Creating Career Advancement Opportunities for Employees

In today's workplace, employers must understand how to create a culture of continuous career development.

Each month, ADP Canada issues the ADP Canada Happiness@Work Index, a monthly happiness index which examines the happiness of Canadians in the workplace, including employees and self-employed individuals. In collaboration with Maru Public Opinion, the Index explores workplace satisfaction and key happiness indicators, such as work-life balance and flexibility, compensation and benefits, recognition and support (from management and colleagues) and options for career advancement. Throughout 2024, workers in Canada consistently cite options for career advancement as an obstacle to workplace happiness.

The insights from the Index paint a detailed picture of the shifting landscape of workplace contentment across different demographic groups and regions, highlighting the critical importance of addressing career development opportunities to enhance overall job satisfaction and employee fulfillment.

"These findings serve as a valuable reminder to regularly connect with your staff and reassess existing support structures to cultivate a nurturing environment that fosters employees' growth, personally and professionally," concludes Heather Haslam, vice president of marketing at ADP Canada.

Employers often overlook career development as a critical factor in talent management, yet it's one of the main reasons employees consider leaving their jobs. This is highlighted in the ADP Research Institute® (ADP RI) report Fixing the Talent Management Disconnect: Employer Perception vs. Employee Reality, which points out the discrepancy between what employers think is essential and what employees need for job satisfaction. To keep and attract top talent, companies must address this gap and prioritize career progression opportunities for their employees.

Maximizing value through employee development

A recent ADPRI study highlights that 70 percent of owners of medium-sized businesses view employee engagement as a cornerstone of organizational success. Embedding development opportunities within the organization is a vital strategy for boosting this engagement. Although employees are looking for chances to grow within their company, the study reveals a stark disconnect, with only 15 percent receiving targeted development objectives for their roles. This disparity highlights an apparent mismatch between employee desires for a defined progression route and the opportunities provided.

Moreover, there is a disconnect in employees' perceptions of how career advancements, recognition, and financial compensation are interlinked. While 72 percent of employers consider performance evaluations essential stepping stones for career progression, the ADP RI findings reveal that only about half of the workforce shares this sentiment.

The study also points to a divergence in views on the return on investment (ROI) of training between employers and their employees. Employers are skeptical about the tangible benefits of investing in training, while employees see it as essential for their career advancement. This skepticism might stem from recognizing that the current training offerings are not adequately tailored to empower employee success.

How to harness the power of internal talent development

According to the study conducted by ADPRI, six in ten employees are in search of opportunities for growth within their current organizations. However, many employers are not effectively showcasing the pathways available for professional development, failing to satisfy these aspirations adequately. The key to bridging this gap might lie in enhancing internal talent mobility. This strategy extends beyond the traditional boundaries of succession planning, as it focuses on allocating employee skills where they are most needed and fosters the development of more robust competencies while aligning with the business's objectives. Furthermore, talent mobility considers an employee's career ambitions and goals, in contrast to succession planning, which typically employs a top-down methodology.

The present landscape presents a murky outlook for the workforce. The study reveals a disparity in perceptions: while employers are confident in the transparency and equity of advancement opportunities, less than half of the employees share this sentiment. From the employees' perspective, the roadmap to career progression is nebulous, leaving them uncertain about their growth opportunities and the outcomes of achieving their objectives. Despite over half of the employers believing that their talent management tactics are effective, only 40 percent of employees concur.

In addition to the insights from ADPRI, the Index also finds that half of Gen Z workers are actively planning to develop new skills in 2024, and just under half (44%) are striving to earn a higher salary in their company this year, which is significantly higher than their Gen X (30%) and Boomer (21%) counterparts, solidifying the need for employers to enhance internal talent mobility as a means of improving their workforce happiness. These observations also highlight the importance of generational targeting when developing employee talent training programs.

Delivering desirable training programs

Simply offering training is not sufficient; employers need to provide training that employees are eager to participate in. Research indicates that although 77 percent of workers have access to training programs, only 40 percent have utilized this opportunity in the past year. Linking training and development directly to career aspirations could enhance participation rates in training initiatives throughout the company.

"With skill development at the forefront, a variety of professional development courses and opportunities for employees to gain tangible knowledge may offer or strengthen employee retention and interest amongst the wavering workforce," says Heather Haslam.

Ultimately, the key to success lies in employers being more open about the organization's growth and advancement possibilities. Workers are searching for these opportunities, and while companies often provide them, a lack of awareness among employees could drive them to look for development opportunities elsewhere.

https://mediacentre.adp.ca/happiness-at-work
https://centredepresse.adp.ca/bonheur-au-travail