HR & Recruitment

1d

5 Ways Companies Can Reduce Employee Turnover And Retain Top Talent

According to Gallup, self-reported employee turnover risk is at its highest since 2015. Gallup's survey shows over half of employees intend to look for a new job or are actively doing so. Eagle Hill Consulting's latest report confirms this data, suggesting that employee turnover may rise early next year.

That's unfortunate for organizations struggling to find top talent, as employee turnover is... a costly problem. Conservative estimates indicate that the cost of replacing an employee can range from one-half to two times their annual salary. A 100-person company with an average annual salary of $50,000 equates to turnover and replacement costs of anywhere from $660,000 to $2.6 million per year. Losing key talent has other potential negative side effects:

Fortunately, voluntary employee turnover is preventable. Over half of employees who resign say their manager or company could have done something to prevent them from leaving their jobs. Let's review five ways companies can improve the employee experience to reduce turnover.

Corporate training is a strategic investment that empowers employees and keeps them engaged. LinkedIn's 2023 Workplace Learning Report indicates that organizations investing in employee development experience 32% higher employee retention rates and a 28% increase in employee satisfaction. Career development is so important that according to Korn Ferry's Talent Acquisition Trends survey, 67% of professionals would stay in a job they hated if they were offered advancement and upskilling opportunities. Training and development also have a positive impact on the bottom line. A 2022 Deloitte study found that, on average, a 1% increase in learning and development (L&D) spending correlated to a 0.2% increase in business revenue. That means that every $1 invested per employee resulted in an additional $4.70 in revenue.

There are many ways to improve career development and reduce employee turnover:

Employees thrive in environments where they feel appreciated and supported. Yet, employees' mental well-being is at an all-time low. More than half of U.S. workers are experiencing some level of burnout. When employees burn out, they are disengaged, absent more often and more likely to quiet quit or leave the company.

Here are a few ways organizations can prioritize employee health and wellness:

Juggling work and home life can be a struggle -- especially for those with caregiving responsibilities. When companies support work-life balance, it promotes productivity, improves wellness and reduces employee turnover. It even has another unexpected benefit -- increasing diversity. According to data published in Harvard Business Review, when organizations offer family leave, childcare support, and flexible schedules to all workers, the percentage of women and people of color in management rises significantly.

These practices help ensure that you support your workforce's work-life balance:

Research by MIT's Sloan School of Management found that toxic work culture is the leading predictor of attrition. Some elements contributing to toxic cultures include failure to promote DEI, employees feeling disrespected and unethical behavior. The employee turnover resulting from toxic work cultures can be costly. According to one estimate, toxic environments cost U.S. employers almost $50 billion in turnover per year before the Great Resignation.

To create a positive work culture, employers can take specific steps:

Educating managers on practicing supportive and empathetic leadership will create a positive work culture that makes employees want to stay.

People want to feel valued for a job well done. That's why recognition is one of the simplest ways to boost employee retention. In a study by OC Tanner, 79% of employees who quit mentioned a lack of appreciation as a key factor.

There are many ways to reward employees for the work they do:

When implementing any recognition program, consider the needs and preferences of your workforce. In return, employees will reward you with engagement, productivity and loyalty.

Many sources signal a potential increase in voluntary employee turnover in the coming months. To prevent a loss of top talent, employers should monitor employee sentiment, enhance recognition programs and boost workplace culture. Most importantly, invest in promoting well-being and professional growth. When employees feel supported, they are more likely to be productive, engaged and committed to their work. more

HR & Recruitment

1d

Succession Management: 11 Steps For Success in 2025

2

HR & Recruitment

4d

Avoid Costly Hiring Mistakes by Spotting These Employee Warning Signs

I'm not going to lie: I've had some tough experiences lately with people I brought on board with my growing public relations firm. I've been disappointed by performance results, misinformed about qualifications, and even felt betrayed by unexpected blasts of disloyalty.

All of this has led me to be much more careful in my hiring processes now, not with the unrealistic goal of a "guaranteed"... ideal choice (I've learned firsthand that there are no guarantees), but with a more informed, objective perspective that will hopefully lead to really good fits, fulfilled expectations, and, in turn, the strongest team I can assemble.

Don't let the same mistakes that tripped me up trip you up. Here are some flags to watch out for.

