6 Key Steps to Employee Development

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A look at some of the most efficient ways to train and develop employees in a professional environment.

A business requires many different factors to be successful. It must sell a product or service that people want, at a competitive price, and be capable of consistently providing that product or service at a profit. At the bottom of all this is the people who work at the company—the employees who perform the day-to-day tasks required for optimal functioning.

All successful businesses realize this. They know they are only as good as the individuals they have working for them. Because of this, much time and money is invested in employee development.

Unfortunately, not all development methods or ideas are the same. Some produce better results than others. Here is a look at the most efficient ways to train and develop employees in a professional environment.

1. Peer-to-Peer Learning Seminars: Learning seminars are a traditional development format that has been around for years. While there is much value to be derived from seminars, they often can suffer from a lack of audience engagement. An alternative to this that many corporations have been trying, and with success, is peer-to-peer learning. “Peer-to-peer learning is a technique in which individuals within an organization teach their peers on topics, processes, or skills they feel comfortable explaining. These types of seminars or workshops work well because the individuals can better relate to a coworker they know and respect than a stranger,” writes Beth Schilling, a marketer writer at 1Day2write and Writemyx.

It is important to pick individuals who are excelling in a specific area and are also well-liked. Doing this maximizes the value other employees will get out of the exercise. Levels of engagement will be low if individuals are made to listen to a coworker they do not particularly respect or like personally.

2. Cross-Department Training: A workplace is very much like an ecosystem. The entirety of it is greater than the sum of its individual parts. It is a mesh of different systems working together to produce a functioning unit.

It is common in large businesses for a divide between departments to form. This divide creates insulation between departments and does not create the best conditions for optimal functioning. “Having employees visit other departments that they rely on, but have no direct involvement with, will be beneficial in helping employees understand the big picture. They will get a greater sense of how their role fits into the system as a whole,” writes John Graves, a risk manager at Britstudent and Nextcoursework. Having an understanding of these different aspects of the system will result in a more well-rounded employee who ultimately can add more value to the company.

3. Personal Development Among Employees: Those who feel good about themselves often perform the best. The field of personal development has exploded in recent decades and for good reason. These types of classes, workshops, and seminars help build confidence and well-being in individuals, two things that are essential for any person if he or she wishes to succeed.

Personal development also can be done in team-based exercises. There are many corporate teambuilding programs employees can attend. These programs usually put the individuals in some type of situation where they all have to work together to accomplish some kind of goal or task.

4. Online Educational Tools: When online learning and classrooms first emerged, learners were skeptical. But the public perception has come a long way, and many courses, workshops, and seminars are being provided through online platforms. Offering employees access to these resources is an effective way of helping them build skills and knowledge they can use in the workplace.

5. Physical Well-Being: Many studies have shown the connection between physical well-being and mental well-being. Having a mentally strong and sharp workforce is paramount for success. Individuals who do not feel good physically are unlikely to perform well in their position.

Physical exercise is also a good way to combat stress. This is especially true for those individuals who are in middle management positions and above. Providing access to a gym, as well as materials on healthy living can go a long way.

6. Feedback: Providing employees with feedback serves two purposes. First, it lets them know someone is taking an interest in their work and their performance. This is likely to motivate the employees. Second, it provides employees with suggestions on how they can improve or insight into areas where their performance is lacking. In many cases, employees may be unaware that their performance in a certain aspect is not up to standard.

The last few decades have seen a major change in how employers look at personal development for their employees. Never before has so much emphasis been put on the employee unit. Providing appropriate access to development and improvement will result in more efficient employees.

Michael Dehoyos is a content marketer and editor at Phd Kingdom and Academic brits. He has worked closely with many companies, large and small, in developing personalized marketing strategies that work. He is also the author of many articles—his writings can be found at Origin Writings.