January 23, 2023
Career Development for Your Team - What You Need to Know
Written by: Wellness Concepts
In 2023, there will be more of a focus on developing employees in line with their unique needs versus a one-size-fits all approach. Top talent at every level is expecting more to help them reach their personal and professional goals. Now is a good time to understand the business need to have a better approach to employee development and the impact that can have on the bottom line.
Over the past 10 years, so many products and services have become more and more customizable. There is an overall expectation that people can get what they want in a way that fits their personal needs. The same applies for employee development.Employees starting out in their careers may have little knowledge about the skills sets they need to build and/or some of the potential barriers they should be aware of. Help those that are young and new to a company settle in by letting them know what specialized support is available to them before they need it. Here are a few questions you can ask about your training and professional development for them:
- How technology-based are resources to help them grow? Remember, younger employees are digital natives used to a gamification approach to learning. A more traditional approach may not be as meaningful to them.
- Mental health and wellbeing is a particular challenge for this age group. How can you highlight your EAP to show it can support their unique needs?
- Younger employees want to clearly understand the next steps to advance their careers. How clear is your program about the training, education, and experience they will need? How clear is the timeframe it may take to advance? What about the benefits of a lateral move for their long-term goals?
Employees moving into middle management may have very different expectations. Some potential needs to consider:
- Does the employee have the option to move up without being a people manager? Not everyone is suited to manage well but could excel on more complex projects as an individual or on a smaller team.
- If this is their first time managing a team, are there opportunities to connect with a mentor? Most first-time managers need training to be more effective and get the best out of their team.
- Is your organization clear about the specific skill sets that make your middle managers effective? At this stage in a career, it is more likely they will not have the skills to avoid burnout. Specific training that includes how they should protect their own health and wellbeing can make them more successful.
Ageism continues to be a problem for employees that are over the age of 45 and we have an increasingly older workforce.
- How does your company support older employees?
- What benefits and policies are in place to help the organization make sure ageism is not a bias? Most bias training does not include ageism, yet it is a growing issue.
- Older workers may be in the sandwich caregiver challenge, taking care of children and aging adults. How is your company supporting them so they can be successful?
Need support coming up with solutions? Wellness Concepts can get you to vetted resources to help your employees thrive.