1. Wonky social media (or none at all). In my industry, social media takes center stage, so it's important for me to discover whether job applicants seem to know how to present themselves professionally online, how to be literate and intentional in doing so, and how to leverage the influence and reach of their chosen platforms.

I'm not saying to hire someone who isn't a social media pro; I'm saying that if you can't find any online presence these days, it can indicate that this individual isn't very tech-savvy or current. And if what you do find is quite silly, sloppy, or bordering on inappropriate, it's a good bet that this person won't know how to represent you appropriately either.

2. Too many "experiences." Today's workforce has different priorities than that of decades past. They're seeking flexibility, autonomy, rewards-based output, and opportunities for remote work. All of that is well and good ... to a point.

When a candidate seems to have all kinds of life, travel, and cultural experiences but a scarcity of actual job experience in their portfolio, it can signal that they're really not going to be a "nose to the grindstone" kind of worker who can stay focused and stay put for a while. Significant gaps in employment and detail discrepancies during the interview are clues to me that someone may be experience-seeking more than job-hunting.

3. Delayed response time. If the candidate doesn't reply within 24 hours of receiving notification from my firm that we're interested in learning more about them based on what they submitted for consideration, sorry, but they've already got one strike against them. I get that people have lives, families, and commitments, so if it's a weekend or the applicant is on vacation or adequately explains their tardiness when they reply, I allow some wiggle room here. But when someone's serious about a job, they hurry to the door that's just been opened on it. I'm only looking for serious candidates.

4. AI-generated résumé. This is a pretty new flag on my list because, of course, it's a new addition to the world of work. And although AI isn't going anywhere, there's a time and a place for it. I'm iffy on whether or not a résumé is that time and place.

A nice template, pre-named headers, strategically placed icons -- online résumé builders can certainly be a help for people who aren't desktop designers. But when it comes to the actual personal profile contained in the résumé, I seem to be able to spot AI-generated text from a mile away. It's stiff, it's overly formal, it lacks any personality at all, and thus, it doesn't contain the applicant's personal stamp at all. So, if I suspect AI has created the applicant's calling card, it won't necessarily knock them out of the running, but it will lead me to test their writing and information organization skills in another way (see next flag).

1. AI-generated writing samples. If the position you're filling calls for any type of writing, you'd be wise to assess the candidate's proficiency before hiring them. As mentioned above, AI is simply a reality of the workplace now (and an often-helpful reality at that), but when you're applying for a job? When writing -- especially promotional or creative writing -- will be part of that job? That's not the time to turn to AI because it does not reflect the person's skill.

So I've taken to running submitted writing samples through both an AI and a plagiarism checker, and I suggest you do the same; the results aren't iron-clad, but if the percentages are high enough, the candidate drops to the bottom of my list.

2. Lateness or improper attire at the interview. I work from home, you work from home, we all work from home! But you know what? Even when you're attending a job interview from home, you still need to dress the part. If you come to our Zoom meeting in a tank top or ratty sweatshirt, I have to assume that's how you'll come to meetings with my clients, too. That's just a no-go in my book.

And if I'm sitting in the meeting room waiting for the interviewee to join after our scheduled appointment time? Nope, nuh-uh, ain't gonna fly. Digital nomads living in converted buses may be all the rage, but punctuality and professionalism will never go out of style.

3. No experience in your industry. I kind of hate to say this because I really love giving people a chance and launching their careers, but when there's a specific role I need to fill instead of a generalized starter position, I really need that role occupied by someone who's played it before. They don't have to be at the top of their field, but they do need to understand the jargon, the mechanics of how it operates, and the results it's targeting.

A résumé -- particularly a computer-generated one -- can mislead; it can exaggerate, it can make simple and mundane things sound complex and lofty (e.g., "managed the company's communications" can mean "sorting the company's mail"). So now, instead of just hiring people on the subjective basis of "I like them!" or "They're so great!" (which I've done in the past more than I'd like to admit), I run a few "performance checks" on tasks the applicant would actually be fulfilling, and I have a bank of "What would you do?" case-study questions prepared to analyze the applicant's know-how. Measures like these will reveal if they have a background in your industry or not.

4. Too much job hopping. We no longer live in a business culture that values 40 years on the same job, followed by a gold watch, a going-away luncheon, and a lifetime pension, it's true. Although multiple jobs in a handful of years are often touted by HR personnel as evidencing "adaptability," "openness to learning," and even "ambition," these days, switching jobs often doesn't exactly breed confidence in business owners looking for dependability and stability.

