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When You Train Employees, Do You Also Boost Retention?

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Sponsored by FranklinCovey

If you’re involved in hiring or managing people, no one needs to tell you that competition for top talent is incredibly fierce. And keeping teams engaged and motivated is getting more difficult all the time. That’s why it pays to be especially thoughtful and strategic about how you train employees.

This isn’t just my opinion. It’s the conclusion of organizations like SHRM, which found that employees are 76% more likely to stay onboard when their organization has a dedicated process to support workforce learning and growth. Similarly, Deloitte estimates that retention is 30-50% higher among companies with a strong learning culture.

But this begs the question — exactly how can you build and sustain a learning environment that engages people so they want to stay onboard and advance your agenda? That’s the topic we’re exploring today with a brilliant business leader who is also a recognized expert in learning and development…

Meet Our Guest:  Paul Walker

I’m honored to welcome Paul Walker, President and CEO at FranklinCovey! As the company’s chief strategist and operational leader, Paul is committed to transforming organizations and enabling greatness. He actually started his career at FranklinCovey 22 years ago, and has grown and adapted along with the company. So clearly, he knows first-hand how learning and development can help retain top talent. Please join us as we explore this topic:

Connecting Learning With Retention
Welcome, Paul! Let’s dive right in. How is training tied to workforce retention?

Our work with clients and research from others tell us that training is integral to retention for several reasons:

  1. When you train employees, they feel valued because you’re investing in them. And the more valued people feel, the more likely they are to stay.
  2. It helps people perform better. We all want to do our best work everyday. If we need skills to do that, and our employer is helping us acquire those capabilities, it not only helps us do better today, but may also prepare us for something exciting in the future. Again, we feel valued.

How to Train Employees Effectively
What do people really want from work-related training?

There are probably more factors, but over and over again we see employees focusing on these things:

  1. Is it easy for me to access, so I can get the most out of it?
  2. How well does it fit into the flow of my daily work life?
  3. How relevant is it now, and will it prepare me for where I want to be in the future?
  4. Is it useful? Does it actually help me perform better?
How Can You Train Employees for Retention? Join us for a live #WorkTrends Twitter Chat - Wednesday, March 29th - 1:30-2:00pm ET. Follow @TalentCulture on Twitter for questions - and add the #WorkTrends hashtag to your tweets so others can see your comments and interact with you!

JOIN US ON TWITTER!

Choose Learning Metrics That Matter

Retention is important, but what other KPIs should we consider?

When we want to train employees, we need to be sure we’re not just advocating for retention or other objectives that may feel a bit soft to people who make budgetary and strategic decisions. These leaders don’t necessarily see how learning supports what they want to accomplish.

Instead, we need to focus on how learning improves the quality of the team’s results. That’s crucial to the organization’s performance.

We need to talk in the language Deloitte used in its research that says:

  • 92% of companies with more intentional, sophisticated learning develop more novel products and processes,
  • 56% are often first-to-market with products and services,
  • 52% are measurably more productive, and
  • 17% are more profitable.

Make It a Leadership Priority to Train Employees

Absolutely. There’s value here, and our KPIs should reflect that…

I would also say the best organizations have figured out how to ignite a passion for employee learning in their leaders. In other words, people development is a key leadership expectation, and leaders want to be involved in helping their people grow and develop. It’s not just the responsibility of HR or L&D…

For more insights from Paul about how to train employees for retention, listen to this full podcast episode. And be sure to subscribe to the #WorkTrends Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.

In addition, we invite you to join our live Twitter chat about this topic on Wednesday, March 29th from 1:30-2:00pm ET. Follow us at @TalentCulture for questions and be sure to add the #WorkTrends hashtag to your tweets, so others in the community can easily find your comments and interact with you!

Also, to continue this conversation on social media anytime, follow our #WorkTrends hashtag on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Developing Entry-Level Talent: How to Invest for Success

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Imagine you’re a hard-working entry-level employee who’s been in your current position for less than a year. Your skills are solid, but they don’t help you stand out from other entry-level talent. You know which skills could help you advance, but you’re not sure what resources are available to you or how to get support for a growth plan. You don’t see a pathway to expand your skill set. You just feel stuck.

