- Promotion and advancement. This is the most obvious way to define growth—when an employee’s career is on an progressive trajectory of job titles and earnings.
- Additional responsibility. Taking on additional duties shows that an employee is broadening their abilities and influence.
- Skill growth. Sharpening existing skills or developing new ones is another important way to think about growth and development.
- Career pivots. A lateral career move or transitioning to an adjacent role can be powerful ways to grow new skills and gain knowledge.
- Fulfillment. For many employees, growth means making their work more satisfying and more aligned with their values and interests.
- Skill assessment. Observation and surveys are two ways to track skill development.
- Peer and manager feedback. Ask coworkers, managers, and others to share their views on employee growth.
- Performance metrics. Track employee progress on key job measures such as outcomes and quality.
- Promotions and new roles. Review organization-wide data on job advancement or employees moving into other roles.
Power Up Your Employees: Key Strategies for Growth and Development
Employees everywhere are wondering how to keep their skills current, and organizations are looking at ways to encourage career growth opportunities for employees. 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. Luckily, there are many ways of creating career growth opportunities for employees.
How do you define career growth?
Most of us think we know what career growth and development looks like: promotions, pay raises, and getting that corner office. However, growth opportunities in a company can be much more expansive. There are several ways to define growth.
How to support employee career development
Increasingly, employees expect their employers to help them with career development. In fact, 87% of workers believe employers should be investing in employees’ continued education, according to the 2023 Great Retention Survey. But what are the best ways to support the development needs of an employee?
Provide training and education. Give employees access to courses, workshops, and education programs. Tuition assistance programs are valuable tools to enable employee learning. According to one study, 90% of business leaders agree that their organization views tuition assistance benefits as an investment in its people.
Build a mentorship program. Create a formal program for experienced employees to share their knowledge with less experienced employees.
Create career development plans. Work with employees one-on-one to craft individualized growth plans. Include timelines and goals to keep everyone accountable.
Encourage job rotation. Invite employees to gain experience in different roles. This allows them to develop new skills and learn about the business from multiple angles.
Plan for succession. Identify high-performing employees and provide them with experiences and training to boost leadership skills.
Reward progress. Offer incentives for employees to take developmental steps—whether it’s through recognition, financial reward, or other means.
How do you create career growth opportunities?
To help attract great people, boost retention, and improve job performance, it’s essential to create career growth opportunities for employees. Here are some ways to make it happen.
Everything flows from your organization’s goals, so it’s crucial to clarify company objectives and make sure employees understand them. Where does your company want to go? What new markets, products, or services will it move in to? Knowing this will help you identify the skills and roles you’ll need in the future. From there, create career paths that give employees a roadmap for progressing within the organization.
To encourage employees to continue their development, you must create a culture of continuous learning. Make growth and development central to everything you do—from team meetings to pay structures to benefits. Empower your learning and development team, who can be essential partners in building growth plans and providing learning resources for employees. Lastly, spread the word—clearly and consistently. Make sure employees are aware of the options and resources they have to grow their careers.
How to evaluate career growth
We all know growth and development are important, both for employees and organizations. How do you measure these crucial concepts?
Explore powerful pathways to employee growth
When it comes to employee growth and development, learning can be the key. When you partner with Workforce Edge, you have access to a wealth of education options—all available through a simplified online platform. Schedule a consultation to learn more.
Employees everywhere are wondering 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.