Does the candidate have a justifiable reason for leaving the last job and the one before that? Do they blame or bad-mouth the employers instead of explaining why they chose to move on? Did they get fired? In the situation of a "job hopper," dig for answers -- dig rather deep -- for it's far better to learn that someone runs out on the check before you give them a seat at the table.

The employment market has changed dramatically since the time of the pandemic. Not too long ago, employers could pick and choose among so many qualified candidates, it could make you dizzy. Now? Not so much. Now, employees are in very high demand and thus hold the upper hand.

But that doesn't mean you're still not completely in charge of who you want to hire for your business. So notice the flags, heed their warnings, and trust your entrepreneurial instincts. It's worth the investment of time and effort to man the desk with your next extraordinary team member, not just a seat filler. more

2

Adrian Dennis

HR & Recruitment

5d

Good-Day to you all,

Is there any community on Industrial Relations, Labour / Employment Law and Business Law available to join?

Thank you for your kind responses in advance

1

Olabode Afurewaju
5d
Not sure you will find that here, but put an eye on jobberman i guess. Blessings;

HR & Recruitment

6d

Why mentoring in the hybrid era is key to employee engagement

Mentorship schemes are the key to employee engagement in the hybrid work era, as long as they are not used merely as an HR box-ticking exercise, argues Partha Gopalakrishnan.

The work-from-home revolution has forced managers and HR professionals onto new terrain.

Generations entering the workforce have new expectations, and employers need to meet them to retain the best talent.

In this... new working environment, one trap that I've seen far too many managers fall into, is that they assume that a desire to work from home equates to a lack of engagement with working life. This simply isn't the case.

Generations entering the workforce now still desire growth and career development as much as any previous generation. In fact, recent studies have highlighted that the main driving force behind employee engagement now is development, in the form of career progression, learning new skills, and personal growth.

So, the defining question of early career talent retention for HR professionals today is to find a way to meet these personal development expectations in the new work-from-home era. And there's one tool in their arsenal that they reach for straight away - robust and comprehensive mentorship schemes.

For too long now, mentorship programmes have been restricted to senior executives, and are a rarity for entry- and mid-level employees - this has to change, and the priority now needs to be those junior workers. This will be the fastest way for the organisations of today to ensure that they shape and retain the talent of tomorrow.

The first way mentorship schemes will pull in the best talent is through skill development. Junior employees greatly benefit from informal learning opportunities - observing colleagues, participating in impromptu discussions, and receiving immediate feedback. Unfortunately, remote working limits exposure to these instances.

Leaders will have to be smart on how they can redefine mentorship in the world of remote and hybrid working. This is equally true if mentors are located in a different city or region than their mentee. Dedicated time of at least one hour a week with their mentor, who should ideally be two or more seniority levels above them, and work outside their day-to-day work streams and hierarchy, can rebalance this deficit. Mentors can help junior employees identify skill gaps, set career goals, and develop personalised growth plans. This targeted approach ensures that employees continue to learn and grow, even when they are not physically present in an office environment.

Not only is this of benefit to the employee, but it also allows organisations to get a pulse of their workforce and steer dynamically based on an understanding of the needs of their workforce, enhancing the wider organisation's performance.

Employee churn is costly, both financially and in terms of organisational knowledge and morale.

Mentorship programmes play a critical role in mitigating this by fostering a sense of loyalty and commitment among employees and connecting junior employees with mid- and senior-level staff. When junior workers feel supported and see a clear investment in their personal and professional growth, they are far more likely to stay with the organisation. This is also a surefire way to increase productivity right across a business, driving up morale and productivity from employees who will feel valued and connected to a company in which they can grow, and ensuring those same employees have the adaptive skills needed in the AI age.

Finally, mentorship provides a platform for employees to voice their concerns and provide informal feedback and reporting to senior staff members. These backchannels can be vital for decision-making executives to be fully informed about the impacts of their potential decisions on their workforce, when junior staff may be hesitant to offer feedback in a more formal and visible setting. Comprehensive mentorship programs can, therefore, increase organisational resiliency as a whole, better insulating the firm, as senior staff have their finger on the pulse of exactly how strategic decisions and changes of direction will impact their workforce. In an external environment defined by economic shocks, geopolitical instability, and technological disruption, the benefits of this constant feedback loop cannot be overstated.

