How to care for the development of employees so that it brings real benefits to the company? Discover 6 trends.

Starting point – current competency assessment

It is worth starting with a solid assessment of an employee's current competencies to see which are already at the right level and support daily tasks, and which need strengthening. This creates a development plan that is clearly linked to the individual's scope of duties and responsibilities. It also includes very specific actions designed to bring satisfaction, a sense of agency, and effectiveness.

Employees are increasingly taking these matters into their own hands. It is no longer just the HR department telling them how to develop; they are setting their own goals, often following the guidance of their leaders. However, HR still plays an important role in this process by suggesting which development support tools are currently worth using.

Development tailored to individual needs and preferences

Of course, when planning development, it is always worth considering individual circumstances, preferences, and needs, such as learning style, available time, temperament, or the specific area or competency to be developed. Previously, when talking about employee development, soft and hard skills were taken into account. Now, the focus is on human skills (those essential for collaboration) and technical skills (those required for a specific position). More and more companies are ensuring that from the very beginning, every employee is also developed in leadership areas, so that they potentially have the opportunity to pursue that path in the future if it proves more attractive to them than an expert track.

Trends in employee development

1. Training for the entire team increasingly covers only mandatory areas, such as procedures, processes, or skills required of everyone, e.g., sales skills.
2. There is a move away from lecture-based forms of information delivery. Employees can read basic knowledge or listen to it in a short webinar format.
3. The focus is on development through experience and the rapid implementation of acquired skills. The more an employee can try and test new skills, the greater the chance they will apply them in their daily work.
4. Flexible forms of development are being sought, keeping in mind the time availability and attention spans of employees, who generally suffer from overstimulation and reduced efficiency. Different forms are combined to be both attractive to the employee and effective. Knowledge is supplemented with a short online course, while the skills portion is practiced during business simulations. Reinforcement occurs through regular action learning (development groups where participants work on real challenges).
5. More and more companies are turning to new technology solutions that were unthinkable just a few years ago, such as VR (virtual reality) and augmented reality. Everything that can help is valuable, especially in the area of acquiring the knowledge necessary for a given position. Naturally, this is best done quickly and without requiring additional resources, primarily in terms of money and time.
6. Regular feedback is becoming essential. It is one of the simplest development tools to implement, helping to build a culture of feedback not only from manager to employee, but also in the other direction and among peers.

Development tools – take your pick

Employees, HR departments, and leaders alike have many options for supporting professional development. Currently, the most popular include:

• professional and personal development course platforms, such as Youniversity and many others, including those offered by prestigious universities. This format allows for learning at your own pace and on your own schedule.
• tailor-made workshops and training sessions for specific teams, or open sessions where employees can not only expand their knowledge and practice new skills but also build their professional network. An example of this would be a negotiation course, which is useful not only in sales but in virtually every aspect of life.
• access to knowledge databases like Legimi, which allow employees to develop on their own terms, offering thousands of ebooks and audiobooks. They can be used on the way to work or during a lunch break. Anyone can access their chosen topics at any time.
• language courses, which provide not only the opportunity to further expand knowledge but also to build business networks – available, for example, on the ESKK
• platform.
• coaching and mentoring – highly effective development methods that give employees the chance to work deeply on their behaviors and attitudes. They can develop those that support them in their current role and, looking ahead, prepare them for the next step in their career.
• job shadowing and job swapping – internal company initiatives that allow employees to experience work in other areas or roles within their workplace. For a period of time, they can step into a role that is potentially interesting to them to see what skills are required and whether it is a path worth pursuing.
• projects and new tasks – one of the best forms of development, as it expands an employee's comfort zone. We invite them to take on a new challenge where they can use their existing skills while simultaneously having the opportunity to develop new competencies.
• expanding responsibilities – for example, by gaining greater visibility in leadership or board meetings, leading an area, process, or project, or becoming an expert in a chosen field or topic.
• consistently and always, feedback from supervisors and colleagues. The more often I receive clear, specific, and fact-based information, the faster I have the chance to implement changes in my behavior, actions, or attitudes. Reinforcing what I do well is also a signal that I am heading in the right direction and contributing to the success of the company or team. And that has a huge impact on engagement and motivation.

The employee-manager dialogue is the foundation of employee development

There are certainly a few more methods or ways to develop employees. However, the key to this process is always the manager's time spent checking in and talking with the employee about their skills, motivation, and expectations. As Blanchard's situational leadership model shows, employees can be at different levels of development depending on the processes and projects they are involved in. The manager's task is to match the appropriate support and development methods to maintain motivation and provide opportunities to develop key skills. This does not require a huge time investment, because if a manager has built the habit of talking to the employee regularly (not just once or twice a year when the appraisal process requires it), they will quite easily notice what the employee might need. Only by talking and clarifying the expectations of both parties can you build a tailor-made development plan for a specific employee, which will translate into their satisfaction, performance level, and, ultimately, company results.

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Bibliography:
www.kenblanchard.com/Solutions/SLII