How to Give Employees More Career Growth Opportunities
We know from organizational culture assessment data that employees seek more than just a paycheck — they want career growth opportunities, development, and meaningful career progression. For the last 8 years, one of the top five drivers of employee engagement, retention, and discretionary effort has been employees who see professional growth and career development opportunities for themselves in their organization.
The Top 7 Steps to Give Employees More Career Growth Opportunities
As work pressures, changes, and uncertainties continue to accelerate, our employee engagement action planning data reveals that employees are re-evaluating what they want from their job. Even though organizations that prioritize career growth benefit from increased employee engagement, retention, and productivity, career development rarely gets prioritized with the daily demands of getting work done. This short-term mentality can cause promising careers to stall. Here’s how leaders can create an environment rich with career growth opportunities.
- Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning
Ideally supported and reinforced by a thoughtful training strategy that aligns individual and organizational goals, continuous learning is essential for meaningful career development. Companies should provide employees with the encouragement, time, resources, reinforcement, support, and customized training programs to improve their capability to adapt, grow, and thrive.
Key Actions to Take:
— Use simulations and training needs assessments to identify skill and motivation gaps.
— Offer highly relevant, customized, and targeted learning opportunities.
— Encourage a growth mindset by rewarding employees who actively pursue new skills. - Establish Clear Career Paths
Employees need to see a bright future within the organization. That means that they need to not only trust where the organization is headed but also know where and when they fit in. Without clear and meaningful career paths, top talent tends to look elsewhere for better opportunities.
Key Actions to Take:
— Develop clear career road maps that outline required skills, experiences, and milestones.
— Conduct regular career planning discussions with employees.
— Offer job shadowing, stretch assignments, and cross-departmental projects. - Implement Mentorship and Coaching Programs
According to Harvard Business Review, 75% of leaders credit their success to mentors and 90% of employees with a career mentor report being happy at work. We know from action learning leadership development participants that mentorship and 1×1 coaching can accelerate professional growth by providing guidance, networking opportunities, and insights from experienced leaders. The goal is to foster knowledge sharing and career confidence.
Key Actions to Take:
— Pair employees with mentors who align with their career goals.
— Create a formal mentorship program with clear expectations and one-on-one check-ins.
— Encourage leaders to take an active role in coaching high-potential employees. - Provide Leadership Development Opportunities
Future leaders need training and experience to step into prominent leadership roles. Companies that invest in leadership development not only prepare employees for advancement but also strengthen their leadership pipeline.
Key Actions to Take:
— Offer leadership and management training programs that focus on the skills that matter most in your organization (e.g., communication, decision-making, and strategic thinking.)
— Create opportunities for employees to lead projects, manage teams, or present to senior leadership.
— Use people manager assessment centers to identify, develop, and promote top talent. - Promote from Within
One of the most effective ways to foster career growth is to prioritize internal promotions over external hires. Employees are more likely to stay engaged when they see that hard work and loyalty lead to upward mobility — assuming that the promotion process is seen as fair, transparent, and accessible.
Key Actions to Take:
— Develop a transparent internal hiring and interviewing process that encourages employees to apply for open roles.
— Identify high-potential employees early and prepare them for future leadership roles.
— Recognize and reward employees who consistently perform in alignment with your core values. - Encourage Lateral Career Moves
Not all career growth needs to be upward to engage and retain top talent. Done right, lateral moves can build new capabilities faster, present opportunities to meet and work with varied stakeholders, broaden your experience, and increase your overall perspective of the business.
Key Actions to Take:
— Encourage employees to explore different roles within the company.
— Provide job rotation programs that allow employees to gain experience in multiple areas.
— Support internal mobility by supporting and rewarding role transitions. - Recognize and Reward Career Development Efforts
Employees who take initiative in their professional development should be recognized and rewarded. We know from project postmortem data that acknowledging efforts to grow and improve reinforces a culture of learning and career advancement.
Key Actions to Take:
— Implement a rewards system for employees who gain new skills or take on additional responsibilities.
— Publicly recognize employees who demonstrate significant career growth.
— Tie career development milestones to performance evaluations and promotions.
The Bottom Line
Done right, investing in employee career growth can be a win-win for both the individual and the organization. If you can create a workplace culture where employees thrive and see a future career for themselves, you will be rewarded with a more engaged, productive, and committed workforce.
To learn more about how to give employees more career growth opportunities, download How to Reassess Career Development
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