Among employees, mentorship programmes are often met with derision and scepticism. This is usually because it becomes an HR box-ticking exercise rather than a genuine attempt to engage employees and develop their skills, as well as using it as an opportunity to receive feedback from the employee's point of view. But it can be hugely impactful if mentors receive rounded training and sufficient budget is earmarked to make these schemes a success.

If organisations truly want to drive engagement in the work-from-home era and attract the best talent and prevent churn, then they need to see mentorship as more than that. Mentorship, when integrated comprehensively across the organisation with targeted aims of developing employees' skills and learning, is the fastest way for companies can foster this engagement. more

HR & Recruitment

6d

Why mentoring in the hybrid era is key to employee engagement

Mentorship schemes are the key to employee engagement in the hybrid work era, as long as they are not used merely as an HR box-ticking exercise, argues Partha Gopalakrishnan.

The work-from-home revolution has forced managers and HR professionals onto new terrain.

Generations entering the workforce have new expectations, and employers need to meet them to retain the best talent.

In this... new working environment, one trap that I've seen far too many managers fall into, is that they assume that a desire to work from home equates to a lack of engagement with working life. This simply isn't the case.

Generations entering the workforce now still desire growth and career development as much as any previous generation. In fact, recent studies have highlighted that the main driving force behind employee engagement now is development, in the form of career progression, learning new skills, and personal growth.

So, the defining question of early career talent retention for HR professionals today is to find a way to meet these personal development expectations in the new work-from-home era. And there's one tool in their arsenal that they reach for straight away - robust and comprehensive mentorship schemes.

For too long now, mentorship programmes have been restricted to senior executives, and are a rarity for entry- and mid-level employees - this has to change, and the priority now needs to be those junior workers. This will be the fastest way for the organisations of today to ensure that they shape and retain the talent of tomorrow.

The first way mentorship schemes will pull in the best talent is through skill development. Junior employees greatly benefit from informal learning opportunities - observing colleagues, participating in impromptu discussions, and receiving immediate feedback. Unfortunately, remote working limits exposure to these instances.

Leaders will have to be smart on how they can redefine mentorship in the world of remote and hybrid working. This is equally true if mentors are located in a different city or region than their mentee. Dedicated time of at least one hour a week with their mentor, who should ideally be two or more seniority levels above them, and work outside their day-to-day work streams and hierarchy, can rebalance this deficit. Mentors can help junior employees identify skill gaps, set career goals, and develop personalised growth plans. This targeted approach ensures that employees continue to learn and grow, even when they are not physically present in an office environment.

Not only is this of benefit to the employee, but it also allows organisations to get a pulse of their workforce and steer dynamically based on an understanding of the needs of their workforce, enhancing the wider organisation's performance.

Employee churn is costly, both financially and in terms of organisational knowledge and morale.

Mentorship programmes play a critical role in mitigating this by fostering a sense of loyalty and commitment among employees and connecting junior employees with mid- and senior-level staff. When junior workers feel supported and see a clear investment in their personal and professional growth, they are far more likely to stay with the organisation. This is also a surefire way to increase productivity right across a business, driving up morale and productivity from employees who will feel valued and connected to a company in which they can grow, and ensuring those same employees have the adaptive skills needed in the AI age.

Finally, mentorship provides a platform for employees to voice their concerns and provide informal feedback and reporting to senior staff members. These backchannels can be vital for decision-making executives to be fully informed about the impacts of their potential decisions on their workforce, when junior staff may be hesitant to offer feedback in a more formal and visible setting. Comprehensive mentorship programs can, therefore, increase organisational resiliency as a whole, better insulating the firm, as senior staff have their finger on the pulse of exactly how strategic decisions and changes of direction will impact their workforce. In an external environment defined by economic shocks, geopolitical instability, and technological disruption, the benefits of this constant feedback loop cannot be overstated.

Among employees, mentorship programmes are often met with derision and scepticism. This is usually because it becomes an HR box-ticking exercise rather than a genuine attempt to engage employees and develop their skills, as well as using it as an opportunity to receive feedback from the employee's point of view. But it can be hugely impactful if mentors receive rounded training and sufficient budget is earmarked to make these schemes a success.

