Career Development Creates Engaged Employees #8212; but Only if They Know about It

Career Development Creates Engaged Employees 8212 but Only if They Know about It Ive written about this in the past, but a new eBook on employee engagement and retention by HR-tech company iCIMSproves this particularconversation isnt over the American workforce really wants career development and training opportunities.Typically, its one of the top things that candidates and employees care about, says Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer of iCIMS. While some folks assume that salary is the only thing that people care about, or a good relationship with management, career development is really one of the top workplace perks that appeals to candidates. As the eBook Increase Employee Engagement and Retention points out, 49 percent of employees prefer to work for organizations that emphasize untersttzung and nurture their career development. Offering development opportunities can lead to more produc tive, engaged, and loyal employees.And yet, heres the problem while most employers believe they are offering development opportunities (e.g., 63 percent say they offer internal training programs see the eBook for more specific stats), 50 percent of employees report that their employers do bedrngnis offer sufficient career development training. Part of the reason for the dissonance between employer and employee feelings on this subject stems from employer anxieties, Vitale says. I think some employers might be nervous that an employee will go learn a new skill or technology and then jump ship and go somewhere else, because thats something else to add to their resume, she explains.But, she goes on, behauptung anxieties are often unfounded In reality, a lot of time employees are far more loyal than employees give them credit for. Once they learn something on behalf of the company, on the company dime, they really do want to use that within their walls, assuming that they have a good re lationship otherwise and are engaged. (Bonus point career development opportunities that teach employees these new skills and technologies are exactly the kind of things that keep employees engaged, so theres really no reason not to offer development opportunities.)However, employer anxieties are not the major source of dissonance, Vitale says. Rather, the employer/employee divide on sufficient career development training largely stems from miscommunication. That is, a lot of companies do offer development opportunities but employees may not know exactly what they are or how to access them. I think that communication is probably at the core of this issue, Vitale says. Its either communication about whats available, or what people really want, or about really making sure that people realize what kind of development opportunities are at the core of what the company is expecting.Bridging the Communication GapOne thing employers have to do is make sure theyre on the same page as employ ees regarding the types of career development available at the company. In some cases, employers might feel like theyre giving those opportunities in softer ways. Maybe its not formalized training, Vitale says. But maybe the employees are looking for development opportunities to get them on a management path, for example, and employers just arent doing that. Instead, theyre giving functional training.It is crucial that employers make clear what they mean when they say development opportunities e.g., formal conferences or informal training leadership pathways or functional skills. That being said, employers need to be careful that they are not simply dictating what counts as career development in their offices thats a good way to lose employeeswho can find the kinds of opportunities they want elsewhere.While making current offerings explicit, employers also need to listen to what their employees want. I think that employers are offering development opportunities, but sometimes they re just not keeping up with what employees view as development opportunities, Vitale says. They need to kind of peel back the layers a little bit and make sure that everybody understands what is described as development opportunities.The burden of creating and delivering development opportunities does not need to be entirely on employers shoulders. Oftentimes, organizations have line items for training opportunities, Vitale says. But maybe the managers or the directors of the departments arent proactively sharing that with the employees.If an employer does have development opportunities in the budget, they need to make sure employees are aware of this. This way, employees can find conferences, classes, and other desired opportunities outside the walls of the office. Certainly a manager should be on the hunt for those opportunities for employees, but I dont think a lot of employees realize that, they can serve something like that up to a manager and say This looks like a really good opportunity. Id love to go, because I think it will be useful for me, and Ill come back with X, Y, Z, Vitale says.Employers may allow these sorts of things, but their employees might not know that. So organizations need to be clear with employees about policies regarding external career development opportunities. If an employer does not currently a lot money for such training, it would be wise to start doing so that is, as long as the employer wants to retain great, engaged employees.The Power of Mentors in ParticularWhile all manner of career development opportunities exist, there is one that employees find especially desirable beratership. Despite this, very few employees can lay claim to having a mentor. Weve seen that about half of employees think that mentors will help them develop, but only about 17 percent report having a mentor today, Vitale explains.Vitale says that mentors are so important to many employees because they can offer valuable, frank insights based on persona l and professional experiences. Mentors can offer candid feedback about not just the employee, but the employees career plans, whats happening at the company, etc, she says. I think its somewhat desired because, often times, you might go home after a rough day and complain to your significant other, or a roommate, or parent, or whomever, but they cant really dial in on how to address the problem in the same way that somebody whose been there, done that can. Being able to have not just someone to vent to, but someone who can give really critical feedback things that really are constructive for and individuals growth is really important.Many a top executive and business expert would concur with Vitales beliefs about the power and importance of the mentor. As Warren Bennis, founding chairman of the Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California, told Fast Company in 2003 My mentorpulled qualities from me that I didnt know were present. He not only recognized my potenti al, but he also gave me confidence. And he made it clear to people that I was a guy to watch. (The whole article is worth a read, with leaders from a variety of fields weighing in on their experiences with mentors.)Some companies help employees find mentors by pairing newcomers with seasoned vetsthrough a formal program. However, companies lacking such a program can still help by encouraging managers to act in mentor-esque ways. This is especially helpful for new hires. An employee can have a better new-hire experience, from an onboarding perspective, if their manager is not just the process king, but instead is somebody who helps you develop, who understands what your challenges are, and really is seen as a bit more of a mentor, Vitale explains.While managers can certainly help employees grow and develop, Vitale points out that they cant exactly fulfill all of the functions of mentors. Sometimes, a competitive office setup, where promotions are limited,can prevent managers and empl oyees from having mentor/mentee relationships. Even lacking such a competitive structure, mentors and managers still play very different roles. You want to have a separate relationship with your mentor than you have with your manager, Vitale says. The mentor should be able to tell it like it is, how it is, maybe even tell you when they think your manager is doing something wrong or maybe could do something better, and your manager could certainly have clouded judgment around that.A mentor needs to be able to be a little more durchschaubar than a manager is allowed to be by most companies standards. To get a truly authentic mentoring experience, I personally think that a non-manager might be the right person for that, Vitale says.This, however, does not mean that employers should not encourage mentor-esque relationships between employees and managers. The manager-as-mentor may not be able to do everything a mentor can, but they can still be valuable assets to employees. A lot of folk s assume that you can only have one mentor, and theres absolutely nothing wrong with having more than one, Vitale says. Sometimes you have an internal mentor who helps you figure out and navigate the bureaucracies or the politics of an organization and helps ensure that you get properly onboarded, understand the culture, and understand the nuances within a particular organization.Other times, an employee may need to look to an external mentor The reality is, employees dont stay within one company forever, Vitale says. More often than not, they jump around every couple of years, so to have one sort of constant external mentor outside of your personal manager for ongoing development, somebody who can give you a bit of outside perspective, I think is tremendously helpful.Again, as important as mentors are, some companies do not have formal mentorship programs. For employees looking to find non-manager mentors, Vitale suggests initiating a relationship with a potential mentor. The ch allenge, I think, is that employees expect mentors to go up to them and suggest being their mentor, Vitale says. In reality, a lot of that falls on the individual, to go out, find a mentor more importantly, make sure that theyre not wasting the mentors time. Asking a mentor to lunch, an then just saying What kind of advice do you have for me? is really not productive. Instead, asking very specific questions about somebodys previous experience, or about the challenges the individual faces, can go a long way.

