Reading: Lesson 9 - Career Development

10.9.A - Career Development

1. THE IMPORTANCE OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT

1. In the past, many companies were shortsighted when they planned for their employment needs. When a position was vacant, they would begin the recruitment and selection process. If they no longer needed certain employees, they might terminate those employees without considering future employment needs. Those procedures were based on the belief that companies could easily find the employees they needed. Those companies did not view employees as a particularly valuable resource.
   
2. Successful businesses view their relationships with employees very differently today. They realize that it is not easy to find employees with the required qualifications. It is also very expensive to hire and train a new employee. Companies invest in employees and want to get the greatest value from them. That occurs when companies hire employees with skills that closely match the needs of the job, train them, and then keep them happy, so they will want to contribute to achieving the company’s goals. Companies following this new philosophy recognize that the knowledge and performance of their employees are major factors in their success. Changing technology requires employees to regularly update their skills. Business processes have evolved from manual operations using typewriters and calculators, to large mainframe computers using punch cards for programing, to personal computers, and now to online applications. Auto mechanics used to rely on hand tools and their own knowledge and observational skills to repair automobiles. Now they have access to a variety of electronic tools, machines, and computerized diagnostic equipment. Every business has similar examples of new skills that are required of employees. It is not possible to be successful with the old equipment and old skills. To get the needed skills, businesses offer training to current employees when new technology requires it and search for new employees with up-to-date skills to fill vacancies. In the scenario at the beginning of the chapter, James Lane had been a very valuable employee to Alliance Industries for many years. Even though the company was undergoing major changes, it was attempting to include James in its plans by offering him another job and the needed training to prepare for that job.
   
3. A career development program is a plan for meeting the company’s future employment needs by systematically preparing current employees for future positions in the company. Human resources personnel are responsible for implementing the career development program, but they need the support of all parts of the company for the program to be successful. A career development program requires a long-term organizational plan, career paths, effective employee performance reviews, career counseling, and training and development for employees.
   
4. LONG-TERM PLANS Career development starts with the job opportunities in a company. Companies must determine what jobs will be available in the future, how many people will be needed in each job, and the knowledge and skills those employees will require. In the previous section, you learned that companies study their external and internal environments to identify business opportunities and needed changes in the organization. One part of that study includes employment needs. The HR department works with that information to project specific job opportunities in each part of the company and the requirements employees must meet for each job.
   
5. CAREER PATHS A career path is a progression of related jobs with increasing skill requirements and responsibility. Career paths provide opportunities for employees to advance within the company, make additional contributions, and receive greater satisfaction from their work. Traditionally, a career path moved an employee from an entry-level position into management. However, companies also offer career paths that allow employees to advance into non-management positions. Some people do not want to be managers, and companies have relatively few management positions. Therefore, companies need to make other opportunities available so that employees are not locked into one job if they choose not to become managers or are unable to qualify for management positions. Examples of a management career path and a non-management path are shown in the Figure below. Companies should identify a variety of career paths. Each job in the company should be part of a career path, and employees should be aware of the paths available to them. 
   

   
   

6. PERFORMANCE REVIEWS Employees need accurate information on their skills and abilities to make good career decisions. When employees know how well they are performing, they can determine what skills they need to improve to meet current job requirements or to qualify for another job in a career path. In an effective career development program, the manager carefully evaluates an employee’s performance and regularly reviews the information with the employee. Together, the manager and employee determine whether the employee needs additional training to improve performance and to advance in the organization. The results of performance reviews should be compared to new job requirements as the company makes changes, so that employees know what is expected of them.
   

7. CAREER COUNSELING For career development to be effective, employees must be aware of opportunities and plan their career paths. The human resources department offers career information and counseling services as part of the career development program. Many companies have made career counseling part of every employee’s performance review conference. Managers are often trained to provide career information to the employees they supervise. Career counseling may result in an individual career plan, which identifies the jobs that are part of the employee’s career path, the training needed to advance along the career path, and a tentative schedule for the plan’s activities. The plan is jointly developed by the employee, a human resources specialist, and usually the employee’s manager.
   

8. Some companies have career centers, facilities where human resources employees manage career development activities. Employees visit the center to obtain career information (computer programs, Internet sites, books, pamphlets, DVDs, and so on), consult career counselors, and schedule career-planning workshops or testing.
   

9. The final part of a career development program is helping employees obtain the training and education they need for changing job requirements and new jobs. With careful planning, companies can develop training programs and other educational opportunities to prepare employees for new job requirements before the need arises. In that way, the business can be assured that it will have well-trained employees to fill job needs and employees will be trained for job changes.
   

2. IMPLEMENTING A CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

1. Career planning does not just happen. It also cannot be considered the responsibility of employees alone. Managers who want to match employees and jobs successfully must do several things to ensure that the career development program works well. Everyone in the company has specific responsibilities for career development. 
   
2. Responsibility for organizing and managing the career development program is usually assigned to the human resources department. The department does much of the initial planning and puts together the people, resources, and procedures needed for the program. Everyone in the business must be educated about the career development program and his or her role in career planning. Managers need to identify career opportunities in their departments and work with human resources personnel when changes are planned in their departments that will affect the career plans of employees. Managers also have specific responsibilities in a career development program. They evaluate employee performance and include career planning in follow-up conferences. They help identify employees who are ready for career advancement. They serve as coaches and mentors to help each worker make effective career choices. Employees should be aware of career development resources and how the career-planning process works. They are responsible for much of their individual career planning and development but must know where to get help when they need it. Employees use performance reviews and evaluation conferences to gather information to make career plans. They can then schedule assessments, counseling, and training to prepare for career advancement. The human resources department manages the career development program. Specialists provide career counseling, training, and help in understanding the performance review process. They continually remind managers and employees of the importance of supporting career planning and development, evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s program, and make sure the career development program is aligned with the company’s mission and goals.
   
3. Companies that offer career development programs should make the services available to all employees, from the newest to the most experienced. However, there are situations in which specific individuals or groups of employees participate in programs designed to meet specific needs in the company. Those programs may not be available to all employees. Most large businesses offer career planning, training, and counseling to employees selected to be managers. These employees receive testing services, obtain experience in all parts of the business, and often are assigned to an experienced manager who serves as a role model and mentor. Non-management jobs can be targeted for specific career development programs as well. For example, many jobs are more frequently held by men than women or women than men. Companies may make extra efforts to encourage and prepare people from the underrepresented gender for those jobs. Some companies may have difficulty finding qualified candidates for certain jobs. Those positions may be targeted for career development attention. Employees who are interested in or have the skills to qualify for hard-to-fill jobs are encouraged to participate in the special programs. For example, if a company is having difficulty recruiting data analysts or customer support specialists, it may undertake a career development program to encourage current employees to complete the necessary training for those jobs. These efforts demonstrate the company’s commitment to its current employees. They provide opportunities for promotion and advancement that serve as a strong motivator for employees and encourage them to make a career with the business rather than look for opportunities outside the company. Finally, developing current employees who have already selected the company and have demonstrated their abilities is usually less expensive and more reliable than recruiting outside the company.