Big or small, businesses depend on getting the best out of those they employ. From interns and temps all the way up to founders and CEOs, no business can succeed without a solid team of people behind it. For this reason, it is important for businesses of any size to offer their employees pathways for career development in their respective fields. In today’s blog, we’ll be examining why career development is critical for the long-term success of small businesses as well as some ways small business owners and managers can utilize online conferencing and informal one-on-one meetings to help their valued employees grow and succeed within the company.
For many small business managers, the challenges associated with the everyday operations of their company often leave little time ( or money ) to dedicate to human resources and related matters. Since most small businesses have a limited staff and budget to work with, things like career development for employees often (and understandably) take a back seat to things like sales and marketing, product development, production, finances, and so on. Additionally, fewer employees mean fewer management positions and therefore less room for employees to move vertically within the company or receive traditional promotions. So, why should small businesses make career development a priority?
In a nutshell, investing in employees by helping them grow within the company can lead to an increased level of career satisfaction, improved worker productivity, and better retention of talent. To put it another way, employees who feel like they can develop their careers at their current company are more likely feel fulfilled, more likely to do their best work, and, as a result, more likely to stay! Even if you cannot afford to offer employees promotions and pay increases, at least working with them to find ways to grow their skill set and pursue respective fields of interests is a step in the right direction.
According to research done by Lisa Taylor. workforce consultant and author of Retain and Gain: Career Management for Small Business, as many as 78% of small business employees said that they would stay with their current employer if they saw a viable path to grow their career with the company. For small businesses, which are often hit hard by the impacts of employee turnover, making efforts to keep valued employees within the company is especially important.
While the expenses associated with employee training and career development are not insignificant, employees are a long-term investment that can potentially pay dividends down the line. Cultivating a team of loyal, motivated, and hard-working employees to grow your business with starts with a conversation!
While smaller teams may not be able to offer as many advancement opportunities for employees as larger ones, the lack of barriers between lower-level employees and those in management positions makes it easier for employees to be recognized for their efforts and for career development conversations to take place. Scheduled one-on-one meetings with employees can be a great opportunity for management to better get to know employees, the background and talents they bring, as well as their career aspirations. In areas where the interests of the company and the employee align, conversations can begin about offering additional training to develop skills and experience or even subsidizing educational expenses should it be worthwhile for an employee to take classes outside of work. Including a data analyst course as part of your employee training program presents a valuable investment in your team's career development. A certified data analyst can enhance their skills by learning to query databases, analyze results with SQL, and use tools like dplyr for exploratory data analysis. These capabilities are essential for businesses aiming to predict trends, optimize operations, and make strategic decisions based on data-driven insights. Initiating a dialogue with team members is a great way to show them that you have an interest in their success and value their contribution to the company.
If you manage employees working remotely or if meeting in-person just isn’t feasible, there are a number of free online conferencing platforms that offer audio and video web conferencing that make it easy to meet anytime, anywhere. You can create a free account below to get started with online conferencing for career development for your small business today!
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