August 24, 2011 Shawn Hulsizer
Most executives dedicate significant time and resources setting the course for their organizations. They research, brainstorm, strategize and formalize 1, 3 and 5 year plans – and those plans are often very good.
However, there’s a piece that sometimes gets overlooked. Is everyone following the plan? Do they know about it? Do they have the tools, skills, competency and resources they need to execute the plan?
If not, Career Maps are a great way to show people how to grow their careers and where they fit inside an organization. Maps allow people to see what skill/competency is needed AND connect to employer endorsed education when gaps exist….gaining the skills they need to execute your plan!
In fact, a recent poll of 30+ high-level HR-types told CAEL that Career Maps should be integrated across an organization and incorporated into:
* Career guidance for the front-line workforce
* Tuition Reimbursement Policies
* New employee on-boarding
* Performance reviews, and with
* Community outreach to build worker pipelines and recruiting efforts
If people understand where a company is headed, they can make strategic career moves and gain the type of education required to grow your business. So ask yourself, “Am I leading, or am I just out for a walk?” If the answer is you’re out walking, think about how developing a Career Map for your organization can get your workforce attuned to your plan and walking along with you.