Employee Development Programs

Employee Development Programs:

Their Purpose and Application

Julia Jucker

MBA539DL

October 20th, 2006

It can be said that the success of any organization relies upon the success and performance of its employees. Like the many forms of employee training, employee development programs are designed to address issues that affect employees. These issues range from corporate values and organizational missions to understanding and achieving personal career goals. In this paper, I will address the various reasons for implementing employee development programs and some of the methods and techniques used in implementing them.

The concept of employee development is not a new one. As something that has been around for more than fifty years, it has changed and evolved depending on the ups and downs of the job market. When unemployment rates are low, making more jobs available, and organizations try to focus on keeping their current employees, so programs are designed with that in mind. When the market is more unstable and rife with lay-offs and downsizing, organizations might focus on cross-training their employees or teaching them more marketable skills. More recently, employers have adapted in such a way that they no longer expect to keep a new employee until their retirement. Hence, many organizations are now focusing their employee development programs on how to achieve personal goals, how to better prepare for various technological advances, and how to be more productive, in an overall sense. In doing this, an organization creates a culture that embraces and encourages employee growth, development and success, which in turn contributes to the overall success of the organization. This type of employee empowerment can benefit an organization in a few ways.

One way in which employee development programs can benefit an organization is by keeping it competitive with other organizations. Employee development should be treated the same way that training programs are treated: as an essential part of an organization's success. In other words, if a company eliminated its training programs, its employees would suffer and stagnate, thereby affecting the growth and success of the organization. Employee development programs should be treated as just as integral and necessary. Furthermore, by offering these types of programs, an organization is fostering an environment of learning and growth, which is also beneficial.

Another way in which employee development programs can benefit an organization is by helping to retain employees, thereby reducing employee turnover, which can be costly and time consuming. Most employees enjoy learning new things and opportunities for personal and professional growth and by offering various programs, an organization can foster and cultivate a culture that cares about its employees. Not only will this help to keep employees, but it might also help a company's reputation, therefore making it attractive to prospective job-seekers and applicants.

One of the most important reasons why employee development programs are an asset to any organization is employee satisfaction. For many employees, a reciprocal relationship with their employer is an important facet of coming to work everyday. Everyone knows someone who feels unappreciated at their current job. Any employee would have a difficult time making an effort for a company that can not make an effort with them. When an employer makes an extra effort to assist an employee and help them reach personal and professional goals, it can only increase company loyalty. This translates into increased production and profit. It's very simple: satisfied employees makes for satisfied customers.

The last reason for why employee development programs are a crucial asset to any organization is because it encourages an environment of training and learning. Training is not something exclusive to only an organization's Human Resources department, but instead must be a key part of the underlying mission. Training must work as a function of employee development, along with things such as feedback/performance reviews, career planning and coaching/mentoring.

Given the reasons noted above, it is easy to understand why so many organizations, both large and small, are implementing more programs geared towards employee development. However, there are a variety of ways in which this is done, and no perfect formula for how to achieve this.

Assistance with school tuition in the form of full or partial reimbursement is method organizations use in helping their employees to grow and learn. In some organizations, tuition assistance is available no matter the degree being sought, and in others there might be a requirement that the degree have some relevance to the employee's position or field. However, the success of this type of program might be dependent upon the employees only, with little influence from the employers. Unfortunately, most people have full schedules involving family and work, leaving little time to attend college or technical classes. Further, traditionally it has been upper management employees who place the most value on a college degree, which means a large percentage