Employee Development: From Perception to Reality

Employee Development: From Perception to Reality

Many organizations use employee engagement surveys as an indicator of how emotionally committed their employees are to the organization – and to their jobs. Ideally the results of the survey should reflect an organization that is perceived as invested in the development of its employees. But while that may be the perception, it is often not the reality for most organizations.

Recent research suggests that only one in five employees considered themselves ‘very engaged’, while nearly a third are engaged but feel their organization could do more to improve the employee experience.   

One area which is critical to enhancing the employee experience is a commitment to career development opportunities for all employees.  

The benefits of a development focused culture   

Deloitte research shows that high performing learning organizations, that is, those with a culture of continuous learning and development, report the following benefits: 

• 37% higher productivity 
• 92% more likely to innovate 
• 46% to be first to market  

Despite those benefits, employees have only 1% of their working week to focus on training and development.  

Transforming your culture into one that takes the learning and development of its employees seriously requires a major shift, but it is achievable and the rewards for those organizations that make that shift are evident.   

The steps below will help you to make that change within your own business and change your perception of your employee development into reality: 

Evaluate the skills in your organization: Evaluating the skills of your existing employees enables you to tap into hidden abilities that they may not be utilizing in their current role, but which may match a potential skills gap in a different department. It will also identify the areas where that skills gap may compromise your ability to achieve your business objectives in the short and long-term. Those results can be utilized to inform areas for career development.  

Communicate with your team: It is vital to explain why you are making the change and the benefits this will offer to all of your employees. Your employee engagement survey may have already highlighted this area as one requiring attention to improve motivation and productivity. 

Align your career development strategy with your business goals: To cultivate a true culture of continuous career development, every employee must be aware of your corporate goals. That awareness gives them both a sense of direction and an understanding of how their performance contributes to the overall success of your company. The more invested they are, the higher their motivation.  

Associate your brand with skills development: Best-in-class organizations create a working environment that focuses on maximizing the potential of individuals. Engagement is boosted across the organization as you shift to empowering your employees, making it easier to retain – and attract – talent.  

Move beyond the ‘one size fits all’ approach: The linear career is no longer relevant for the high performance organizations of the 21st century. Career development focuses on empowering your employees to understand their strengths, and how they can use them to develop their own career path. 

Monitor and track your progress with development planning software: Implementing such a fundamental change in your organization doesn’t happen overnight. Both your business needs and the career goals of your employees may evolve through the year. Supporting your new strategy with dedicated development planning software enables your employees to track their own career development goals while providing managers with visibility into their progress. The goals of your business can also be measured and adjustments made as required for improved agility.  

To learn more, please request a demo.

FAQ

How engaged are employees with their organization’s development efforts, really?

Only one in five employees consider themselves “very engaged,” while nearly a third say they’re engaged but believe their organization could do more to improve the employee experience. That gap between perceived commitment to development and actual employee sentiment is the core problem this addresses.

What business benefits come from a strong culture of learning and development?

Deloitte research found that high performing learning organizations report 37% higher productivity, are 92% more likely to innovate, and are 46% more likely to be first to market. These gains come despite employees having only about 1% of their working week available for training and development.

What’s the first step in shifting from perceived to real employee development?

Start by evaluating the skills already present in the organization. This surfaces hidden abilities employees have that aren’t being used in their current role but might fill a skills gap elsewhere, while also revealing where gaps could threaten business objectives in the short or long term.

Why does aligning career development with business goals matter?

When every employee understands the company’s broader goals, they gain a sense of direction and a clearer picture of how their own performance contributes to overall success. That awareness tends to increase investment and motivation, rather than treating development as separate from business strategy.

Why is the “one size fits all” approach to career development no longer effective?

The linear career path no longer reflects how high performing organizations operate in the 21st century. Effective development instead focuses on helping employees understand their own strengths and use them to build a career path that fits their specific situation, rather than following a single predetermined track.