Top Ten Tips for... Developing Skills & Professional Growth
Here at cHRysos HR, we have always been huge advocates of continual professional development – whatever your age, experience or stage in your career. That’s one of the many reasons why we love events such as the CIPD's upcoming Festival of Work!
This year’s Festival is taking place between the 15th and 16th June and is the biggest celebration of lifelong learning in the UK. Whether you attend the paid conference, the free exhibition or simply make the most of the CIPD’s online content, the event will be a great opportunity for people professionals to network and discover the new world of work.
Don’t worry if you missed this year’s event, there are plenty of other networking opportunities for those in the people profession – keep your eyes peeled for more upcoming opportunities!
In light of that, we wanted to share some of the different ways you and your employees can continue to achieve professional growth by developing their skills...
1. Provide plenty of opportunities
Events such as the Festival of Work are always a great opportunity to learn more from other professionals in your field. Whether your employees are new to HR & L&D or have years of experience, we guarantee there will always be something to learn about the ever-changing world of work. Throughout the rest of the year, it’s also important to provide your team with plenty of opportunities for growth and development. Perhaps you can implement regular in-house training days or consider a peer-to-peer mentoring programme?
2. Look for inspiration
The Festival of Work was formally known as Adult Learners Week and still continues to champion the benefits of education and learning, no matter your age. Events like this often showcase a vast array of people who have gained so much from learning as adults and their stories are really inspiring. You are likely to have similar inspirational learners in your workplace, so why not seek them out and see what opportunities arise? As an employer, choosing to invest in your workforce in this way will no doubt result in loyal employees who are proud to work at your company.
3. Don’t be afraid to start small
If you or your employees feel inspired to learn more but don’t necessarily know where to start then the best place, as they say, is at the beginning. For people who have been in their current role for a number of years, college or university may feel like a lifetime ago! Why not offer the chance to refresh core skills like maths, English or IT? As well as allowing learners to become re-acquainted with the classroom environment, it is also likely to boost their confidence and lead to other opportunities.
4. Developing personal skills
Learning and development isn’t always just about qualifications and an extensive CV but also about personal skills and attributes too. Why not ask your colleagues what they think their strongest personal attributes are and whether they see any room for growth? This can be just an important as a new qualification! For example, they might want to develop their team leadership skills or their confidence in a certain aspect of the job.
5. Establish learning strategies
A strong learning and development strategy is vital when it comes to enabling and inspiring your colleagues to succeed in their roles and to grow within your organisation. An effective strategy can promote a positive learning culture that empowers the team to take ownership and control of their own development. If you are attending this year’s Festival of Work, then hopefully the speakers will inspire you and show you how to develop an effective learning strategy that allows you to nurture your employees while growing your business too.
Related: How to retain great employees
6. Consider the benefits of online training
Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, many organisations had no choice but to switch their training to an online and virtual format. However, now that special events such as the Festival of Work are back up and running in person, it doesn’t mean that we should discount the benefits of online training. Online training can be a great investment for your company – it can reduce training costs, you can inform more people quickly, employees can learn at their own pace and at different times and it can provide immediate access to resources and information.
7. Understand what qualifications are needed
Continual Professional Development (CPD) can have huge personal benefits for your employees but can also be beneficial to you and your business. Offering opportunities for growth within their current role means that your team is more likely to remain loyal and to consider their career options at your company rather than elsewhere. Consider what qualifications or skills your employees need – and don’t be afraid to ask them – do these goals also align with any skills gaps within the business?
8. Consider your own skill-set too
As you continue to follow these steps and implement opportunities for your employees, remember to consider your own development too! As a leader and a manager, are there any areas in which you feel your skills could be improved? Following your own advice will not only benefit you in the long-run, but your employees will appreciate seeing you lead by example.
9. Don’t forget to check in!
Hopefully you are already having regular communication with your team, whether these are weekly team meetings or formal reviews. However, if your employees are also undergoing training or studying for a new qualification then there might be more to discuss – do you need to up the frequency of your check-ins? Set aside time as often as you feel is necessary. These catch ups will give you a valuable opportunity to check in with every individual and to deal with any potential issues as and when they arise.
10. Network, network, network
Networking at events such as the Festival of Work is a great way to boost skills and learn from others in your field. What better way to learn than from each other? Events like this are a great opportunity to connect with others and share experiences, ideas and ambitions for the future. There’s nothing stopping you making a note of particular speakers from the line-up who inspire you and following them on social media. If their work is particularly beneficial to your company, why not drop them an email or invite them to speak with the team once the event concludes?
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cHRysos HR Solutions are a UK wide HR training and consultancy company offering CIPD accredited qualifications, Apprenticeships, Training and HR Services to SMEs. For more information about how cHRysos HR can help you or your teams successfully achieve further qualifications, contact us on info@chrysos.org.uk or call 03300 562443.