Employees’ Growth & Development

Are you focused on retention? What is the goal with your personnel? Would it be to maximize the talent and employees’ strengths? One should not focus on retention but rather grow or develop your employees.

Do you know your employees? Do you know if they:

1. Want to be certified in a new area?
2. Work on professional development on their own?
3. Have professional and/or personal goals set?
4. Want to work into administration, counseling or another role within your school?
5. Are involved in the community?

With a true leader who is authentic in getting to know, grow, and develop his/her employees without being self-serving, employees tend to grow in talents and strengths which in turns strengthens the organization. Employees enjoy working for leaders who facilitate success through growth, nurturing talents, and building on strengths.

Have you held more than one position? Have you moved to different schools within or out of a district? Have you worked outside education? Districts should feel lucky if an employee stays longer than five years. Change happens. People grow. Their needs and visions change. Through people evolving, wish them well. Teach them to help others evolve. Ensure you build long-lasting relationships and network.

While you have the employees, create development plans that go beyond the annual performance evaluation. Development plans should be never-ending with continuous ongoing brief check-ins. As the leader, your job is to be an active listener. Learn and understand their restrictions such as outside commitments, family needs, and so forth.

Journey Through Education assists in creating development plans letting employees have ownership in the future plans with the support of their leader. Before developing a plan, one should know:

1. Current competencies and
2. Goals, both long-term and short-term with measurable outcomes

 Once those two are known, one can map out a plan, create a resource toolbox and have their leader for support and accountability. Things to consider when creating a plan include:

1. How do you feel about your current position? Is this where you want to be in the future?
2. What are you interests, hobbies, and talents?
3. What are your training interests? What PD would you like to attend?
4. Do you want to contribute in the department, school, district or community in addition or instead of in your current position?

Think:

Are they currently complacent?

Do they have and share fresh ideas?

Can they tie outside interests to work?

Can they mentor others or do they need to be mentored?

Career development is on the employee with the leader facilitating it. Grow your educators so they can leave but treat them so good they’ll never want to. That is the goal. That is what every leader should strive for each year. Will it happen? No, not 100%. There won’t always be positions that best fit their needs/desires for their career. However, with your intentional career development planning time, investing in them, and building that positive relationship, they may be back or they may help you in another way in the future. Or, maybe you part ways forever. Either way, create a positive atmosphere letting them grow and do what’s best for them.

Want more information on our career development guide and other services we offer? Contact us today at info@journeythrougheducation.com or through the contact form.