If organisations truly want to drive engagement in the work-from-home era and attract the best talent and prevent churn, then they need to see mentorship as more than that. Mentorship, when integrated comprehensively across the organisation with targeted aims of developing employees' skills and learning, is the fastest way for companies can foster this engagement. more

HR & Recruitment

1w

The organisations scaring off skilled applicants by dangling jobs overhead

More and more it seems like the process of interviewing for a job is taking longer than could reasonably be expected and organisations are running the risk of deterring talented employees from committing their time to the recruitment process.

I have said it before and I will say it again, job hunting can sometimes feel like a full time job in its own right. From CV amendments and scouring... employment websites, to taking part in interviews and completing the often rigorous assessments, the process of finding and securing a job has become, in many ways, excessive.

Nowadays people are expected to put aside a significant amount of time to allow for multiple in-person and online interviews, as well as skills assessments that cover practical and technical ability, all across a period of weeks and in some cases months, which is simply too long.

Despite the fact that for most people, there just is never enough time in the day to take part in a recruitment process such as this, there is also an ethics issue, whereby only people in a privileged position, who can afford to consistently take time off of work to job hunt, or who can leave their job entirely while they search for a new one, are considered for positions.

While organisations that have prolonged and excessive hiring practices are likely of the opinion that their way will ensure they employ the best of the best, research shows that often companies will experience the complete opposite to what they had hoped for. For example, businesses that deploy aggressive or wasteful recruitment practices often incur higher costs, lower retention and decreased company morale.

So, what are some of the signs that an organisation's recruitment practices are excessive in nature?

Thank you, but no

The most obvious sign that an organisation's hiring policies are being weakened by a prolonged recruitment window, is when potential candidates, who had previously been enthusiastic about the opportunity, are declining to participate any further. If you notice that after the first round or two of interviews or skills tests, that interest is lessening and applicants are electing to drop out, then it is likely that the process is too demanding of other people's time.

While it is important that employers put a candidate's skills to the test and confirm that they are suited to the position, by drawing out the process or expecting too much work from someone who isn't even an employee, the organisation can give the applicant the impression that their time is neither respected nor valued.

Too much back and forth

Hiring somebody to join your team or organisation is a big deal. Not only do they need to be highly skilled in their field and ready to jump in and get going, but they also need to be a good fit, with their new co-workers and in regards to wider company values. Finding a professional who fits this criteria takes time, but not an excessive amount.

If you find that there is too much back and forth with other stakeholders and it is putting the entire recruitment process on hold, then this is undoubtedly a waste of everyone's valuable time. While it is important that everyone, from the interns, all the way up to the owner, feels that their opinion and ideas hold weight, there is such a thing as having too many cooks in the kitchen.

Make work more human

We are more than just a place to work

Life-changing career opportunities for you

Dare to make a difference

By taking input from too many sources, employers are greatly delaying the recruitment process, frustrating not only themselves, but the potential new hires.

Don't live on repeat

During the various interviews and skills assessments, if you find candidates are beginning to repeat themselves over and over again, then it is likely that much of what you have asked for is overlapping and therefore of less value as a tool to determine the best person for the job.

Companies need to strike a balance between deriving a complete history of a person and asking only the bare minimum, meeting somewhere in the middle, that allows for a speedy, yet transparent application process.

Really, if it takes you six rounds to fully grasp someone's suitability for a role, then it is probable that either they aren't the full package, or the organisation's method of questioning is not efficient.

Hello, goodbye

If you find that, after a long and complicated hiring process, organisational retention is low and turnover is high, then this may be a sign that the recruitment stage was inefficient and actually mentally exhausted the new hire.

By failing to streamline the interview process and instead physically and mentally draining an applicant for several weeks or even months, by the time they are hired, despite being new to the job, they may experience burnout and mental fatigue.

By prioritising applicant wellbeing, from the very beginning, employers can ensure that, when they do make a decision, their new employee is excited, prepared and ready to jump in, with a clear idea of what is expected of them.

Ultimately, long, drawn out recruiting practices don't really work for anyone, not the organisation who loses out on a talented and enthusiastic employee, or the professional looking for their chance to make an impact in their career. So, when it comes to the interview process, simply put, why not keep it simple?

