Career development is an ongoing process that involves a variety of steps. These include self-assessment, goal setting, action planning and implementation and refinement. It can help employees achieve their professional goals, including advancing up the ladder or making a change in their field.
Employees can use a career development plan to determine what skills they need to develop and how they will grow those skills, so that they can move into higher-level positions. For example, if an employee wants to be promoted to a mid-level engineering role, they may need to improve their coding skills. A career development plan would help them decide which coding languages to learn, what actions they will take and when they should complete those actions.
It is important for employers to provide career development opportunities for their employees. This helps boost professional satisfaction, and it increases job performance and retention. In addition, it lowers costs for the business, as hiring and training new talent is expensive.
Employees also benefit from a career development program because they feel like their employer cares about their growth. It is a way to show that an employer is invested in their success, which is critical for employee engagement. When employees see their hard work rewarded with a promotion, it can be a major motivational factor to continue to work hard in the company. Employers should encourage their employees to set attainable, concrete goals and track their progress. They can reward employees with something small, like a meal out or a bucket list experience, when they reach a milestone in their career development plan.