Sadly, this isn’t unusual. But scenarios like this can have serious consequences for employee morale, mobility, and retention across an organization. For example research says:

It’s no surprise that people look elsewhere when they believe their skills aren’t seen, valued, and nurtured. But this doesn’t need to happen. As an employer, you can avoid losing entry-level employees by investing more effectively in their future with your organization.

Where Employee Development Fits In

A comprehensive professional development program is one way to demonstrate your commitment. Upskilling, reskilling, cross-training and continuous learning practices help employees keep existing skills fresh, develop new capabilities, and expand their career potential over time.

Future-minded employers know that developing entry-level talent is not just good for employee engagement and morale. It’s also a smart business strategy because it builds “bench depth.” By encouraging employees to embrace new responsibilities and growth opportunities, you can create a more diverse internal talent pipeline that will adapt with you as your business needs change.

A commitment to developing entry-level talent also sends a powerful message from the highest levels of your organization. It tells people that every member of your workforce is important, and you’re invested in their future success.

What’s at Stake for Employers

Organizations that invest in entry-level talent realize significant benefits:

1. Higher ROI

When you’re facing workforce skill gaps, recruiting qualified talent may seem like a faster, cheaper, easier solution than employee development. But this is a short-sighted approach that doesn’t necessarily lead to a stronger team. Bringing in new talent requires multiple costly, time-consuming steps, from recruiting to interviewing to hiring. And there’s no guarantee new hires will onboard successfully and become committed contributors.

Why bet on an uncertain outcome, when you already have a team in place that you’ve worked so hard to recruit and onboard? If you spend the same amount of time and money helping existing employees grow, you’re more likely to achieve a higher return on investment.

2. Less Brain Drain

The value of institutional knowledge is also important to consider. The lower your commitment to development, the higher your turnover rate is likely to be. And as employees leave, they’ll take away “insider” intelligence about how your organization gets things done. For example, you’ll lose insight into strategies, tactics and processes that worked, as well as those that didn’t. This kind of information can make or break operational efficiency, effectiveness, cohesion, and more.

By developing entry-level talent, you can equip employees with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in your environment. Along the way, you’ll build and reinforce institutional knowledge, rather than eroding it as disenchanted employees leave.

3. Stronger Employee Value Proposition

We know people are drawn to employers that emphasize continuous professional development and growth. If your loyal workforce sees you turning to new hires instead of investing in existing employees, what should you expect to happen? Morale will sink, the desire for professional growth will vanish, and skills will stagnate. Eventually, employees will look for growth opportunities outside your organization.

Instead, why not reinvigorate your team through learning? Focus on reskilling, upskilling, and cross-skilling. It’s a more sustainable way to strengthen employee satisfaction, commitment, retention, and performance. To get started with a successful entry-level employee development program, consider these five steps:

5 Ways to Develop Entry-Level Talent

1. Establish a Reasonable Budget

Start by defining the key elements of your employee growth plan. Identify the professional development topics and skills your program should address. Any development model will involve both direct and indirect costs, and these should align with market value.

However, expenses aren’t the only consideration. You’ll also want to estimate the value of potential benefits. For example, you may choose to establish a mentorship program that pairs new hires with veteran employees. This is a relatively low-cost way to support a culture of learning, but it can lead to significant tangible results.

2. Provide Time and Resources for Employee Participation

Simply put, employees need dedicated time and support to engage in professional development. Allocate a specific number of days for this purpose — perhaps even paid time away from the office, if possible.

A little workplace flexibility goes a long way in helping talent feel valued, and giving employees choice in managing their schedules encourages accountability and self-regulation.

3. Tap Into the Power of Work Relationships

Ask entry-level employees what kind of development support they feel would be helpful. Then ask managers to co-create a roadmap with their direct reports, based on the knowledge and skills they want to develop.

Managers are likely to know how to leverage connections among team members so they can learn from one another. Research shows that these relationships matter. For example, McKinsey found that 91% of people supported by mentors are satisfied with their jobs. In addition, cohort-based learning enhances workplace communication, overall.

4. Include Team-Building Opportunities

Besides mentorship programs, consider other ways for entry-level employees to learn from teammates. Cross-departmental collaboration, for example, is an underused resource. When employees work with others and learn from one another, they can sharpen both interpersonal and job-related skills. They’re also more likely to understand the company’s inner workings and see the value in individual workplace roles.

