Over the last year, I've spoken with dozens of business owners, students, and employees, all saying the same thing, "I want to grow in my career". Likely, if you have worked anywhere long enough, you might have heard or even said the same thing when sharing about your job. While many would say and agree that upward momentum in a career is tethered to financial success, I don't believe this is the only desire or yearning for personal development or career growth.
Recently, I read a Community 2 Business article by Lovepreet Dhaliwal entitled, How to Make Employees Adapt to Learning, that said:
"87 percent of millennials believe learning and development in the workplace are significant, only 29 percent are satisfied with the career advancement opportunities available within their workplace."
As an individual who falls into the Millennial camp, I have heard firsthand the reporting above from friends, family, and co-workers. When aligned in their right career path, folks know they are in the space they want to be in but want to continue growing and evolving in that space. I've recently had people reach out who, when not growing or changing, feel stagnant, unchallenged, and for a lack of a better word, "stuck". Organizations need to embrace this fact and find tactical steps to engage these individuals before it is too late.
Later in his article, Dhaliwal says that "94 percent of workers would stay longer in companies willing to invest in their professional development." Far too often, we see organizations so focused on crushing it with the best intentions that they forgo solutions for their workforce that would increase personal growth, career advancement, and, most importantly, retention.
I, for one, am optimistic about the future of work. At Wired2Perform, we've tailored our platform and technology to help organizations grow, access, and optimize their workforce. And to focus on individuals Skills, Interests, Talents, and Aspirations (SITA). Taking the time to learn about your workforce and giving them the tools to study themselves will lead to a more transparent and motivated organization that can identify personal growth and career growth opportunities daily.
