Your employees are most likely your greatest expense – but they are definitely your greatest asset. They are the face of your organization. Keep investing in them by offering professional development and the return will be exponential.
Here are 3 ways to make professional development part of your company culture:
1. Provide professional development opportunities in and out of the workplace.
Providing periodic professional development to your employees is the best way to create a company culture of continuous learning. It lets them know how important their growth is to you as their leader and to the organization. In house professional development can be offered as guest speakers, lunch-and-learn days, books, guides, and webinars. Giving your employees the opportunity to attend workshops, classes and seminars offsite is an outstanding way to show how much you value them and their addition to your firm.
2. Evaluate skill gaps in your employees and address them by providing further education.
Everyone can benefit from being further developed. During quarterly (preferably) or yearly evaluations leaders can take the occasion to address any skills that may be lacking and use that time to set upcoming goals which should include professional development. This discussion should begin with what the employee is doing right and excelling at to boost confidence and then address areas that need to be improved with a plan of action for the improvement.
Employees that see their leaders participating in professional development for themselves will appreciate the value that is provided in the opportunity of learning more.
3. Encourage employees to get together with their peers and discuss new ideas for professional development.
Nothing creates a stronger company culture than inclusion in the process of decision making. By giving your employees a say in the creation and implementation of the professional development offered they will have huge buy-in and will be more likely to participate fully engaged with takeaway s that will be implemented and shared.
Creating a company culture of professional development will set your organization apart.
Creating a company culture of professional development will set your organization apart. By showing your employees how important their professional development is they will have confidence in knowing they work for an organization that values their work and is investing in their future.
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