Don't miss out on the knowledge you need to succeed. Sign up for the Daily Brief, Silicon Republic's digest of need-to-know sci-tech news. more

HR & Recruitment

1w

Career pathing: Boost employee engagement & retention

As the name suggests, career pathing involves creating possible roadmaps an individual employee might follow to move from a current position to new roles at your company later on. In the complex modern workplace, however, such career progression often entails more than climbing the steps of a corporate ladder.

Career pathing considers numerous factors. Employees' interests, current skill sets,... and overall career goals are paramount. In some cases, lateral moves or even downward ones become routes to greater job satisfaction.

However, organizational needs also enter the equation. As employers identify the competencies demanded to remain competitive in the future, they can make team members aware of them. The company can showcase advancement opportunities available to those who acquire new skills.

Career pathing takes a systematic approach to career development. Aligning employee career growth with organizational priorities sets the stage for both sides to prosper. Let's take an in-depth look at how this happens.

What might implementing career pathing do for a company and its people? Common positive outcomes include:

It excites individuals to think about what lies ahead. Presenting personalized growth opportunities reveals what the future might entail if they pursue it. Career pathing empowers workers to direct their career trajectory.

Acquiring new skills, especially ones they help determine, further increases engagement. Learning stimulates the mind and boosts confidence.

Current employers who present clear career paths help eliminate the need for workers to look elsewhere for growth opportunities. Instead, employees start envisioning possibilities for the long term. Lowering turnover reduces recruiting and onboarding expenses.

Career pathing also demonstrates caring. It tells employees they are valued and essential to the company's success today and down the road. Such messages build positive feelings and loyalty, which boosts retention.

Excitement brews when employees regularly expand their horizons. Learning new things freshens the atmosphere by moving workers beyond their familiar tasks. Colleagues feed off of one another's energy - enriching the entire workplace.

In addition to the competencies gained by taking on new endeavors, staff members develop a positive attitude toward life-long learning. They receive the message that management wants progression, not stagnation. Innovation, agility, and willingness to rise to challenges become hallmarks of company culture.

Job candidates look for signs that a prospective employer offers room to grow. Applicants want to see evidence of concern for their career development beyond the position. Being able to tout formal career mapping programs for new and established employees leaves an impression about your employer brand.

Organizations want to look ahead, too. Tomorrow's needs may be quite different than today's. Career pathing aids with succession planning, upskilling, and developing a robust pipeline of internal talent. Nobody wants to be unprepared or short-handed.

A proactive approach often saves money and time because you keep people already familiar with your company's procedures and culture rather than starting from scratch. Likewise, it boosts morale by showing commitment to retention and advancement.

Employers can highlight important upcoming roles. This action starts making existing employees aware of the skills and duties of particular significance to ongoing company success. They may find these forthcoming positions intriguing or consider the potential job security of heading in a "hot" direction.

Career pathing can also give human resources a heads-up about talent management. Current employees may need to be more interested in skill development for certain positions deemed critical for the company's future competitiveness.

HR may need to emphasize bridging these skill gaps when recruiting new employees, either by hiring people with these competencies or demonstrating a willingness to acquire them.

Good managers regularly discuss career objectives with their direct reports. These conversations demonstrate concern for employee development and encourage thinking about contributions to the company beyond the current role. Such discussions convey the message , "We want you here for the long term, so let's see how our needs and yours align."

Leaders can ask open-ended questions to get employees thinking, such as, "Where do you see your career in a year? How about five years?" They can also discuss current strengths, especially underutilized ones, and areas where professional development programs or mentorship might be helpful to career advancement.

Many modern organizations go beyond relying only on managers and HR professionals for effective career pathing. They use computerized career pathing programs.

Such platforms, which often employ AI, allow employees to take greater control of their careers through exploring options.

Career pathing technology presents possible employee career paths based on the individual's assessed skills and stated interests. It provides detailed job descriptions, sometimes for positions the person may not have even realized existed.

Lateral movements, such as transitioning to a different department, also may be showcased.

Additionally, the platform integrates learning resources with development plans. This provides workers concrete ways to gain the competencies needed to qualify for desired advancement opportunities.

People know which online training, certifications, or other educational achievements support desired career outcomes.

