Professional development is a way for your business to offer its employees opportunities to continue their on-the-job training and education. This training helps them develop new skills, stay up-to-date on trends, and can help them advance their career, whether internally or with a new company.
Taking a new job is the first step toward advancing in a career, but it’s a small step. If someone wants to continue to invest in themselves, then they need to focus on career development.
According to the 2022 Global Talent Trends Report, 59% of professionals around the world say that professional development opportunities are what attracts them most to a new company.
Putting a focus on professional development prioritizes your employees’ well-being, helps boost productivity and can be a crucial part of retention.
WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT?
Professional development is a way for your business to offer its employees opportunities to continue their on-the-job training and education. This training helps them develop new skills, stay up-to-date on trends, and can help them advance their career, whether internally or with a new company.
For many professionals, continuing education is a requirement. But even if it’s not required, it’s something that can help your employees learn more and improve their current skill set in the job they are performing for your organization.
3 REASONS YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HELPS BOOST PRODUCTIVITY
By offering professional development opportunities for your employees, you’re investing in your staff’s knowledge, skill set, and growth. These opportunities help your staff gain confidence in their abilities and in the work they can produce. They can work efficiently and effectively, which has an even greater impact on your business.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CAN INCREASE COMPANY PROFITS
According to the Association for Talent Development (ATD), companies that offer training programs have 218% higher income per employee than those that don’t invest in training and development. This makes sense when you look at it further. When you offer development opportunities for employees, you can increase their knowledge and skills. By creating a better-trained workforce, your business gets to reap the immediate benefits with increased productivity, and this has a direct impact on your company’s success and profits.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF RETENTION
In today’s candidate-driven job market, now more than ever, you should put a focus on keeping the best talent on your staff. Attracting and retaining employees is vital to your business’s survival. You can help your employees thrive and give them more reasons to want to stay at your business. Professional development helps improve your company culture and shows your employees that you are willing to invest in them to keep them on staff. It also allows them to learn skills that make them eligible for internal promotions, which helps you retain them for the future.
Focusing on professional development opportunities can help your business in countless ways, meeting the needs of today’s workforce, and giving your business a competitive edge.
