You have kick-started the learning and development in your organization. Fantastic! But how do you ensure that the learning content drives desired results? Below are some tips.
The classic annual performance review is no longer what it used to be.
A research conducted by Wilke, where 53 percent of the respondents explain that they do not feel that the annual performance review develops them professionally. Instead of the annual conversation, there is a need of constant conversation with feedback between leadership and employee. The employee development is still very important.
What would happen if we did not develop our employees?
The workforce is known by constant change - both internally in organizations and in their markets, respectively.
To follow the changes that happen, we have to think about how we adapt our organization - and thus we need to think of our employees as assets.
Just like you buy a new IT system or optimize processes, you also need to look at how the employees solve their tasks the best way by optimizing their competencies. This will ensure that the organization is on the right trajectory at all times.
Employee Development & Employee Experience
It creates a positive Employee Experience if an employee feels that they are developing their skills.
If you successfully master the tasks at work better than before due to the new learning, you will experience a bigger sense of achievement and success.
You need to think about: Is the work of the employees get easier, funnier and last but not least, can it get better for the organization too?
Employee development has to be structured, though through, and aligned with the organization's goals - it cannot be a consumer good that allows the employee to freely choose from a course catalog.
There are also areas where employee development is not appropriate. Those are the areas, where the employee feels entitled: “Today I want green, tomorrow I want orange etc."
The training they got was disconnected from the everyday tasks they normally have. If employee development becomes some sort of currency, it simply will not work effectively for the organization, as it will not contribute to the overall goal.
The training and learning have to have a purpose
For example, if an employee learns about project management through a new course they took, but is unable to use it in the organization, the employee believes that he/she has to find a new workplace, where they can utilize those project management skills.
The training and learning have to have a purpose in the organization, otherwise, it will not be beneficial for the organization.
It gives the employee a bad experience if he/she cannot use their newly acquired skills in the organization, but it also creates a bad experience for the organization as they can potentially lose their talent too early.
It can also be a problem if the organization spends too much time and energy on developing the employees so that they no longer can solve their own tasks.
That is why a development plan - or a career plan - is important, otherwise the organization stands to lose their employees, and that is often times more expensive than the training itself.