HR Connection blog

 

Research consistently finds that employees across the generational spectrum believe that one of a manager’s fundamental roles is to support the development of his or her employees. And yet, in most organizations, the level of satisfaction with that development remains relatively low.

Nothing is more important to people than their own success. But employee development is not merely something to delegate to training departments (or, worse, to ignore). Rather, managers should assume the responsibility for making sure their employees have the right knowledge, skills, and attitudes to do their jobs and to do them well. Development is not only about correcting weaknesses. It also involves upgrading and taking people forward at least enough to keep up with change. Ideally, it helps them reach their full potential. As the old saying goes, “You can have either five years’ experience or one year’s experience multiplied by five.” People want the former, and as managers we are the means for them to achieve it. With that in mind, we need to recognize the importance of our employees’ development and create a visible system to help each person gain experience and extend his or her skills:

In mid-August, a New York Times article about Amazon featured heated accounts from former employees describing a workplace that rewards top performers with praise and bonuses, while punishing those who can't – or won't – commit to 85-hour work weeks and 24/7 availability.