How To Prioritize Employee Career Development

Competitive companies know they need to adapt as quickly as possible to technological changes in the business environment or suffer the consequences. Companies have learned that the answer to finding employees with the right skill set may be right in plain sight. Experts estimate that technological changes will bring about 97 million new jobs in the coming year. The most logical step is to upskill or reskill the abilities of current employees to help meet the growing demand.

The word Skill sitting on top of graphic arrows pointing up from laptop

Upskilling and reskilling are necessary for companies to keep up with new technologies, improve employee engagement and retention, support career development, and create a more agile workforce. Some of the challenges companies face in upskilling are identifying which skills need to be addressed, how much time and money the company should allocate, how to overcome any employee resistance, and what the metrics are for measuring success.

As artificial intelligence takes over more of the routine tasks, the need for workers with critical thinking, problem-solving and emotional intelligence abilities will mount. Organizations not only will prioritize these skills in searching for job candidates but also will provide current employees with ongoing educational opportunities. Standard corporate training programs will include massive open online courses, virtual reality training modules, AI-driven personalized learning experiences, and digital literacy courses. The business sectors that have already committed to upskilling include technology, health care, renewable energy and finance.

How to move forward

There is no longer a one-size-fits-all approach to professional development. Forward-thinking businesses are taking an employee-centered approach. This means that the goals of the employee need to align with the objectives of the company. AI is often used to assist in creating custom learning plans tailored to the needs and goals of individual employees. Effective career development requires manager involvement. This means holding scheduled conversations, providing real-time performance feedback and adjusting career goals as employees advance on their career paths. Career pathing is an important ingredient in this process. Employees need to know what skills they need in order to advance in their careers.

Investing in leadership development is key to the continued success of any businesses. In addition to supporting hard skills, training programs for future company leaders will focus on strengthening power skills — formerly known as soft skills. Communication, teamwork and adaptability as well as being able to lead a team are core leadership competencies. Since today’s employees may be working on-site, remotely or in a flexible hybrid schedule, team leaders must be able to manage their teams in any location.

As the pace of technology continues to accelerate in all aspects of modern life, businesses must commit to prioritizing employee career development. In the long term, companies will benefit from having invested in producing a skilled, adaptable workforce ready to meet whatever the future has in store.

Interested in learning more? Chat with a Connectify HR expert today.