What do companies committed to career pathing say about the experience? Consider the insight from these five organizations:

"One of the biggest benefits we've seen from career pathing is retention," says CEO Ryan Farley. "When we make it clear to our new hires that they have a clear avenue from their entry-level job to management and career growth, we'll get more commitment out of them. While we don't hire internally for every management-level opening, it's definitely our first preference, and our team knows that."

Slipintosoft

"We've seen a profound impact on employee engagement, stemming from the clarity career pathing provides on growth opportunities. This clarity has led to an increased dedication to personal development and the company," says Linda Moore, head of human resources at this silk products company.

"Further, it has boosted our retention rate as employees value the tangible investment in their career progression. Additionally, career pathing has facilitated more targeted recruitment, as we can align potential candidates with clearly established paths, increasing the appeal of our company as an employer."

Summit Search Group

"I use career pathing as a tool with some of my team members, most often with younger team members that I think have high potential to become future leaders," says Matt Erhard, managing partner. "It helps to guide what career development, skill development, and other ongoing education will be the most useful for the employee.

"Having this kind of collaborative conversation helps both me and the employee to assess their strengths and skill gaps in a more focused way, looking not just at where they are now but where they want to be in the future. This doesn't just help the employee prepare for that future role but also ensures that we have team members with the right combination of skills and knowledge to step into critical senior roles when they're open."

"Bringing up career pathing during a one-on-one with an employee can be an effective way to start the conversation about their future with the company. Not everyone wants to take on leadership positions - we've had very strong employees at Summit who liked the work they already did and weren't interested in shifting to a higher-level role. Learning that can also be useful when you're planning for the organization's future."

Tribeca Lawsuit Loans

"Career pathing has enabled us to realize our team members' unrealized potential, promoting an environment of internal mobility and creativity," says CEO Rory Donadio. "This one-of-a-kind benefit has energized our workforce - accelerating growth and confirming our dedication to employee development.

"We discovered skills and passions that would have gone undiscovered if tailored development strategies had yet to be implemented. For example, an operations professional demonstrated great writing skills, resulting in their move to a successful content creator. This surprising revelation preserved significant experience and provided new views for our marketing team."

Ahara more

HR & Recruitment

5d

Career pathing: Boost employee engagement & retention

As the name suggests, career pathing involves creating possible roadmaps an individual employee might follow to move from a current position to new roles at your company later on. In the complex modern workplace, however, such career progression often entails more than climbing the steps of a corporate ladder.

Career pathing considers numerous factors. Employees' interests, current skill sets,... and overall career goals are paramount. In some cases, lateral moves or even downward ones become routes to greater job satisfaction.

However, organizational needs also enter the equation. As employers identify the competencies demanded to remain competitive in the future, they can make team members aware of them. The company can showcase advancement opportunities available to those who acquire new skills.

Career pathing takes a systematic approach to career development. Aligning employee career growth with organizational priorities sets the stage for both sides to prosper. Let's take an in-depth look at how this happens.

What might implementing career pathing do for a company and its people? Common positive outcomes include:

It excites individuals to think about what lies ahead. Presenting personalized growth opportunities reveals what the future might entail if they pursue it. Career pathing empowers workers to direct their career trajectory.

Acquiring new skills, especially ones they help determine, further increases engagement. Learning stimulates the mind and boosts confidence.

Current employers who present clear career paths help eliminate the need for workers to look elsewhere for growth opportunities. Instead, employees start envisioning possibilities for the long term. Lowering turnover reduces recruiting and onboarding expenses.

Career pathing also demonstrates caring. It tells employees they are valued and essential to the company's success today and down the road. Such messages build positive feelings and loyalty, which boosts retention.

Excitement brews when employees regularly expand their horizons. Learning new things freshens the atmosphere by moving workers beyond their familiar tasks. Colleagues feed off of one another's energy - enriching the entire workplace.

In addition to the competencies gained by taking on new endeavors, staff members develop a positive attitude toward life-long learning. They receive the message that management wants progression, not stagnation. Innovation, agility, and willingness to rise to challenges become hallmarks of company culture.

Job candidates look for signs that a prospective employer offers room to grow. Applicants want to see evidence of concern for their career development beyond the position. Being able to tout formal career mapping programs for new and established employees leaves an impression about your employer brand.

Organizations want to look ahead, too. Tomorrow's needs may be quite different than today's. Career pathing aids with succession planning, upskilling, and developing a robust pipeline of internal talent. Nobody wants to be unprepared or short-handed.

