What Is Employee Development?

Career Coaching Management
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Employee development — often referred to as professional development or staff development — is the process during which employees, with the support of their employer, go through professional training or pursue learning opportunities to improve their skills and grow their knowledge and careers.

Professional development does not refer solely to optimizing an individual’s skill set for a particular role. Rather, it refers to continued learning that nurtures professionals and helps them progress on their individual career paths. While it’s ultimately the individual’s responsibility to own their professional development, it’s to the employer’s benefit to encourage continuing education by providing or facilitating both internal and external learning opportunities.

Prioritizing employee development ensures that team members’ skills continue to evolve in accordance with industry trends and best practices. Think of medical professionals, who are required to retake board certification exams every few years to make sure their skills are still up to snuff.
Employers who invest in staff development help their employees hone strengths and grow skills, which better equips them for their current roles. This adds more value to the work they do and directly benefits your business.
Employers who invest in staff development help their employees hone strengths and grow skills, which better equips them for their current roles. This adds more value to the work they do and directly benefits your business.

Perhaps more impactful, though, is the value employees and job seekers place on development opportunities when considering offers. Making learning and development a focus of your company culture helps improve employee engagement, increase retention and attract elite candidates. Take a look at these six reasons that further prove the importance of employee development.