Chapter 3: Application Component of Career Development
Chapter 3: Application Component in Career Development
Understanding as well as finding mechanisms to influence the careers of the employee has become a critical component in contemporary organizations. More than ever before, employees and the modern organizations they work for must adapt to change if they are to experience success as well as competitive advantage. The past decade has witnessed a turbulent environment, and every indication is that the future environment will be no different. The future will witness rapid change, increased competition due to globalization, and continued changes in employment relations. Contemporary organizations need employees who can grow and change correspondingly regardless of the type of work. Contemporary organizations need to assist its employees in being better prepared for new responsibilities within the organization, enhance the employability of the employees over the long-term, and understand how employees make decisions about future work, and this underscores the necessity and importance of career development. The concepts and theories of career development discussed in chapter two can be applied in the situation of career development in contemporary organizations.
The two practical issues that are identified in this context, following anti discrimination laws, globalization, organizational behavior issues and diversity management are (1) The Glass Ceiling Effect and (2) Work life Balance. The paper intends to attempt a concise explanation of the issues and then proceed to apply the theoretical concepts discussed in the last chapter as applied to these issues.
The glass ceiling effect is a term to explain the invisible barrier to employment of women and minorities and their advancement in career especially in managerial and leadership positions. A barrier for restricting women’s advancement simply because they are women and not because they are short of the ability to handle jobs at higher levels (Powell, G. N., & Butterfield, D. A. 1994). Although significant steps have been taken to address the glass ceiling effect in contemporary organizations, there are significant barriers that hinder the success of the measures taken. Modern organizations need to realize the need for career development for today’s diverse workforce. The glass ceiling effect has for long hindered the progress of minorities and women in the workplace, and this hinders their professional development. The glass-ceiling effect in the modern workplace can be dealt with by constantly promoting women and minorities when vacant positions arise in the organization. The role of the manager as discussed in chapter two is to identify vacant positions and identify employees who can fill the positions. The managers can therefore, identify and prioritize women and minority groups so that they can be promoted in the workplace as a way of dealing with the glass-ceiling effect.
Work Life Balance
Litano and Major (2015) note that professional development for the modern workforce must be managed effectively by taking a “whole-life” approach. Modern organizations need to realize that employees are making decisions about their careers by taking into account non-work elements. One of the major factors that employees are taking into consideration is a work-family balance. Although the career development theories discussed in chapter two underscore the importance of workers taking charge of their careers to achieve career goals, contemporary organizations are becoming active partners in the process of professional development. According to Litano and Major (2015), contemporary organizations have realized that they are critical components of career development and the management is taking an active interest in accomplishing it. In chapter two of this paper, the concept of succession planning was discussed, and this concept can be applied while selecting an employee for a certain role so that they can successfully fulfill the demands of the new role.
Career Development theories applied to Practical issues
No theory is complete unless its relevance and applications are verified in practical situations. In the following paragraphs the impact of theories discussed in the previous chapter has been discussed with relation to actual cases in contemporary organizations
Trait-factor Theory
The trait-factor theory can be applied to the contemporary organization to steer career development. Most contemporary organizations demonstrate a commitment to the process of career development by implementing various professional development programs. The commitment ranges from policies that address diversity and other professional development related issues. For example, Ernest and Young promote career development through learning, experiences, and coaching. Ernest and Young’s career development program is aimed and providing the employees with confidence, knowledge as well as skills to take charge of their careers. The professional services firm believes that employees should be left to carve their career paths as this means that the business and the clients will benefit (Ernest and Young, 2015). The approach used by Ernest and Young to steer career development in line with Frank Parson’s trait-factor theory that emphasizes the need for self-awareness in the process of career development. If employees are given the freedom to construct their career paths, then chances are they will identify their interests and limitations that Parson emphasizes in his theory and advance their careers.
Glass Ceiling effect- Researchers have published findings which point to the fact that even qualified women have been passed over for promotions in favor of male candidates for managerial positions. Using the same approach as that of Ernest and Young for career development of deserving Women and Minorities by allowing them to carve their own career charts so that they are aware of their interests and limitations and apply realistic goals and ambitions.
Work Life Balance- Using the same theory, an aspiring manager should be given the freedom to decide his own career path so that he can apply the work life balance component for successful career development without compromising on his personal interests.
Theory of Vocational Personalities in Work Environment
Line managers play a substantial role in the process of career development in contemporary organizations. Contemporary organizations can apply John Holland’s theory of vocational personalities to promote career development by holding line managers accountable. The line managers are responsible for the organizations regarding enhancing diversity in all strategic business plans. The line managers are responsible for performance appraisals of the workforce (Werner & DeSimone, 2011). Holland in his theory emphasized that their personality influences a person's career. The line manager through the performance appraisals can find out if an employee’s personality fits their career and advise them. Moreover, in chapter two, it was revealed that the managers play a major role in career development; in contemporary organizations, the manager should play this function by providing employees with the relevant feedback from the performance appraisal on how their personality can enhance their career development.