A proactive approach often saves money and time because you keep people already familiar with your company's procedures and culture rather than starting from scratch. Likewise, it boosts morale by showing commitment to retention and advancement.

Employers can highlight important upcoming roles. This action starts making existing employees aware of the skills and duties of particular significance to ongoing company success. They may find these forthcoming positions intriguing or consider the potential job security of heading in a "hot" direction.

Career pathing can also give human resources a heads-up about talent management. Current employees may need to be more interested in skill development for certain positions deemed critical for the company's future competitiveness.

HR may need to emphasize bridging these skill gaps when recruiting new employees, either by hiring people with these competencies or demonstrating a willingness to acquire them.

Good managers regularly discuss career objectives with their direct reports. These conversations demonstrate concern for employee development and encourage thinking about contributions to the company beyond the current role. Such discussions convey the message , "We want you here for the long term, so let's see how our needs and yours align."

Leaders can ask open-ended questions to get employees thinking, such as, "Where do you see your career in a year? How about five years?" They can also discuss current strengths, especially underutilized ones, and areas where professional development programs or mentorship might be helpful to career advancement.

Many modern organizations go beyond relying only on managers and HR professionals for effective career pathing. They use computerized career pathing programs.

Such platforms, which often employ AI, allow employees to take greater control of their careers through exploring options.

Career pathing technology presents possible employee career paths based on the individual's assessed skills and stated interests. It provides detailed job descriptions, sometimes for positions the person may not have even realized existed.

Lateral movements, such as transitioning to a different department, also may be showcased.

Additionally, the platform integrates learning resources with development plans. This provides workers concrete ways to gain the competencies needed to qualify for desired advancement opportunities.

People know which online training, certifications, or other educational achievements support desired career outcomes.

What do companies committed to career pathing say about the experience? Consider the insight from these five organizations:

"One of the biggest benefits we've seen from career pathing is retention," says CEO Ryan Farley. "When we make it clear to our new hires that they have a clear avenue from their entry-level job to management and career growth, we'll get more commitment out of them. While we don't hire internally for every management-level opening, it's definitely our first preference, and our team knows that."

Slipintosoft

"We've seen a profound impact on employee engagement, stemming from the clarity career pathing provides on growth opportunities. This clarity has led to an increased dedication to personal development and the company," says Linda Moore, head of human resources at this silk products company.

"Further, it has boosted our retention rate as employees value the tangible investment in their career progression. Additionally, career pathing has facilitated more targeted recruitment, as we can align potential candidates with clearly established paths, increasing the appeal of our company as an employer."

Summit Search Group

"I use career pathing as a tool with some of my team members, most often with younger team members that I think have high potential to become future leaders," says Matt Erhard, managing partner. "It helps to guide what career development, skill development, and other ongoing education will be the most useful for the employee.

"Having this kind of collaborative conversation helps both me and the employee to assess their strengths and skill gaps in a more focused way, looking not just at where they are now but where they want to be in the future. This doesn't just help the employee prepare for that future role but also ensures that we have team members with the right combination of skills and knowledge to step into critical senior roles when they're open."

"Bringing up career pathing during a one-on-one with an employee can be an effective way to start the conversation about their future with the company. Not everyone wants to take on leadership positions - we've had very strong employees at Summit who liked the work they already did and weren't interested in shifting to a higher-level role. Learning that can also be useful when you're planning for the organization's future."

Tribeca Lawsuit Loans

"Career pathing has enabled us to realize our team members' unrealized potential, promoting an environment of internal mobility and creativity," says CEO Rory Donadio. "This one-of-a-kind benefit has energized our workforce - accelerating growth and confirming our dedication to employee development.

"We discovered skills and passions that would have gone undiscovered if tailored development strategies had yet to be implemented. For example, an operations professional demonstrated great writing skills, resulting in their move to a successful content creator. This surprising revelation preserved significant experience and provided new views for our marketing team."

Ahara more

1

Byensi Levi

HR & Recruitment

1w

If I have done MBA-HRM, Where else can I develop my career that is more relevant to my training .

1

Elizabeth Anyango
1w
since HR is broad based, I believe training and consultancy will be of great help. You can also venture counselling as it forms a greater part of the... organization workforce more

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