How to create an effective staff development strategy
At a time when rapid disruption, rising costs and extreme agility in the job market are the norm, internal staff development strategies are becoming a priority for almost every business.
Knowing how to develop your staff effectively can be tricky, especially if your business hasn’t got a solid staff development plan in place.
You need to ensure that every person in your organisation has a clear learning journey to follow.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to suit all companies, though the following steps should provide a good starting point for you to think about how to improve staff development and shape your own strategy.
Your strategy should cover key factors such as:
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- employee assessments
- skills training
- workplace relationships
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Take a temperature check
A good first step in your staff development strategy is to pinpoint where your workforce is lacking in terms of:
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- Skills
- Competencies
- Behaviours
Employee surveys and one-to-one discussions can provide fantastic insights into employee capabilities and motivations whilst also laying the groundwork for forthcoming initiatives.
By opening up the conversation with staff early on, it shows your intention to invest time and resources in their development – and to do it in a way that works best for each individual.
It’s also surprising how many companies fail to assess skills gaps, particularly when it comes to senior leadership and line managers. So make sure you include these more senior roles in your ‘temperature check’ of employee capabilities.
Know your staff development strategy goals
Whether you’re struggling to retain valuable employees, looking to improve customer service or trying to cut the costs of external recruitment, it’s important to lay out clear goals so that you know the end-result your staff development strategy is pointing towards.
It’s not just about how to develop your staff; it’s also why.
These objectives will become your key performance indicators further down the line so it pays to get them straight before rolling out any new initiatives.
It’s also important to align individual goals with your core business strategy to be sure that you are investing in the right places.
According to a recent study from Brandon Hall only 46% of companies say they have managed to achieve that sort of alignment – which means there’s a big competitive advantage for those that can.
Invest in the right tech
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that investment in technology plays a central role in almost all staff development strategies. In fact, the majority of employees today now expect the same kind of slick, digital experience in workplace learning that they enjoy at home.
Intuitive staff development platforms are helping to create a powerful learning experience in which employees can develop new skills in an optimal way.
The best platforms integrate with your main learning management system and make it easy for people to access:
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- bitesize learning
- expert tips
- video content
They can also access their career development via a range of devices, wherever and whenever it suits them.
Technology is taking what was previously the sole preserve of the world’s biggest organisations and making it available to every business.
Through interactive video content and highly personalised courses, the right system can facilitate 1-2-1 coaching for all your employees. This empowers your people to take control of their professional development and significantly boosts employee engagement and retention.
Measure your success
Tracking the ROI of employee development is a step where many HR and L&D leaders fall short. Often, it’s because they lack the ability to generate quick, insightful reports that detail progress on their L&D KPIs and that are easy to share with stakeholders.
This is where having an in-built reporting function in your employee learning platform is a huge plus.
These platforms enable you to collate and visualise real-time data on your KPIs, meaning that you’re always up to date with progress and able to spot skill gaps as they emerge.
Want more expert tips on how to develop your staff?
Get your free copy of our latest guide – Empowering Your Talent – for more valuable insights and guidance.
Or, get in touch with our friendly team for a no-obligation consultation to learn more about how our industry-leading career development platform can drive stronger performance throughout your organisation.
