Employee Development

By definition, the word development means “to elevate (something) to a higher state of effectiveness or efficiency. This definition can also be applied to people during which we elevate someone to a higher state of effectiveness, efficiency, or readiness. The topic of employee development in the minds of most managers and even some HR professionals, unfortunately, has become synonymous with participation in Training. In fact, it is so much more:

• Do your training programs focus on providing skills to new users or to enhancing those of current employees? Do your training sessions include skill practice sessions, or are they simply communication sessions?
• If your training includes skill practice / participation, are trainees given effective feedback about their performance. Or, is attendance in the session considered “good enough” because it complies with some regulation?
• Are you getting real return for the money you spend conducting training? Do you know how to measure this return?

The best type of development occurs for people by moving them into a new job and then providing the watchful guidance required to ensure both their success AND the success of the enterprise, as measured by the results they produce. Can you answer yes to the following questions:

• Do your managers have the ability to coach / mentor employees being developed?
• Do all employees have a high level of confidence in your organization’s performance management system and process?
• Does your organization in general know how to set goals for development that are challenging, yet not overwhelming?
• Is your performance management system valued, tolerated, or despised? Could it be made more effective?
• Are your managers good at guiding performance improvement of their employees?
• Are your managers effective and improving results when structured guidance (discipline) is required?
• Do your position descriptions and development plans include identification of key behaviors (a.k.a., competencies) that enable success?
• Are your position descriptions complete to the point of legally defensible?

Spirk & Associates has the experience and wherewithal to help your organization develop positive answers to all of the above questions. For details and a comprehensive list of training solutions, please visit our Training Catalog.