Tips About Dealing with Problems When There Is No HR

Tips About Dealing with Problems When There Is No HRTips About Dealing with Problems When There Is No HRHow can employees deal with issues and problems when there is no Human Resources staff to confide in and seek help or assistance in addressing common problems. Is it even legal for a retail store not to have an HR department? These questions were asked by a reader and, as often is the case, you may seek these answers, too. Problems With Not Providing HR in an Organization Its certainly possible and more common than it should be for companies of any sort to reach 50 employees withno dedicated HR part. And, unfortunately, many companies that do begin to have HR at about that stage, do so by saying, Hey, Jane, youre now in charge of HR. Jane became in charge of HR usually because she was already performing some HR functions such as paying employees, often from the finance department. Jane has no real training in HR, but she says, What the heck, this is easy enough. Hiring, firing. Got it. HR does far more than that, but without an experienced person on board, its tough to know what you need to do. Only an experienced HR person understands and can accomplish the full breadth of the job. For instance, several laws kick in when you employ 50 people, like theFamily Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Once you have 50 employees within a 50 miles radius, youre subject to those laws, even if no one knows what they are or how to administer them. Of course, you, as an employee, cant make your bosses see the value in a dedicated HR manager, but just because there isnt one, doesnt mean that the functions arent done. For instance, just because you have no HR manager doesnt mean that if you have a baby or get cancer, you arent entitled to take up to 12 weeks off for recovery. If your coworker is sexually harassing you, the company is still obligated to stop the harassment, even without an HR manager to conduct the investigation. In other words, not having an HR manager is a pain i n the neck for the management team, but it shouldnt be for the employees. It doesnt always work correctly (and, that is why you should think about dedicated HR before you reach 50 employees), which can leave the employees feeling they have nowhere to turn. What to Do if You Have No HR Manager Heres what you can do in this situation. Remember that HR is never the boss. While its nice to have an HR manager, they arent the saviors for bad management. A good HR manager will listen to employees, investigate problems, and ensure proper application of all relevant laws. But, an HR manager only has as much power as her boss gives her. So, if an HR manager says to the boss, The scheduling is unfair and a violation of federal law because men are given the best shifts, and the boss says, Well, I dont care, theres nothing she can do about it other than report it to the proper federal or state agency. You can do this as well. You can report problems to your boss. In many companies, even with HR departments, thefirst step for any problem is the direct supervisor and then the bosss boss. In your case, since there is no HR department at all, you must use this reporting technique. If your direct supervisor is the problem, you can report the issue to her boss, all the way up to the president of the company. If the company president wont address the problem, remember, he wouldnt do it if an HR manager existed either. Educate yourself. While HR managers are really there to protect the business, good ones know that a business is most successful when the employees are treated well. Without that help, you can feel alone. Its possible to educate yourself on your rights. Start with the HR content on TheBalanceCareers.com. Another source that is highly recommended is employment attorney, Donna Ballmans book, Stand Up For Yourself Without Getting Fired Resolve Workplace Crises Before You Quit, Get Axed or Sue the Bastards. Ballmans book should be on every employees bookshelf, but es pecially on yours, since you have no HR department. Ask management who the dedicated HR person is. While there isnt an HR manager, somebody has to do those tasks. Somebody has to make job offers and determine salaries. Someone has to fill out the leave of absence paperwork. Somebody has to make the decision on company health insurance. That person should be the most knowledgeable about what is going on, even if she isnt well versed in what an HR manager should do. Go ahead and speak to that person about your concerns and questions. You may find that their experience can help you. Hopefully, the management at your company will realize that whatever money they save by not paying for an HR manager, they are losing in not having a skilled person running the people side of things. Just one lawsuit can cripple a small business, possibly forever- far more than paying a professional to handle the HR tasks. - - - - - - - - - - - - Suzanne Lucas is a freelance journalist specializing in Huma n Resources. Suzannes work has been featured on notes publications including Forbes, CBS, Business Insider and Yahoo.