David Grossman

Task + Relationship = Better Employee Performance

Career Management Steps: It’s Different Strokes for Different Folks

Do some of your employees think they should be promoted to vice president after working a year at your company?

 

In a previous HRTools.com Insight, I explained how everyone benefits—employers and employees alike—when business goals and employee career management goals are in synch.

As mentioned, everyone saves a lot of time when they are upfront about what they are looking to do. So, I encourage organizational leaders, and their employees, to be open and transparent in their relationships.

When developing career management practices for employees within an organization, employers may find the following practical steps a useful guide: 

1. Do a reality check. Be honest with employees about what is possible and what is not.  This clarity is especially important when dealing with employees who may have unrealistic expectations. Those individuals may not realize that certain criteria are required for certain positions. For instance, they may lack the necessary experience, business savvy, technical skills, etc. to fulfill the responsibilities of a higher-level position.
2. Avoid dragging out the process. In other words, when a new role, or a variation in a role, is identified, make sure your organization is prepared to talk about it. If not, the process can drag on and on. Leaders and managers want to avoid putting themselves in situations where they’re responding to inquiries by saying, “Well, we will have to see. Well, let me look into that.” These sorts of hazy responses serve no purpose and are not useful to anyone. Instead, you want to be prepared to ‘cut to the chase.’
3. Adopt a flexible attitude. Employers should be willing to allow employees to try out new roles or responsibilities whenever possible. Don’t allow a job description to restrict employee performance. Employees have all sorts of talents, skills and abilities they can bring to the table. Provide them with opportunities and allow them to experiment in a role. For example, some organizations allow an employee to “tag along” with someone else for a week. These employees can benefit from participating in new experiences, which are typically outside their normal range of activities, such as sitting in on internal or client-facing meetings.
4. Recognize the value of experimentation. By allowing opportunities for employees to experiment, they can then find out if a certain type of role appeals to them or not. A position may look good on paper until it is experienced. The last thing you want to happen is to put someone in a role and then find out later that it isn’t what they thought it would be. So give employees an opportunity to experiment and, again, do not tie them to job descriptions.
5. Influence a safe environment. Beware of putting employees into roles that you are ‘selling’ them on. In other words, if you tell them, “This is a really exciting role change,” etc., and they get the impression that it is not safe to say, “No, thank you,” this can be a mistake. Or even worse, when an employer responds by saying something such as, “Oh, never mind, you’re out of here.”
6. Remember employee expectations are different from one to the next. Again, it’s about setting expectations. You may have an employee who is assertive, aggressive and a go-getter, and this individual wants to rise to the top. These characteristics do not represent every person who shows up to work. So for others, career objectives may mean something totally different. For some individuals, roles that allow for more flexibility and more time at home may be more meaningful. Or you may have someone who is bored in their current role, but he or she does not want to manage or supervise other employees. So you will not want to make them a manager or a supervisor.
7. Think outside the traditional career ladder box. Besides assuming that everyone wants to hear, “You’re our people manager,” get to know your people. Not everyone wants to hear that, so make sure you also understand what the role entails. Be upfront and honest about the role and how you see this person fulfilling the responsibilities. Then, take notice of their reactions. Are they excited? Do they seem happy and willing to take them on?
8. Expose employees to new and various projects. Based on an employee’s interests, background, qualifications, etc., give them exposure to new projects. Find out if they are suitable for the task. An employer can have the power and authority to push people, including those who are performing well, but ultimately if the willingness isn’t there, it will fail. In other words, if the motivation is not there, you’re going to see an excellent performer move to being an OK performer. 

So success means different things to different people. Employers have a definite vision of what success and growth mean to them. Synch up your goals with those of your employees, and you will more likely find them whistling while they work.

The information contained in this document is for general, informational purposes only and is not intended to be legal advice. This information is not a substitute for the guidance of a professional and should not be relied upon in reference to any specific situation without first seeking the advice of a qualified HR professional and/or legal counsel regarding applicable federal, state or local laws. HRTools, Insperity and their respective employees make no warranties, express or implied, and make no judgments regarding the accuracy of this content and/or its applicability to a specific situation. A reference or link to another website is not an endorsement of that site or service.