6 Cs of Culture: Career
What makes an exceptional organizational culture?
The last five blogs in our 6 Cs of Culture series have described common environmental components that are consistently integrated into the ethos of engaging, motivating workplaces.
They include:
In the final post of our series, I’ll discuss Career and share how a focus on long-term development can have a significant influence on a strong and secure climate.
What Is the Impact of Career?
This element of culture considers both the progression of short-term steps taken to achieve long-term professional goals as well as ongoing learning designed to support the growth and success of an individual beyond technical skills and needs.
According to McKinsey research, a lack of career development and advancement opportunities was one of the top three reasons staff left their jobs. Specifically, personnel reported that they:
- Could not achieve their career goals
- Did not have advancement potential
- Felt that their workplace did not invest in their knowledge, skills and abilities
Turnover is costly for business, and with the average tenure of an employee steadily declining, it has become increasingly important for employers to offer programming that has the potential to bolster staff loyalty. The good news is that retention is 34% higher among workers who have growth opportunities.
In addition to supporting the bottom line, investing in ongoing learning supports the long-term success of the company and individuals. Gartner estimates that 58% of the workforce needs new proficiencies to get their jobs done, and the skills gaps are only likely to widen with artificial intelligence rapidly changing the workforce. Delivering development opportunities can bridge the gaps, while also supporting talent by improving workers’ sense of well-being, lowering anxiety and increasing confidence.
What Does a Growth-Oriented Culture Look Like?
When career development is a priority, leaders and personnel will consistently agree with the following sentiments:
#1 – Leadership invests in learning to ensure staff have ample opportunities for continuous growth.
#2 – The organization utilizes a performance management system to track goals, define guidelines for advancement and ensure regular reviews.
#3 – Employees are encouraged to participate in learning initiatives and given time during the workday to engage in continuing education.
#4 – Future-of-work trends are integrated into training programs to ensure the workforce stays up to date on important changes in their industries.
#5 – Personnel can quickly recall the last time someone spoke to them about their career goals and skills development needs.
#6 – Supervisors partner with Human Resources or Learning & Development professionals to identify growth opportunities and support career pathing for staff.
#7 – C-suite executives prioritize upskilling and reskilling for the workforce.
#8 – Managers receive training to learn to empower individuals and give effective feedback.
#9 – There are clear guidelines and standards in place to outline how employees may advance in their careers.
#10 – Staff and leaders adopt a growth mindset in every aspect of their work.
What Is One Tip to Support this C of Culture?
To integrate learning and career development into the ethos of the organization, start by encouraging open conversations about professional aspirations. Use the outline below to surface the interests and priorities of your team members by relating to each of the Emergenetics Attributes.
7 Questions to Optimize Growth Conversations:
- What skills would be most valuable to your career progression?
- In what ways do you learn best?
- Who could serve as a mentor to support your aspirations?
- What does your dream role look like?
- What personal inquiry or discussions would you like to have to identify your next steps?
- At what pace are you hoping to get to the next level in your profession?
- Are you firm about your path forward or are you curious about multiple occupations?
Emergenetics Associates – To advocate for the importance of continued learning, login to Emergenetics+ and visit the My Library section to view our webinar Convince the CFO: Successfully Selling Emergenetics Webinar.
The talking points above can support a meaningful dialogue to outline next steps and opportunities to achieve professional ambitions, which will positively enhance the organization’s culture and employee engagement.
To continue building a climate that empowers staff to be successful in their careers – or to amplify any of the 6 Cs – we invite you to download our Culture Fitness Toolkit, where you will find resources and actionable suggestions to guide you on your way to a stronger workplace climate.
Download our toolkit today or fill out the form below to speak with one of our team members about how Emergenetics can advance career development in your company or school!
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