The Glass ceiling effect –It has been observed that in performance appraisal exercises, men have been provided feedback on their performance as a method to address their shortcomings for advancement in career. Women on the contrary are seldom provided feedback as a means to prepare them for career development. If women and minorities are informed in performance appraisal exercises the roles their personalities are suited for, conflicts occurring because of sidelining women and minorities in promotions and succession planning can be avoided.
Work life Balance – Candidates identified for succession planning may have to undergo intensive training programs which may leave them with little time for personal commitments. As a result work life balance may suffer. Line managers can determine whether vocational responsibilities match personalities of the employees and whether they are competent enough to carry out vocational roles singled out for them.
Social Learning Theory
The social learning theory also conceptualized in chapter two can also be applied in the case of career development in contemporary organizations. Bandura in this theory posits that employees develop in their careers through interactions and constant learning. A contemporary organization should, therefore, provide an environment that encourages employees to enhance their skills continuously through learning. For example, Ernest and Young is an example of an organization that supports learning and hence promoting the career development of the employees. Learning is focused on building the employees skills in a way that suits the organizations and the employee.
The social learning theory can also be applied regarding determining the employee and organizational goals since they both have to benefit from the process of career development. It is of merit to note that although it is hard for contemporary organizations to make promises to the workforce about their job security, they can implement career development programs that will help the employee meet the needs of a rapidly changing global market (Barrett & Mayson, 2008). However, the application of this theory can help employees deal with the challenges of the contemporary workplace because they will be equipped with the tools through the learning activities implemented by the organization. In a society that treats women as equals, men too are not reluctant to take orders from a woman, which is one of the causes of the glass ceiling
Social learning theory applied to work life balance implies that in a society where families and personal relations are given importance, career development is more balanced with a consideration for obtaining a balance between work and personal commitments.
Benefits of Career Development
The role of the employee, manager, and the organization were examined in chapter two, particularly how they can work as a team to enhance career development. If each of the parties in career development plays their roles effectively, then the process of career development in the contemporary workplace can result in various benefits.
Employee Benefits
Jehanzeb and Bashir (2013) note that career development for the contemporary workforce can result in three benefits. These advantages are career competencies, employee satisfaction, and performance. The skills that one gains through a career development program the more career competent for the current contemporary workplace as well as the future. The other benefit of career development to employees is that it results in employee satisfaction because the employees realize that the organization cares about them; this is because career development programs act as an intrinsic reward towards the employees. Moreover, career development also helps the employees enhance their performance because they have the relevant skills to reach their potential (Jehanzeb & Bashir, 2013).
Organizational Benefits
A contemporary organization that also seeks to develop its employees to implement career programs also experiences benefits such as market growth, improved performance, and employee retention. The market growth of a modern organization can be partly attributed to the career competencies of the employees. Organizational performance, on the other hand, also results from the productivity of the employees and strategic position of business in the market. An employee who is trained and developed will be productive, and this will increase the performance of the organization (Jehanzeb & Bashir, 2013). Kyndt, Dochy, and Michielsen (2009) underscore the importance of employee retention in the functioning as well as the competitiveness of a company. Employee retention is facilitated through career development programs.
Summary
This chapter was for application purposes where the content comprehended in chapter two of the paper was applied in real a real world situation. It uses the concept of career development as well as the theories to discuss the aspect of career development in contemporary organizations. The other part of the paper examines the mechanisms that are used to steer career development in contemporary organizations by application of theories of career development.
A majority of contemporary organizations have career development programs in place because of the realization of the importance of the programs not only for the organizations but also to the employees. It is critical that the career development program for a contemporary organization focuses on the entire workforce rather than selected personnel and reflects the needs of the workforce. Contemporary organizations should, therefore, demonstrate a commitment to ensure that their employees are well equipped to meet the ever-changing needs of the workplace and to influence individual perceptions about women and careers.
References
Barrett, R., & Mayson, S. (2008). International handbook of entrepreneurship and HRM. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
Ernest and Young, (2015); EY - Your development, Ey.com Retrieved from http://www.ey.com/US/en/Careers/Students/Your-development#fragment-1-na
Jehanzeb, K., & Bashir, A. (2013); Training and Development Program and its Benefits to Employee and Organization: A Conceptual Study. European Journal of Business and Management, 5(2), 243-252. Retrieved from http://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/EJBM/article/view/3947/4005
Kyndt, E., Dochy, F., Michielsen, M., & Moeyaert, B. (2009); Employee Retention: Organizational and Personal Perspectives. Vocations and Learning, 2(3), 195-215. Retrieved from https://lirias.kuleuven.be/bitstream/123456789/235462/2/Kyndt
Litano, M., & Major, D. (2015); Facilitating a Whole-Life Approach to Career Development: The Role of Organizational Leadership. Journal of Career Development, 43(1), 52-65. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/272379198_Facilitating_a_Whole-Life_Approach_to_Career_Development
Powell, G. N., & Butterfield, D. A. (1994); Investigating the “glass ceiling” phenomenon: An empirical study of actual promotions to top management, Academy of Management Journal, 37(1), 68-86
Werner, J., & DeSimone, R. (2011); Human resource development (6th Ed), Boston MA: Cengage Learning.
