Professional leadership opportunities play a crucial role in driving employee retention within organizations and are a key driver in both recruiting and retaining talent. These days, it’s more important than ever to provide your team with the opportunity to learn and grow their professional skills. This investment will not only help them to level up and grow professionally, ultimately benefiting your business – it will also ensure they feel supported and engaged with you and your company.
When employees are provided with opportunities to develop their leadership skills and take on new responsibilities, they feel valued and motivated to continue to build their careers with those who have chosen to invest in them. Last year’s I Care Employee Wellness Survey, posed the question “How does your company demonstrate its commitment to employee well-being”, and found that 34% of respondents said a key way to demonstrate commitment was to invest in training and development. When asked: “Please provide details on areas of your well-being that you would like to improve”, 32% of respondents said, “Engage in training for my professional development.”
3 Reasons to Invest in Professional Development
Recognition Matters
Demonstrating recognition is an important way for you to show your employees that you value them, their contributions to their team, and the company overall. This is especially important when organizations grow or change (which is happening all the time). Rather than wait until you need to acknowledge your team’s efforts in order to confirm commitment when things are tough, build resiliency by saying thank you along the way.
Being selected for opportunities to hone leadership skills is a great way to recognize your employees, as it both helps them to do their jobs better and signifies that they are valued and trusted. And who doesn’t want that?
Engagement Builds Leadership
Engaged employees seek ongoing growth and professional development – this keeps them learning, growing, and inspired. When employees see a clear path for advancement within an organization, they are more likely to stay and invest their time and effort into achieving their career goals.
Being able to spot high performers and recognize their talent with an investment in professional development will also lead to greater responsibility and decision-making authority.
This level of involvement and engagement with the organization can facilitate a stronger connection and commitment from those who have been recognized and trusted. When people are invested in the success of the company, it changes their relationship with your organization. Being recognized for their potential and performance will reinforce a commitment to their team and will spark a sense of loyalty to the company.
It’s a Great Way to Plan Ahead
Providing leadership opportunities allows companies to identify future trailblazers within their talent pool. By enabling employees to develop their leadership skills, companies can cultivate a pipeline of inspired individuals who can step into key management positions when the time is right.
These employees have excellent institutional knowledge and a deep commitment to your company. They will be confident and loyal – and can act as an example for more junior members of the team, as it is demonstrating what could be possible for their own careers when they perform at a high level.
Now is the time to have meaningful conversations with your team about their professional development aspirations. Identifying what they are looking for and helping them to achieve their goals to grow and improve will result in increased retention and engagement. By investing in your team’s leadership potential, you will foster a culture of growth, loyalty, and commitment, reducing turnover while attracting and retaining top talent.
Learn more about what you can do to encourage a culture that supports employee well-being. Reach out to INDEAL Cares today.