5. Showcase Progress

For any program that demands time and energy, employees and employers alike want to see results. To reinforce the benefits of participation, plan to demonstrate how development efforts lead to professional growth, improved performance, and team success. For instance, one study of U.K. reskilling programs resulted in positive economic returns and improved morale. These are the kind of concrete results everyone appreciates.

Summary

These suggestions are intended as launching points to help you make the most of your investment in entry-level talent. With these development factors as a framework, your learning programs can make a measurable and lasting difference in workplace communication, productivity and innovation. Most importantly, this kind of investment can help you build a stronger team that will be invigorated and inspired to move forward together. Everybody wins.

What Are the Most Popular Jobs In India This Year?

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Looking for the most popular jobs in India? There are a variety of popular job choices available, but the most common jobs may catch you off guard. The following 6 jobs are the most popular in 2015:

1. Sales Managers

Sales managers are responsible for sales teams. These professionals often work in department stores and their role is simple: make sales for their employer. Analyzing markets and current sale avenues is an important role of a sales manager. Managers will also have to deal with customers. Professionals that have a knack for dealing with the public and patience to listen to irate customers will excel in this field.

These professionals earn Rs 4, 84,844.

2. Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech problems caused by brain injuries, dyslexia and developmental disabilities often lead to speech impediments. When a person has trouble with their speech, despite the reason, they will often have to visit a speech-language pathologist to help correct their speech-related issues. Many pathologists will choose to work with just pediatrics or within certain age groups as a specialty. Speech-language pathologists work within their own clinics or often within hospitals or therapy centers. These professionals may work with our next job professionals: physical therapists.

These professionals earn Rs 5, 21,176 on average.

3. Physical Therapists

The role of a physical therapist is to help those with ambulatory issues and/or injuries that prevent them from conducting daily life routines, such as walking, get better. These professionals work within their patient’s abilities to help them recover from injuries so that they can resume as normal of a life as possible. Occupational therapists are also in demand and work less with ambulatory issues and more with life skills, such as:

  • Eating
  • Dressing
  • Cooking

Working in hospitals and clinics, physical therapists earn Rs 1, 22,890 on average.

4. Medical and Health Services

Healthcare executives have the immense responsibility of planning, directing and delivering healthcare solutions to their patients. A field that is rapidly growing, these professionals are in very high demand and may include:

  • Nursing home administrators
  • Assistant administrators
  • Clinical managers

This is a field that is rapidly growing around the world, with a 6% growth rate in India alone. These professionals demand a salary of Rs 5, 65,999 annually with no shortage of jobs available.

5. Web Developers

From CSS to HTML and PHP to ASP, web developers with a variety of skills are among the most in-demand professionals in the world. The growing usage of the Internet and mobile technologies has created the perfect career for web developers. Simple websites to complete web applications are in high demand and waiting for a competent web developer to complete.

These professionals earn up to Rs 3, 37,573.

6. Network Administrator

Network administrators allow computer networks to run smoothly. When there are hundreds of computers on a network, an administrator must ensure that all computers are fully operational. Even printers and other devices that hook up to a network are under the control of the administrator.

A stressful job, a computer systems administrator or network administrator can earn Rs 2, 16,809 a year.

Image: bigstockphoto.com

Source: Jobtonic.in

Keep The Pursuit Of Your Goals From Going Off-Track

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“When I thought I couldn’t go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence, not luck.” — Estee Lauder

Do you know what you want out of your life? Can you see your future clearly in your mind’s eye, and do you know down to the very core of your being that you’re working toward your life’s purpose? If so, congratulations! If you’re not quite there yet, take a few moments and imagine what your life would be life if you were living on purpose. How wide is the gap between what you want to be doing and what you’re currently engaged in?

Sometimes we get “stuck” in a situation that is clearly not where we want to be. Maybe it’s because of financial considerations, family expectations, or self-imposed limitations. If you dread going to work every day, it may be time to reconsider the track you’re on and look for ways you can progress toward what you want out of life.

It’s easy to advance toward your goals when things are going well, when you’re “in the flow.” You feel great, you’re on a “high,” and things couldn’t be better. Because of your positive momentum, when challenges first happen, you turn on your inner turbo-boosters and plow forward.

However, when it seems nothing is going right, challenges are abounding, and you’re not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, you may start questioning your sanity, your motivations, and whether you should be continuing down this crazy path.

