Why Employee Development Is a Key to Organizational Success

Employee development can help workers gain the skills and knowledge to become more effective in their current roles—and future roles. It can also help employers in multiple ways including greater workforce retention and improved organizational performance. But employee development doesn’t happen by accident. It takes strategic intent, thoughtful planning, and careful follow-through to create career growth opportunities for employees. As you think about launching or improving your development program, there are many employee growth and development ideas along with some important things to consider.

What are development opportunities for employees?

There are limitless ways to help employees grow and develop, and savvy organizations use multiple methods. Many of these opportunities already exist within your organization; it just takes a bit of planning to connect employees with the right options. Some development opportunities are external, and this is where training budgets and tuition reimbursement benefits play an important role. In fact, 86% of business leaders agree that their organization’s tuition assistance program is valuable for the organization, according to one survey.*  

*Survey published in 2024 and conducted by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services and commissioned by Strategic Education, Inc.

Here are some development opportunities for employees examples that can help your organization take learning and growth to the next level.

• Training workshops
• Higher education programs
• Continuing education
• Professional certifications
• Mentoring
• Coaching
• Networking
• Professional associations
• Job shadowing
• Job rotation
• Cross-functional projects
• Stretch assignments

What are 3 benefits of professional development and why?

For employers, supporting professional development should be a crucial, strategic effort. Helping your people grow their skills not only pays dividends for those individuals, but it can also deliver measurable bottom-line results in a few key areas:

Higher job satisfaction and retention: When employees have support to grow and develop, they’re more engaged at work, have greater job satisfaction, and are more likely to stay with their employer. According to the 2024 Strategic Education Inc. Consumer Survey, 93% of employees say learning new skills keeps them motivated at work. This translates to reduced turnover rates, which results in greater workforce consistency and lower hiring costs.

Improved organizational performance: As employees develop their skills, they become more efficient, productive, and innovative. This elevates your organization’s overall performance, contributing to business success.

A stronger leadership pipeline: Your organization’s future depends on strong leaders who can guide the enterprise toward success. When you invest in your team’s development, you’re also building a deeper bench of potential managers who will be ready to step forward when needed.

What are 5 areas of improvement?

As the workplace evolves rapidly, employees (and their employers) often find themselves scrambling to keep their skills relevant. But which skills are most important to focus on? Look to your employees: 85% of U.S.-based full-time employees know what skills are needed to advance in their current jobs, according to a 2024 Strategic Education, Inc. Consumer Survey.

The following list of development areas for employees includes essential strengths and areas of improvement examples that modern workers can benefit from:

1. Communication: Good communication skills help workers become more effective and productive. With the explosion of communication technologies, this ability is more important than ever.
2. Collaboration: The ability to cooperate productively across the organization is critical for every employee. The growth of remote and hybrid work makes this skill particularly relevant today.
3. Adaptability: To succeed in today’s modern workplace, employees must be open to change and alter their plans and strategies. 
4. Customer orientation: In every sector, competition is fierce. Customer service is a powerful way for organizations to differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace.
5. Time management: Greater workplace flexibility highlights a greater need for employees who can prioritize work, balance heavy workloads, and meet demanding deadlines. 

What are your top 3 skills development priorities?

In a shifting and evolving business climate, it may be hard to pin down only 3 areas that need improvement. Each organization has its own unique needs, and there are a host of improvement opportunities. Here are three common areas where skill development can really matter:

1. Technical skills: As the pace of technological change accelerates, it’s crucial for workers and organizations to stay current. 
2. Leadership: For an organization’s current and future success, strong leadership is critical. With effective leadership skills, employees can advance their careers and organizations can secure a pipeline of managers to guide the enterprise forward. 
3. Problem-solving: In an environment of constant change, employees must develop the ability to identify challenges and implement new solutions. 

Simplify your development program 

Keeping up with employee development can seem overwhelming. But not if you have the right partner. With Workforce Edge, you’ll have flexible and affordable learning options that are simple to manage—for you and your employees. Schedule a consultation to learn more.