Your employees are one of your organization’s greatest strengths, especially the top performers. In addition to lost productivity, the cost of recruiting and replacing an employee can be as much as 75% of a position’s annual salary. You’ll find that employees are more engaged with organizational goals and less likely to quit if they are given chances to grow and develop professionally. 

Providing employees with resources for their professional development is a win-win proposition. Employees are happier, they stay longer, and your company benefits from their enhanced skills and abilities. When your workplace culture encourages employee development, your team will also be better prepared to deal with unexpected and challenging situations.

When Your Employees Grow, Your Business Grows With Them

Creating a culture of learning enables your organization to make the best of what your team has to offer. It also provides employees with a sense of accomplishment as new skills are acquired. Encourage your employees to learn as much as possible about their profession and offer resources to increase their individual potential. This also fosters a workplace culture in which going the extra mile is more the norm than the exception.

Ways Your Company Can Help Your Employees Grow

Companies don’t need rely only on outside resources to promote professional development. In-house seminars, on-site conferences, peer to peer employee-based training modules and company-designed programs can help employers meet specific organizational and strategic needs, while offering a cost-effective solution. They also provide employees with a focused and direct path to internal advancement. In-house programs carry the advantage of being easily updated and they can be highly responsive to feedback from participants.

Cross-training, or interdepartmental learning, is a great way for employees to expand their knowledge of internal workings and processes. By spending time in other departments, employees gain valuable insights into your organization. 

This is more than just an opportunity to 

learn some new skills from coworkers in other positions. It also prepares employees to take on managerial duties that require knowledgeable coordination between different departments. Employees who gain a broader understanding of how the organization functions as an interconnected system increase their chances for internal advancement.  

Mentorship programs are also proven to be effective for professional development. By spending time with management on a regular basis, employees can hear feedback in real time and have an opportunity to discuss bigger picture career goals. Studies find poor leadership as the number 1 reason for negative employee experience, so it’s also important that management uses this time to exemplify developmental behaviors and give and receive feedback to create a positive experience in and out of the office.  

Also keep in mind that companies that provide programs for health and wellness, hobbies, intellectual progress or interpersonal skills are taking advantage of a more holistic approach to employee engagement. There’s much to be gained from employees participating in programs that are not exclusively business oriented. Positive and more cooperative relationships develop between coworkers when resources for personal growth are pursued collectively. Shared interests and extracurricular activities help form bonds between coworkers and build bridges across departmental divisions.

Don’t Neglect Recognizing Employee Achievements in Professional Growth

Recognition combined with a tangible reward can go a long way toward motivating employees and building a greater sense of engagement. As team members progress in their growth and development programs, recognize their achievements with attention-getting plaques, framed certificates or establish a merchandise rewards program offering in-demand products from top brands. 

A reward received in recognition of an achievement carries symbolic weight and generates a positive emotional impact. It motivates the recipient to strive to grow further while also inspiring others to follow suit. Companies that invest the time and effort to formally acknowledge employee accomplishments through a tangible rewards program can expect much greater success rates in meeting organizational goals.

Encouraging employee development can show your workers you want them to succeed and better themselves, which in turn betters your organization. Most employees, and certainly the top performers, want to grow and learn, and when companies encourage continuing education and professional growth, everyone wins.

Employee Recognition Programs and Professional Development

Employee recognition programs are smart initiatives to help professionally develop your employees and grow your business. Rymax possesses the strategies to implement these programs into your everyday work life and improve office culture. With customized solutions to create recognition moments that increase employee retention and loyalty, professional development programs are one of the many ways Rymax can personalize an organization’s program. 

If you feel you are ready to watch your employees and business flourish, contact Rymax today.