Here are some tips to keep you on track so you can reach the pinnacle of your personal and professional pursuits, whatever they are:

1. Acknowledge yourself for each and every little victory. So often we are looking for what is going wrong, what has gone wrong or what could go wrong that we don’t see how many things are going well. At the end of each day, write down your list of “wins” and take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments.

2. Learn from your lessons. It’s been said that a lesson is repeated until the lesson is learned. When something goes wrong, take a moment and assess exactly what happened. Then try something different; even a slight shift can make a big impact. This may take you out of your comfort zone, but doing things in a different way will lead to different — and probably better — results.

3. Be grateful. Get into the practice of looking for people, events and circumstances for which you can be thankful. You don’t have to wait until something really “big” happens. When you wake up in the morning, before you get out of bed, think of three things that you appreciate about your life. Then think of three more things that you can be grateful for in advance of them happening during the day. In this way, you’ll set a positive expectancy for your day and chances are that your day will turn out as good, or even better, than you originally imagined.

Think of your challenges as just another part of your story. Every delay, mistake, and denial is part of what it takes to make your victory stronger and more satisfying than if it happened easily and without trials and tribulations. You are on your way, and your efforts will pay off in ways you may not have imagined. Go for it!

Persistence pays. Slow and steady wins the race – it’s all just a matter of time.

Employee engagement expert and motivational speaker Lisa Ryan works with organizations to help them keep their top talent and best customers from becoming someone else’s. She is the author of six books, and is featured in two films ,including the award-winning “The Keeper of the Keys” with Jack Canfield of “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” For more information, please connect with Lisa at her website, www.grategy.com, or email her at lisa@grategy.com.

photo credit: haydnseek via photopin cc

Preparing For Campus Recruiting’s Future

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As technology moves rapidly forward, the employment landscape will continue to change. This means campus recruiting in 2020 and beyond will look much different than it does today. Students will have different majors, use different technologies, and plan for completely new and undiscovered career paths.

Great recruiters are always forward thinkers. They have to see a talented candidate and imagine how he/she will fit into a company or a specific role. Yet, how do you prepare for an unclear future? As usual, recruiters will need to look into their crystal balls to determine what campus recruiting will look like in 2020 and far beyond.

Industries in Decline

According to futurist Thomas Frey, by 2030, more than 2 billion jobs will just disappear out of the market. This shocking statistic makes a certain amount of sense, as new technology is disrupting and, in many cases, replacing more traditional industries.

Even Bill Gates is predicting a huge segment of the job market will just cease to exist within the next 10 to 15 years. Speaking to The American Enterprise Institute, Gates predicted software automation will wipe out scores of jobs. Some of these are in the telemarketing, sales, accounting, and retail fields. Others are more highly trained positions, including jobs in legal work, technical writing, and maybe even commercial pilots.

The first step when looking into the future of college recruiting is to understand the way technology is disrupting established industries. What will sales and customer service positions look like in 2030? Will they exist? How about creative, advertising and marketing? How do the new tools flooding the marketplace change the skills needed by smart graduates to succeed? The answers to these questions should help you tailor your search for futuristic talent.

Flourishing Fields

Science, technology, engineering and math (or STEM) jobs are in high demand. It’s not hard to imagine why, considering how technology has crept into every aspect of our daily lives. Almost all companies and all positions use some form of technology on the job today, and tech will only continue its rapid growth.

Consider that, for non-STEM jobs, unemployed candidates outnumber jobs by 3.6 to 1. For STEM candidates, however, jobs are plentiful and outnumber candidates by 1.9 to 1. As these fields continue to gain in importance, combining with environmental fields and new trends like big data, these candidates will be the college grads to watch.

5 Jobs You’ll Be Recruiting for in 2020 … That Don’t Exist Now

You won’t be able to find these job ads online today, but in the future some of these might be the jobs college grads dream about:

Big Data: Big data is already starting a revolution in the way we do business and analyze data. These jobs will gain in prominence in the coming years, meaning big data will be a big recruiting trend in the future.

3D Printing: Printing in three dimensions isn’t just a fad; it’s about to become an essential part of how we build and innovate. In the future, those familiar with 3D printing technology and how to utilize it will have a leg up.

Driverless Cars: Who wants to put the pedal to the metal when you can sit back in style? Driverless cars are just around the corner and the technicians to service these full-service vehicles will be in high demand.

