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How Encouraging Professional Development Benefits a Business

Professional Development

From clarifying expectations and guiding performance to increasing collective knowledge, here are 12 reasons how encouraging an employee’s professional development can benefit a business.

  • Clarifies Expectations and Guides Performance
  • Becomes a Sound Investment
  • Provides a Better Handling of Unexpected Events
  • Boosts Confidence
  • Challenges Your Staff to Improve
  • Enhances the Company’s Reputation
  • Maximizes Benefits from Internal Hires
  • Increases Retention and Job Satisfaction
  • Makes Companies More Profitable
  • Inspires Others to Grow
  • Creates a Competitive Company Environment
  • Grows Collective Knowledge

 

Clarifies Expectations and Guides Performance

Organizations that invest in employee professional development benefit in a variety of ways! One of my most noticeable is that employees who take part in professional development report having a clearer idea and understanding of what is expected of them at work, which, in turn, guides successful performance. 

Business leaders should capitalize on this opportunity and provide engaging professional development experiences where employees are encouraged to actively take part in the sessions, think through and discuss a real-life application, and connect with other trainees to cultivate more fulfilling workplace relationships.

Niki Ramirez, Founder & Principal Consultant, HRAnswers.org

 

Becomes a Sound Investment

Professional development makes employees better at their jobs. When you invest in your people, you are investing in the future of your business. 

When you have employees with the skills and knowledge to better do their jobs, you will see a reduction in errors, a boost in productivity, and an increase in quality. You will also see an increase in morale, as your employees feel like they are valued and can see that their company is investing in their future.

Matthew Ramirez, CEO, Rephrasely

 

Provides Better Handling of Unexpected Events

The only constant in today's business climate is change. Although transitions can be difficult, they can also open up new opportunities if managed properly. 

These advantages can motivate your staff to adapt quickly and effectively to the changes that are occurring. Employees who are able to quickly adjust to new circumstances are often viewed as experts in their field. 

You can help your staff handle the unexpected with grace and competence by investing in training and education programs that push them to their full potential.

Edward Mellett, Co-Founder, Wikijob

 

Boosts Confidence 

Employees who work on their development are more confident and collaborative team members. They have the skills to succeed, which encourages them to aid others to do the same. People can't help others if they don't first help themselves. Professional development gives employees the tools they need to contribute to the greater good.

Melanie Edwards, Sr. E-Commerce & Digital Product Manager, Olipop

 

Challenges Your Staff to Improve

It is highly beneficial to encourage employees to take opportunities for professional development. The more engaged and knowledgeable your employees, the better your company will be. 

Employees can take many professional development programs that can help them in their job and provide an outlet for growth. People are happy when they feel challenged and have opportunities to grow, so creating an environment that supports employees in their personal and professional development is beneficial.

Sumeer Kaur, CEO, Lashkaraa

 

Enhances the Company’s Reputation

Investing in professional development tells potential candidates that you prioritize their growth—something that puts you at the top of their list. Furthermore, it’s likely that your commitment will also impress your customers and clients with employee training and development. 

Such initiatives show you will invest in your staff and business, which is highly attractive to potential clients or customers. Therefore, investing in professional development can help increase brand loyalty and enhance your company's reputation.

Peter Lucas, Owner, Relocate to Andorra

 

Maximizes Benefits From Internal Hires

Employees that take part in company professional development programs often make internal moves after doing so. Whether an employee is making a lateral move to another department or moving up within their current department, onboarding internal hires is almost always easier. 

Hiring internal candidates also has the benefit of making hiring processes more affordable for companies, as internal hires typically cost less to onboard. Internal professional development programs often help employees realize a path forward within their current company, so companies utilizing employee professional development programs should leverage internal hiring to maximize benefits.

Bryor Mosley, Career Coach, Southern New Hampshire University

 

Increases Retention and Job Satisfaction 

Offering and supporting opportunities for professional development leads to a happier workforce that wants to stay with your organization longer. 

Research conducted by LinkedIn found that the best way to ensure that people are happy at their job is to spend more time learning. This time makes people 21% more likely to be happy at work. In this same study, it's reported that 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their careers.

Creating a program for professional investment/development that includes time, internal development opportunities, and a stipend for external learning opportunities shows that the organization cares deeply about the success of its people. Organizations can reap the benefit of this by having a more engaged, happier, and productive team that uses its knowledge and resources to support the organization's initiatives.

Elizabeth Boyd, Talent Development, Learning, & Workplace Experience Consultant, TalentLab.Live

 

Makes Companies More Profitable

Employee professional development‌ not only leads to more productivity but also to greater financial success. The return on investment for a year-long soft skills training program at an organization was calculated at almost 250 percent after eight months, according to research conducted by the MIT Sloan School of Management. 

According to a report published by the World Economic Forum and the multinational consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers in 2021, the world's GDP might increase by as much as $6.5 trillion by 2030 if more people took the time to gain new skills.

Zephyr Chan, Founder & Growth Marketer, Living The Good Life

 

Inspires Others to Grow

Although an office is largely a collaborative environment, it’s also competitive to some degree. When you encourage employees to undergo professional development, you’re enabling the rest of the team to get inspired and do the same. 

When employees keep learning and applying their skills, more employees are called to step up to the plate and do their best at work. This ultimately creates an environment conducive to growth, learning, and productivity.

Larissa Pickens, Owner, Repeat Replay

 

Creates a Competitive Company Environment

One reason encouraging employee professional development benefits a business is that it allows employees to improve their skills and knowledge. This will make them more valuable to the company and increase their ability to perform at the highest level.

Employees who are professionally developed are better able to perform in a variety of roles. They may have more knowledge about their company's products and services, which will allow them to provide better customer service.

Investing in employee professional development also helps companies stay competitive. By encouraging employees to expand their skill sets, businesses can ensure they are able to meet their clients' changing needs. This ensures that clients come back and allows companies to attract new ones as well.

Kimberley Tyler-Smith, VP of Strategy & Growth, Resume Worded

 

Grows Collective Knowledge

By providing employees with the opportunity to learn new skills, you increase their understanding of the area and help them develop their expertise.  

And the more knowledgeable employees are in a particular area, the better equipped your organization will be to tackle tasks and projects. With increased collective knowledge, your business can benefit from distributed problem-solving and shared understanding among staff members, which will boost productivity and collaboration. 

Furthermore, having a collective bank of knowledge will also make it easier to collaborate and provide more opportunities for staff development in the future. Ultimately, investing in professional development is an investment in the future success of your business.

Karl Robinson, CEO, Logicata


Learn more about how Maricopa Corporate College can support HR professionals in administering career training and professional development programs.

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