Let’s explore some telltale signs.

Career advancement. Promotions and new roles show that an employee has built the skills to succeed at a higher level. In a 2022 McKinsey survey of frontline employees, the majority of respondents agree that job growth (79%), learning opportunities (75%), and an aligned skill set (75%) are all important aspects of career advancement.

Increased responsibility. If your people are taking on additional responsibilities—and succeeding—it’s an indicator that they’ve developed new capabilities.

Mentoring others. When employees are able to share their wisdom and insight with less-experienced coworkers, it’s a sign of development.

Adaptability. As employees add to their skills and knowledge, they can be more versatile and flexible.

Improved collaboration. When employees are able to work more productively with coworkers, it shows that they may have developed new abilities as teammates.

Find the right growth opportunities for your team

With so many potential approaches, supporting employee growth can feel overwhelming. But with Workforce Edge, you have a partner to help you align your policy with organizational goals, empower employees to take action, and manage the program—all in one simple platform. Schedule a consultation to get started.