As a manager or leader of your pack you want to be at the forefront of supporting development and professional growth of your employees.
Human beings are social beings and it’s necessary for people to feel part of a cohesive group in order to have a feeling of security. People also want to grow, and have the feeling of being competent and confident at the work they do.
The most effective professional development is carried out on an individual level by an employee with a motivated attitude and focused mind. These necessary characteristics can be cultivated and encouraged from within your business or organisation by providing the support, guidance and opportunities that will facilitate their development.
Employers are in a very strong position to provide practical support on a steady continual basis, which is ideal because professional development requires strong collaboration between yourself and your employees. It is essential for you to provide the opportunities for your staff to grow, and it is down to your employees to reach out and grab an opportunity when presented to them.
These are a list of things employers can do to facilitate professional development and personal growth:
- Indentify your employee’s key skills and areas of expertise, and then plan and prioritise which areas require developing.
- Spot the opportunities that will help employees improve their skill set.
- If you regularly undertake staff reviews or appraisals, combine your professional development efforts together as areas will overlap and they will naturally flow together.
- Keep staff records and detail achievements. You may wish to formalise this as part of a Personal Development plan.
- Help each employee to develop an action plan that will set the framework for the things they need to undertake in order to effectively develop their abilities.
- Present employees with the options to take relevant qualifications and professional accreditations.
- Provide employees with opportunities to attend industry conferences and training seminars.
- Encourage your employees to actively take responsibility for their own development, and incentivise to provide further momentum.
Above all else, providing a solid support network is vital for effectively developing and promoting professional growth within your business.
About the Author: This article was written by James Dillon of Exponential Training who provides a range of distance learning courses focusing on teaching management & leadership business skills.