Why Employers Should Invest in Personal Development

[April 13, 2019] Many employers simply don’t see the benefit of building personal development into their business strategy. There’s an assumption that it can be a costly affair and in many industries, there seem to be very little gains to be made from it. There’s also a widespread belief, in smaller companies, that the simply cannot accommodate developmental needs among their employees.

But many employers are now beginning to recognize the value of professional development. The most qualified don’t always apply for the positions we advertise. In these cases, we have little choice but to start looking at our existing workforce and identify the potential for personal development.

Improve your workforce

 Learning keeps your employees sharp and effective. “When an employer can implement continuing education in the workplace, the bar for excellence is raised. This means the whole workforce improves dramatically,” says Jennifer R Seagle, human resources blogger at Study demic and Student writing services.

Keep your employees engaged

 A demotivated workforce can cause untold damage to productivity. One of the biggest causes of demotivation is a lack of job security and the feeling of being easily replaceable. Every employee wants to feel that they are valuable somehow to their employer, and though money is obviously intrinsic to this, the knowledge that your employer recognizes your potential can go a long way too.

Knowledge stays relevant

The modern workplace is constantly evolving. With the advancement of technologies and practice, it is very easy to get left behind if we aren’t engaging with new methods of delivery. Training providers build their businesses on keeping up to date with best practices and are a vital resource in knowledge building.

Grows the business

Growth is essential to every business, and the key to growth is having a workforce that excels. With a regular regime of personal growth and a commitment to learning, we are building a competent and engaged workforce. When you’ve got a competent and engaged workforce you allowing your growth to start from the bottom up.

Doesn’t have to be costly

One of the things that hold employers back from implementing a good development program is the fear that the budget won’t allow for it. It’s not surprising that training and development is big business, and it’s tempting to believe that high-quality training is reserved for bigger companies only. But actually training and development needn’t be costly, and even if it is, you should take time to weigh up the long term benefits before dismissing it for the short term.

Crafting a good development process

We’ve seen how implementing a good development process can benefit your company, but there building and maintaining a policy of continuous development can be hard work. It’s tempting to think that each development plan should be bespoke, but actually, there are a few rudimentary ideas that can be employed in creating a policy.

“You should always deliver on your promises. Building practical steps toward your employee’s personal development fosters trust in your leadership. Management staff expectations are key to a harmonious working atmosphere, and a skill-led, well-delivered training program can be the life-blood of an excellent business,” says Joseph L. Melton, who writes on personal development at State of writing and Academy advisor.

Nora Mork is a business journalist at Resumention and Write my Australia. She helps brands achieve better communication results, and write columns for Oxessays blog.