Introduction
Companies must appraise their workforce at the time of enhanced productivity and provide guidance when the productivity is low. Creating a sense of responsibility will be helpful for the company to maintain its position in the competitive environment. However, this can be best achieved when the companies show concern and consideration for their internal assets—the employees. The career development for employees is best managed under an individual employee’s learning plan that considers the company’s interests thoroughly. Support to employees will help the company achieve its mission and values accordingly. When the workforce feels satisfied and motivated, it becomes easier for them to perform their best and ensures a comfort level to enhance the productivity and development of the company to compete in the market. This article explicates on the means by which a career development plan for the employees can be structured such that it benefits the organization.
Individual Employee’s Learning Plan
Designed as an essential part of a comprehensive development program for every employee, an individual employee’s learning plan instigates self-direction, service orientation and is combined with the well-known 360 degree employee feedback program. It helps initiate individual professional and personal development in the organization and focuses on providing employees with learning opportunities. Participants in this program receive guidance to identify, set, and pursue learning goals and identify the resources for the goals and the associated jobs, such that they profit from the process alongside the organization. The 360 degree feedback program helps in knowing the needs, strengths, and creativity of individuals and thus, provides additional support and training for tapping the participants’ skills. Moreover, it also helps in measuring the accomplishments of the employees.
Another learning model that can be used is the 70-20-10 model. It aids in identifying the areas in which learning can take place effectively. Studies show that 70% of the effective learning stems from on-the-job challenges and off-the-job experiences. Relationships with significant coaching and mentoring, and traditional training seminars and courses contribute to the remaining the 20% and 10% of effective learning. Learning plans can be developed in three steps: identification of a learning goal, a learning experience that is required to develop the ability for enhancing knowledge, skills and attitude, and the support required to apply and develop the ability.
Assessing the Company’s Needs
Alongside the employees’ development, the company’s must also be able to profit from the opportunities it provides, that is, the mission and vision of the company must be fulfilled. A gap analysis helps in verifying the company’s actual performance and individuals’ performance and thus, in ensuring organizational growth. Such an analysis will help in differentiating between perceived and actual needs as well as in realizing the market situation. Next the company’s priorities must be identified by evaluating cost-benefit analyses and the legal mandates for implementing a solution. Lastly, the company should expand its reach by reaching out to customers and evaluating its influence; this will help in identifying the performance problems and exploring opportunities. There should be continuous analyses of the employees’ performance to understand if the company’s investments show desired results. It must be remembered that solutions can be arrived by giving growth opportunities to the employees and training and sharing of knowledge without any apprehension or fear must be encouraged. Moreover, activities that are not always linked to knowledge accumulation, such as strategic planning, organizational restructuring, performance management, and effective team building, can help generate solutions for problems.
Filling the Gaps
The 360 degrees feedback program and the 70-20-10 methods can help employees enhance their learning aspects and create a work force environment where individual gains as well as maximum satisfaction of the top management can be achieved. The company’s assessment of its goals and vision will help in ensuring that it benefits from the opportunities provided to the employees. The agenda must be always to cover such a gap by all possible means to ensure success. It is presumptive to assume that all gaps have been filled at any point of time. For instance, a century ago, environmental concerns were not a problem any organization had to reckon with, but today, this is definitely not the case. The fact that many successful organizations overlooked the potential of demonstrating concern about the environment in affecting the profits of the company shows that gaps can be present at any point in time and that organizations should make haste to fill such gaps.
Road Map for Career Development
It is necessary for employees to evaluate their path of progress and the means for gaining rewards for their successes. Human resource management should assist in identifying employees’ goals, skill planning, and objectives to ensure their progress in the corporate world. They should also help the employees in developing social skills, communication and networking in order to achieve higher opportunities. To form a clear road map, (a) the employees must first confirm their current experience and skills and list them according to the time it will take to achieve the goals; (b) Next they must assess their future role and place in the company—this should also include their current and future expectations from the company; (c) Lastly, the employees are required to fulfill their skills and experience needed in order to achieve the desired position. All the resources and daily training required must be included in the specifications related. This road map will result in a greater outcome and productivity of the employee. Training must be a regular aspect of the job and competency development is essential for evaluating progress.
Factors Influencing Career Development Program
There are several factors that influence the career development plan of employees in an organization, depending on the interaction levels of and with the employee and the work environment. Factors such as the employee’s personal characteristics, his or her socio-economic conditions and physical and mental abilities, chance factors, that is, events in life that can result in selecting the correct or incorrect career path, and the ability to improvise and improve weaknesses can change the employee’s career graph and reap benefits for the organization. For instance, an employee’s level of creativity, excellence, and happiness is elevated if he or she recognizes and works on his or her weaknesses and this in turn affects the level of productivity. Similarly the personality of employees and their interests, values and aim in life play a vital role in the development of their careers, and thus, it is essential to pay significant attention to such traits when taking career development decisions or while choosing a career. It benefits an employee and the organization if he or she seeks the right path according to his or her interests. While socio-economic factors can pose a barrier in the career development program of employees, as they can be encumbered by their unstable financial situation and familial responsibilities, the desire to earn financial rewards is greater in such cases. Although such employees might neglect their career in favor of immediate financial rewards, the company must realize the potential of such an employee and provide training and knowledge that is useful to him as well as the company in the long term. Such employees should be given positions so that they can focus on their careers without having to compromise in favor of money. They must be counseled about the pros and cons seeking money or career development and thus, long-term financial awards. An employee’s physical and mental abilities are crucial for the company, as it helps in assigning workers to jobs that fit them. Thus, productivity is optimal when employees are not forced to work on matters in which they do not possess adequate knowledge or experience, but work on jobs in which they are interested and in which they possess adequate skills.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the employee’s success will spell an organization’s success. Thus, the proposed plan should be to make essential guidelines and provide training facilities to their employees and staff. Consequently, the workforce will be able to initiate their career development plan effectively and benefit from it. It must be kept in mind that, success is foremost initiated from the internal sources. The internal sources are mainly the workforce, whose collective performance will have a deep impact on the company’s profits, and their environment. The company must maintain healthy internal sources to be a strong competitor in the market.
References
Getting started with employee development plan. Human Capital, Resources. Retrieved 16 October, 2012http://humancapital.doe.gov/resources/M-4-K X- 7 IDPs Getting Started 10-2-08.pdf.
Carnegie Mellon (2012). Career & Professional Development Center. A roadmap for your career and professional development. Retrieved 16 October, 2012 http://www.cmu.edu/career/career-exploration/tartan-gps/index.html.
Dawn Rosenberg McKay. (2010).What is career development. Retrieved 16 October, 2012 http://careerplanning.about.com/bio/Dawn-Rosenberg-McKay-646.htm.