Micro-Colleges: Colleges are starting to seem a little behind the times. This is thanks in large part to two phenomena. First, the economic collapse left many college students with expensive degrees but without jobs. The second is how rapidly technology changes, making the degree you got yesterday obsolete by next week. This will lead to a rise in more affordable micro-colleges focusing on skills and immersion over the more traditional liberal arts model.

Productivity Hackers: Already our time is at a premium. Everyone is overscheduled, from high-powered CEOs running from meeting to meeting to toddlers being shuttled from ballet practice to play groups. The science of productivity will become more than a buzzword by 2020; it will be an actual career field.

Predicting the future might be impossible, but this doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel when it comes to imagining what the top talent will look like in 2020. By keeping an eye on the trends and staying informed, smart recruiters can be more prepared when campus recruiting in the future and beyond.

What do you think? What jobs do you see gaining steam in 2020? Share in the comments!

Bio: Amit Chauhan is the CEO and co-founder of Recroup, an entry-level hiring platform that allows employers to find the right talent by getting to know the person behind the resume. Connect with Amit and the Recroup team on Twitter.

photo credit: Unhindered by Talent via photopin cc

Are You Hanging Onto The Ladder Of Comfort Or Climbing The Ladder Of Success?

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“The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher.”  Thomas Henry Huxley

Life doesn’t always turn out the way you expect.

After my brother, Scott, graduated from college with an accounting degree, he opened an eyeglass store with a partner. They employed a full-time ophthalmologist, and business was booming. A few years into it, Scott became intrigued with the idea of becoming an eye doctor himself, so he went back to college to pursue a degree in medicine.

He applied to several ophthalmology programs, but he could not get accepted — no matter how hard he tried. Yet he didn’t give up. He studied hard, retook the exam and tried again. No dice. Finally it dawned on him that he may be pursuing the wrong path, so he explored other areas of medicine.

Shadowing a friend who was a podiatrist, Scott found that he loved the field of podiatry. He pursued it, effortlessly got into a program, graduated, and after years of hard work is now a partner in a successful surgical practice. He developed two implants that were approved by the FDA, and the company and his practice are growing like wildfire.

My brother could have gotten comfortable with his original plan and led a pretty good life. The eyeglass store was doing well — why should he do anything else? He couldn’t get into ophthalmology school — so why not give up on medicine altogether? He still had his accounting degree to fall back on. Each time he “failed,” he made the decision to climb the next rung on the ladder, challenging himself every step of the way. This has made all the difference.

In today’s economic environment, many people are holding onto their rung for dear life. Even though they don’t have the career they dreamed about — they may not even LIKE their current job — fear and inaction keep them stuck. Over time, one of three events is likely to occur:

  • One — they remain paralyzed, clinging to their rung until the end of their career.  They then pay the price of regret for never reaching their full potential.
  • Two — the rung breaks, sending them crashing down with no choice but to choose a similar path or try something different. Some will take the opportunity; others will opt for more of the same.
  • Three — the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the fear of change. The choice is made, and one hand reaches for the next rung on the ladder, and the next, until they have reached the pinnacle of their personal and professional pursuits.

If you feel like you’re stuck in your current position, now is the time to begin to take action to become the person who gets promoted. In his article “Get Noticed!,” Alan Hall shares four steps to climb the corporate ladder. These actions include: be innovative; make recommendations; raise your hand; and support and mentor your fellow peers. Recognition and achievement comes to those who are willing to do what it takes to be successful.

Is it time for you to climb to take it to the next level in your career? Think about one thing you can do today to move yourself to the next rung. Our journey on the ladder of life will never end. It’s the climbing that is the fun part. Enjoy the ride.

P.S.: Sometimes our hand slips and we fall down a few rungs, it’s all good. It makes us that much stronger when we continue to climb and see what lies ahead.

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As Founder of Grategy, Lisa Ryan works with organizations to create stronger employee and customer engagement, retention and satisfaction. Her proven gratitude strategies (Grategies) lead to increased productivity, passion and profits. She is the author of seven books, and co-stars in two documentaries: the award-winning “The Keeper of the Keys” and “The Gratitude Experiment.” To learn more, visit www.grategy.com.

photo credit: Miguel Virkkunen Carvalho via photopin cc