Career management in an organization is essential as it ensures talent is retained and keeps employees motivated. This process takes three forms. The employee provides the information while the organization provides the structures and the systems. Lastly, the managers provide the support and play the oversight role in ensuring that the systems and structures provided works in developing employees’ career. As all organizations aim at creating a work friendly environment and developing talents, it is important to identify and recognize the role played by managers in career management.
Managers generally provide support through various functions of management such as planning, organizing and directing.
A successive career management system is achieved where employees are given a platform to air their views on what needs to be done. The managers should pay attention to these views and direct the staff on how other people view their skills, interests and other development areas. They should also make them understand the dynamics of their work and how fast work is changing. This way they are able to identify and analyze different career moves based on their interests and skills. Finally, the managers should help in settling on the right choice and provide the required support for the benefit of the employee and the organization.
Identifying interests and skills are the most difficult role as some employee may not open up and give accurate information. This may lead to the development of careers that don’t match their skills. The easiest is the directing because the managers use their experience to make informed decisions. Some manager resist to be involved in career management for fear of being blamed in-case the staff realized that they followed the wrong path. It took a manger to identify that I have excellent public relations skills and handle people very well. The manager encouraged me to develop that trait as it was an untapped added advantage I had.
References
Sims, R. (2006). Human Resource Development: Today and Tomorrow. Charlotte: IAP
