We’ve been keeping a secret: pizza parties and swag just don’t cut it anymore when it comes to attracting top talent. The classic “employee appreciation events and gifts” no longer resonates with applicants who are now looking for something deeper to assess whether a role is a good fit. So, while we’re dropping the “outs,” we’re also here to share the “ins”—and the key one is employee development opportunities.
Prioritizing employee growth offers three key benefits:
1. Attracting Top Talent: The number one reason employees leave a company is the lack of development opportunities. Organizations that actively foster growth are the ones that stand out to prospective employees. If you can demonstrate a commitment to employee development, you’ll attract candidates eager to join a company focused on their long-term success.
2. Boosting Retention and Promoting Upward Mobility: Gallup’s research shows that organizations with a strong focus on employee development experience 11% greater profitability and are twice as likely to retain their workforce. Promoting from within not only reduces the high costs of hiring and training new employees but also recognizes and rewards existing talent, enhancing employee satisfaction.
3. Increasing Productivity: Employees who feel valued are more committed to their work. When development opportunities are provided, employees find renewed purpose in their roles, which leads to higher engagement and better performance.
Integrating employee development into your company culture benefits both employees and the leadership team. It creates a win-win: employees gain the skills they need to thrive, and business leaders ensure the organization’s longevity. But knowing that development opportunities are essential is just the beginning. It’s also about identifying relevant skills, providing content aligned with those skills, and fostering continuous learning.
We categorize the essential skills employees need into three key buckets:
Soft skills are the foundational abilities that help employees succeed both professionally and personally. Soft skills enhance communication, collaboration, conflict resolution, goal setting, time management, and the ability to give and receive feedback. Prioritizing these skills not only empowers employees to perform at their best but also sets them up for career advancement.
In-Demand skills are the specialized skills that keep employees on the cutting edge of today’s fast-evolving work environment. Key skills include digital literacy, AI understanding, remote work dynamics, and working alongside a multigenerational workforce. Staying current with these skills ensures employees remain competitive and adaptable to changing workplace demands.
Technical skills are tailored to specific job functions, such as certifications, machinery operation, software proficiency, and industry-specific knowledge. These are vital for those in certain roles and can be a strong asset when offered development opportunities.
HR and L&D professionals might feel overwhelmed trying to address all these skill sets while juggling other responsibilities. That’s where an online learning partner like BizLibrary becomes invaluable. According to LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report, 74% of employees prefer to learn during their spare time at work, so providing an accessible, user-friendly learning platform is key to keeping employees engaged in their development.
BizLMS makes it simple for employees to log in and access content tailored to their development needs, whether it’s a course or supporting material.
Here’s how HR and L&D professionals can promote skill development with BizLibrary’s support:
Learning Initiatives/Playlists: One of the easiest ways to encourage skill development is by creating and assigning Learning Initiatives or curated playlists. BizLibrary’s Content Concierge team can help put together content recommendations based on specific skills, saving administrators time and effort. Whether the learning is prescriptive or elective, admins can assign initiatives to all learners, specific teams, or individuals and track progress through a detailed and insightful Admin Dashboard.
Skill Booster Emails: To support administrators who don’t have the time to promote elective learning, BizLibrary sends out twice-monthly Skill Booster emails. These are curated emails with content focused on key topics like communication, time management, leadership, and wellness. By automatically encouraging employees to engage with valuable content, these emails help enhance personal and professional growth without adding extra work for managers.
AI-Powered Search: Sometimes learners know exactly what they want to improve, but finding the right content can be time-consuming. BizLMS features an AI-powered search that understands user queries, making it easier for learners to quickly find relevant courses, videos, or content series based on keywords or phrases. They can even save courses to their ‘My Playlist’ for future reference or if they begin watching a content lesson, it will show up in their Recent Activity widget.
Competency Guides: These guides provide administrators with starting points for exploring subskills within a broader category. Administrators can refer to these guides to go deeper into the program build by incorporating competencies that may not be thought of immediately. For example, if a group is focused on leadership, competency guides can help identify areas such as decision-making, goal setting, or leading teams through change, ensuring a well-rounded development program.
BizSkills: BizSkills helps L&D professionals deliver personalized upskilling and reskilling programs. It includes a job role library with pre-mapped skills and content, skill ratings, and automated role matching. BizSkills makes it easier to identify potential leaders within the company and support employees’ growth in areas they’re passionate about, paving the way for more meaningful career conversations.
Employee development can take many forms, but what’s most important is offering opportunities for employees to continuously grow and expand their skills. This benefits them both in and outside of the workplace.
Ready to get started? Contact a BizRep today to bring development to your organization!
