In today’s tough economic circumstances, organisations are seeking competitive advantage through the best use of their people more than ever before.
In a time when the job market is uncertain many companies and business leaders may feel that career management is not a priority, seeing it as something that is personal to employees.
But the challenge is, that while organisations want to maximise employees performance, employees want to maximise their careers – and these goals are not one and the same.
Years of change, restructuring, outsourcing and down-sizing have caused people to take a more active role in managing their careers. Employees at all levels face career decisions on a daily basis: is my job safe? Should I stay or should I leave? Should I change careers? Should I pursue new projects? Should I go back to university? Should I start up on my own? And in a rapidly-changing work environment, the answers are not always obvious.
It is in the context of this economic reality that career management assumes more significance not less. Career management is about getting people to where they want to be and where the organisation needs them to be.
If employers want their people to be committed to the organisation, engaged with their work and driven to perform they need to provide them with the tools and resources they need to manage their careers within the organisation.
It’s not just a “nice” thing to do – it’s a business imperative. The potential benefit goes beyond turning around low employee satisfaction scores, reducing turnover or ensuring high engagement. It’s about performance.
High-performance organisations require productivity, innovation and the right skills in the right place at the right time. To be responsive in their markets, organisations must line up their skilled employees to succeed in new roles as quickly and as smoothly as possible.
Career management provides the opportunity for an organisation to align the aspirations of individual employees with current and future business needs, increasing the chances that the workforce will be willing, ready and able to move into the roles that the organisation needs them to play.
The key reasons why companies should be paying attention to career management are:
1. Growing future leaders and specialists
Organisations need effective career management to grow the skills and experience the business needs now and in the future. Effective career conversations will also allow employees to be better informed and prepared for new roles and responsibilities so the transition into new roles will be smoother and more successful.
2. Resourcing & redeployment
In times of change and restructure, effective resourcing and redeployment of skills is more important than ever. Career management helps move people into roles where their skills are most suited and their aspirations are best met.
3. Improving organisational performance
Research shows that providing career opportunities is a key practice that influences organisational performance.
4. Boosting employee engagement
Employee engagement is higher when the job fulfils the intrinsic needs and personal goals of employees. By helping employees manage their careers and providing opportunities for career development, the organisation can ensure higher engagement & productivity.
5. Attracting and retaining good employees
Good-quality employees will stay with an organisation if offered challenge, empowerment and the chance to progress and develop. Although this may not seem a priority in the current economy, organisations need to prepare for the potential retention problems that are likely to become an issue as the economy improves and the market opens up.
Career management is about the future of the organisation, and also about the effective development and deployment of all employees. Get career management right and individuals will feel connected to their work, valued for their contribution, engaged with the organisation, and motivated to contribute.
Their willingness to apply and increase their capability will be enhanced. Manage careers well and the organisation’s capability to meet future demands will be enhanced by its ability to retain existing staff and to attract high quality applicants. This, in turn, unlocks the value chain which links personal success, organisation performance and business results.
Get career management wrong, and organisational capability is driven down as individuals exit either psychologically, becoming disengaged or demotivated, or physically by moving to competitors.
Antoinette Oglethorpe is an HR consultant at performance advisors, Banana Park Consulting.
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