As courageous explorers enter new terrain, having a route or strategy that directs their efforts to increase their faith and allows them to be more successful in their pursuits. The lack of one can give rise to the opposite. It’s the same condition for your employees. By entering a new work environment or attempting to navigate the future without help or assistance, they can feel nervous, lonely and potentially lost. This is where career pathing and online training course can be of strategic interest to you and your employees.

What’s a career path?

A career path is a form of a talent management strategy that charts the career progression of an employee with a specific employer. A comprehensive career path defines prospects for progress based on an individual’s particular talents, preferences, and job goals. It outlines the online training courses the employee needs to work through to achieve the different benchmarks identified in the career path. Career mapping is essential for professional growth and development.

While related, the career path and employee development are not synonymous. Employee development refers to unique skills and online corporate training courses that the employer provides to staff to enhance their position and importance in the service of the organization. Expanding skills and abilities through online training course can be part of the growth and advancement of the career of an employee, but it does not set out the career path in its entirety.

For example, a car worker is taught a new welding skill that makes them more valuable to the employer. This is a type of employee development that can play a small role in their overall career. Mastering new skills may make them available to more learning, position them for promotion, increase potential pay or make them employable in the event of a layoff.

The Value of Career Pathing for Employers 

Greater Return on Investment.

Most of the time, using resources and financial investment needed to recruit and train new workers is inevitable. So the longer the employee remains with the company and makes a successful contribution to it, the higher the return on investment in recruiting and enrolling the employee in online corporate training courses becomes. It has a positive effect on both new and existing or permanent workers.

Engaged Employees.

Businesses that communicate career paths to their employees will inspire their overall commitment throughout their jobs, as well as their willingness to engage in business learning, outside the reach of their current position.Communicating career paths can take a variety of forms. Employees should learn about career development opportunities and open conversations about their goals should take place regularly. In the 2019 Paychex Pulse HR survey, HR leaders identified the following key engagement-enhancing tactics:

• Offering business management training courses to learn new skills.
• Empowering workers to suggest new working strategies or initiatives.
• Regularly asks workers for input on their job satisfaction.

Every of the above strategies is an essential component of career pathing.

Retention.

A career path may serve as a guide to decide what skills or experiences an individual may need to acquire to apply for new opportunities within the company. Think of a computer analyst who needs a management qualification before being considered a leading software engineer.

This can be especially useful if the employee starts to lose interest in his or her job. It is a perfect time to rethink the career path; although there is no guarantee, it may minimize the risk that an employee would start searching for a new opportunity outside the company.
Note, the longer an employee remains with your company, the higher the return on the investment of hiring that employee.

Also, by starting the conversation at this critical moment, an employee may understand your efforts for what they are; investment and confidence in their skill, contributions and value to the organization. All of these promote a healthy working atmosphere and can even turn a negative one around. Excellent company culture will improve employee productivity in the end, giving you, among other things, an advantage in recruiting potential workers.

Loyalty.

Workers who have a long-term view of their relationship with the employer are more likely to be interested in helping the business thrive, and career paths may play a key role here.

Think of an auto repair shop that lures the mechanic away with more perks, visibility, and pay. Despite the short-term gains that could come from moving jobs, an employee with a career path may see that long-term prospects in your company may be more convincing.

Taking time to invest in career paths and business management training courses is an ideal opportunity for employers to show a sincere interest in the technical skills of their workers for results that are mutually beneficial to both company and employees. It is a rational strategy to maximize commitment, efficiency and retention while at the same time maintaining a positive work culture.

Last Note

Are you ready to enjoy the benefits of having quality career paths and courses in place for your employees? Coggno has a wide range of free and paid online training course that will give your employees the skills that will prepare them for their next role.
View our library of free courses here and click here to check out our online training course catalogue.