Starting point — current competency assessment

It is worth starting with a solid assessment of the current competencies of the employee, to check which ones are already at the proper level and support in the implementation of daily tasks, and which ones need strengthening. This is how it is formed development plan, which is clearly connected with the scope of duties and responsibilities of a person. It also contains very specific activities that are intended to bring satisfaction, a sense of efficiency and effectiveness.

Increasingly, employees are taking matters into their own hands. It is no longer the HR department that tells them how to develop, but they themselves set the next goals, often following the voice of the leaders. Personnel, however, continue to play an important role in this process, suggesting which tools to support development are currently worth reaching for.

Development tailored to individual needs and preferences

Of course, when planning development, it is always worth taking into account individual conditions, preferences and needs, such as learning style, available time, temperament or specifically the area - competence to be developed. So far, when talking about employee development, soft and hard competencies have been taken into account. Now we are talking about human skills (human skills - that is, those that are necessary in cooperation) and technical skills - required in a given position. More and more companies make sure that from the very beginning each employee also develops in the areas of leadership skills, so that potentially in the future they have the opportunity to enter this path as well, if it is more attractive to them than the expert one.

Trends in employee development

1. Training for the whole team is increasingly focused only on mandatory areas, i.e. procedures, processes or skills required of everyone, e.g. sales skills.
2. We are moving away from lecturing forms of information transmission. Employees can read or listen to the basic knowledge in a short form at the webinar.
3. It focuses on development through experience and rapid implementation of acquired skills in the work. The more an employee can try and test new skills, the greater the chance that they will apply them in their daily work.
4. Flexible forms of development are sought, taking into account the availability of time and the ability to focus the attention of employees, who, as a rule, suffer from overwork and reduced efficiency. Different forms are combined so that, on the one hand, it is attractive to the employee and at the same time effective. The knowledge is complemented by a short online course and the skills section is practiced during a business simulation. Reinforcement takes place through regular action learning (development groups, where participants work on real challenges).
5. More and more companies are reaching for solutions in the field of new technologies that until a few years ago were completely unthinkable, such as VR (virtual reality) augmented reality. What counts is everything that can help, especially in the area of acquiring the necessary knowledge for a given position. Of course, preferably in a fast way and without requiring additional expenses, primarily financial and time.
6. Regular feedback is essential. It is one of the simplest development tools that is worth using, creating a culture of feedback not only on the line of supervisors-employee, but also in the other direction and among colleagues.

Development tools — from selection to color

Employees, HR departments and leaders have many opportunities to support employee development. Currently, the most popular of them are:

• platforms with professional and development courses, such as e.g. Youniversity or many others, also offered by prestigious universities. This form allows you to acquire knowledge at your own pace and at the chosen time.
• workshops and trainings tailored to the needs of a given team or open, where the employee can not only expand knowledge and practice new skills, but also build a network of contacts. An example can be here Negotiation course, which will be useful not only in sales, but practically in every aspect of life.
• access to type knowledge bases Legimi, which enable employees to grow on their own and on their own terms, giving them thousands of ebooks and audiobooks to choose from. They can be used on the way to work or when going out for lunch. Everyone reaches for the chosen topic at any time.
• language courses, thanks to which you gain not only the opportunity to further expand your knowledge, but also to network business contacts - available, among others, on the platform ESKK.
• coaching and mentoring — very effective development methods that give the employee the opportunity to work deeply with their behavior and attitudes. He can develop those that support him in his current position, and in the future, also prepare him for the next step in his career.
• job shadowing, job swap — activities within the company, thanks to which employees can experience activities from other areas or positions in their place of employment. For a while, you can step into a role that is potentially interesting to him/her, to see what skills are required here and if it is at all something worth aiming for.
• projects, new tasks - one of the best forms of development - expanding the comfort zone of the employee. We invite him to take up a new challenge, in which he will be able to use the skills he has so far, but at the same time - he will have the opportunity to develop other competencies.
• conferences, industry meetings — this is also an opportunity to expand knowledge and collide with other views and novelties. Such events certainly support and develop curiosity in employees.
• expanding responsibility - through the possibility, among others, of greater visibility at leadership or board meetings, managing an area, process or project, being an expert in a selected area, topic.
• constant and constant feedback from the supervisor and from colleagues. The more often information comes to me that is clear, concrete and fact-based, the sooner I have a chance to implement changes in my behavior, actions or attitudes. Strengthening what I do well is also a signal that I am going in the right direction, contributing to the success of the company or team. And this has a huge impact on engagement and motivation.

Worker-manager dialogue a cornerstone in employee development

There will probably be a few more methods or ways to develop employees. However, the key in this process is always the manager's time to check and talk to the employee about their skills, motivation and expectations. As Blanchard's model of situational leadership shows, employees can be at different levels of development depending on the processes and projects in which they are involved. The manager's job is to match the right support and development methods to maintain motivation and give a chance to develop key skills. This does not require a great expenditure of time, because if a manager has a built habit of talking to an employee regularly (not just once or twice a year, when the assessment process requires it), then he will be quite efficient at noticing what the employee may need. Only by talking and explaining the expectations of both parties can you build a tailor-made development plan for a specific employee, which will translate into their satisfaction and level of performance and, as a result, the results of the company.

Bibliography:
www.kenblanchard.com/Solutions/SLII