2) Create a plan and take action Help employees to identify and take the steps that can advance employee careers. Managers should work with their direct reports to help them identify the career paths they are most interested in pursuing, and help outline the current or future career paths at the company that will meet those goals. As part of this career coaching, managers should: 3) Establish accountability » Help employees to think about development as a web rather than a ladder — identifying opportunities not only to move up into supervisory roles but also to work in similar roles on a new team, and develop Both employees and managers are responsible current or adjacent skills. for growth. » Articulate the particular knowledge, skills, and behaviors required to Employees are in charge of their career aspirations — but leaders advance on the employee’s chosen path, and help them to acquire also have an important role to play. Managers can encourage those new skills or build adjacent skills. their team members to set development goals regularly as part » Help employees design a personalized plan for their development of their performance — and then track progress against those that aligns with their chosen career path — and with the needs of goals and provide nudges if needed. This is important not only for the organization. employees’ personal development but also for building skills and competencies at an organizational level. To keep employees positive and growing, managers should: » Set goals that are in service of both skill-building and long- term career development. » Have employees document their career aspirations in their own performance plans and prompt them to keep those plans updated. » Discuss career aspirations and skill-building activities regularly to monitor and promote progress. » Ensure the employee has adequate time to build the desired skills. 4 Checklist: 8 Ways To Support Employee Career Growth