Developing Employees

12 Ways to Start Developing Employees Today

Coaching and employee development can take a company from good to great. In this article, we’ll introduce you to 12 concrete ways you can start developing your employees today. We also explain why employee development is so important in today’s world of work.

What does it mean to develop employees?

People development means taking an organizational approach that helps your current employees acquire, improve or develop new skills or adapt to new ways of working.

If you’re concerned with employee development, you’re probably doing so for one of three main reasons:

• Improve employee retention and satisfaction (to reduce turnover)
• Increasing overall business results (for the sake of productivity)
• Improving your employer brand as an attractive place to work (to attract top talent)

For a company, all of these reasons to tackle coaching and the development of its employees are valid. And if you focus on development, you might be able to fulfill all three reasons at the same time.

Develop people through 12 unique methods

Below we’ve outlined 12 methods your company can consider to make employee development a priority…

1.Communicate often

Frequent communication with your workforce will help your employees feel supported as they look for ways to improve.

It provides an opportunity to review their progress, celebrate what they have achieved and find ways to strengthen the areas where they may need additional support.

From an employee perspective, this communication signals that you want to help them achieve their goals, which leads to greater job satisfaction.

2.Plan feedback loops

Feedback is fuel. Constructive feedback helps employees focus on weak areas of their skills or behavior.

It also gives employees the opportunity to share their thoughts on the action plans they have developed for their professional improvement and customize them to better suit them.

First, plan a personal conversation with each employee to find out from them exactly what worked and what they would change in the future. Use this information to improve your development programs company-wide.

3.Remove obstacles

Rigid organizational structures can lead to employees being offered fewer opportunities for dynamic development. In fact, cross-departmental communication is important for developing an employee’s interests and creating important connections that can improve your company from the top down.

Bridging the gaps between departments promotes a more fluid approach to learning that can develop employees in more beneficial ways. For example, a sales representative may find that he can better identify with the processes in the HR department and steer his career goals in this direction.

4.Provide professional development opportunities

Create the expectation that your employees will actively work to further their education on a regular basis, whether through further training, learning opportunities, workshops, conferences and other tools of the trade.

While you don’t have to provide an exact list to choose from, if you leave employees to their own devices, they may completely lose motivation for their professional development as they sort through all the options.

To give your employees the best chance of developing, you should inform them about the development resources and tools available to them. Providing your employees with a comprehensive list will help them select the development opportunities that are most likely to help them achieve their goals.

They can also provide resources to help them identify development opportunities themselves.

5.Create individualized development strategies

By having one-on-one conversations with your employees, you can learn more about their goals and learning styles, which will help you create more effective development plans.

These meetings help you tailor programs to employees’ professional requirements and needs, because not every employee benefits from the same development opportunities.

In addition, each employee can decide for themselves how they want to achieve their professional goals.

6.Be a role model for your employees

You can motivate your employees to continue their education by showing them that you, too, are learning new things. If you have taken part in a training course yourself, tell others about your experiences!

By modeling the behavior you expect from your employees, you show them that self-improvement is part of the company culture and not just something that is required or expected of them.

7.Strive for seniority and authority

Help your employees improve themselves by connecting them with senior employees in your company or relevant professional groups.

This support network of people who have achieved similar career goals as the employee can provide actionable advice and other valuable resources.

8.Provide performance metrics

Use performance metrics to visualize the level of an employee’s skills and set a clear benchmark for the goals to be achieved.

The bar can always be raised as the employee continues to improve until they achieve their career goals.

9.Use simulations

Develop scenarios for employees to help them learn desired skills through live simulations. Participating in these simulations can be a valuable part of an employee’s action plan and they can immediately apply what they have learned.

10.Have them perform higher-level tasks

If an employee wants a management position, consider giving them some less critical tasks so they can gain experience. In this way, they gain invaluable practical experience that prepares them for their future success.

11.Clear guidelines for professional development

In order to motivate employees to develop further, career advancement within your organization must be possible. The qualification for the following positions in the hierarchy must be clear and accessible so that your employees know that it is possible.

12.Start training early

You should start preparing your employees for future success from day one. Start with a solid onboarding program that informs them about development opportunities. During training, emphasize that professional development is one of your company’s core values and part of what employees can expect while working at your company.

The most important benefits of employee development

Helping your employees develop new skills and advance not only benefits them, but also the company as a whole.

Below are some benefits you can expect from quality professional development:

Improved employee engagement	Employees feel more comfortable at work when their company supports them. Helping them grow professionally shows that you care about their future and encourages employees to connect with the company.
Better employee retention	Investing in an employee’s professional development is a small cost compared to training a new employee. In fact, it costs employers over £30,000 to replace an employee. Creating internal training opportunities helps ensure that these employees stay with the company in the long term.
Cultivating future leaders	Employee development programs give you the opportunity to select and train employees with leadership potential. While hiring managers from outside the company is an option, it can often prove more effective to promote someone from within the company – with all the knowledge and experience they bring with them. You also signal to other employees that they have the opportunity to advance within the company.
Attract high-quality applicants	Promoting your workforce development program can attract higher quality applicants looking for a company to support them. When you hire talented candidates, you spend less time and resources teaching them how to do their jobs. In addition, top candidates are more motivated to excel in their tasks because they are motivated to do their best.
Better employee performance	A personnel development program motivates employees to use their strengths and reduce their weaknesses through further training. Over time, they learn new skills and knowledge that make them better workers overall.

Frequently asked Questions

What does it mean to develop an employee?

Developing employees means helping them close skill gaps that could be preventing them from achieving their career goals. This can be done through training opportunities, continuing education, trade shows, workshops, mentorship programs, and other means.

Why is it important to promote an employee?

Promoting employees increases their commitment to the company and thus increases their productivity. It also helps ensure that they stay with your company long-term because they see clear opportunities for advancement.

How can employees be developed?

• You can use various methods to promote your employees, such as:
• Setting clear expectations for improvement early on
• Frequent communication with employees to review progress toward their goals and correct them if problems arise
• Positive feedback wherever possible to motivate employees
• Strive to improve your own skills to encourage your employees to do the same
• Creation of individual development plans for each employee

What are development goals for employees?

A development goal is a skill that an employee wants to learn in the short term and that brings them closer to their long-term career goal.