Today’s workforce is predominantly made up of Gen Z and Millennial workers — a proportion that is only growing. Much of what worked for previous generations doesn’t cover the unique needs of all employees, and this is often especially true when it comes to employer-sponsored professional growth.
Personalized performance management at scale offers a unique benefit for both workers and organizations. More and more workers are demanding new and meaningful benefits from employers, who are balancing their own pressures to either do more with less; or to attract, retain, and nurture top talent. From mental well-being resources to opportunities to learn and grow alongside your organization, benefits have to go beyond baseline health insurance and 401k plans in order for employers to compete and for workforces to thrive.
Following our collective transition out of the pandemic (and the seismic shift it had on the workplace), job candidates and employees alike are looking for support in areas of mental well-being and culture, relationship building, combating burnout, and better integrating work and life.
This is a new way of thinking about professional growth, a holistic approach that takes into consideration not just hard skills, but also “soft skills,” which are becoming increasingly essential as efficiency and competitiveness remain top of mind for many companies, and as AI continues to loom as a disruptive force in the workplace.
According to a McKinsey study from 2022, the number one reason employees leave their jobs, regardless of their generation, is a lack of career development opportunities. It’s not salaries, or assignments that are the leading source of their unhappiness. It’s a lack of growth.
Investing in professional growth is not just a nice-to-have; it's a critical element for business success. And employee retention is an immediate and measurable benefit of this tactic.
Redefining Employee Growth for Today’s Organizations
Modern challenges require modern solutions. It’s exactly why I started Boon, a personalized coaching platform that helps employees take care of their mental well-being and work on professional growth — all the while helping companies improve results.
The number of people with mental health issues like depression and anxiety have increased in recent decades, as stigmas have somewhat eroded and a greater number of screenings for mental illness are taking place. The pandemic only accelerated this trend.
People are looking for new kinds of support as they seek to feel and perform better, including bespoke professional growth benefits and programs that address the actual challenges they are struggling with. Returning to the growing role of Millennials and Gen Z among workforces — we’ve seen that employees also want solutions that align with their values.
They’re looking for guidance in terms of:
- Cultivating greater self-awareness
- Increasing emotional intelligence (EQ)
- Improving self-care
- Increasing resilience
- And fighting imposter syndrome
When roadblocks to growth like these are addressed through measurable action, the benefits are many. Employees find themselves more engaged and more connected to the culture of your organization, at the same time that they are building skills and confidence.
In short, instead of focusing solely on their mental well-being or their professional development (both definitely important) – they are working on both, to the benefit of their whole selves and your company.
Building a Professional Development Program That Works
We’ve seen many organizations prioritize building out professional development programs, and it makes sense why: done right, they improve workplace productivity, support business goals, and contribute to employee retention. The companies that use Boon see an increase in employee productivity in 85% of users, with 80% also reporting increased work satisfaction, resiliency and work-life balance.
But for many companies who either don’t have large budgets for employee growth programs, or are in need of a complete reboot around the usage or efficacy of these programs, it can be hard to know where to start.
If you’re thinking about improving culture and employee retention, or empowering your workforce to perform better, we’ve found that the best approach is to take a whole-human perspective on employee growth.
Below are some ways you can do this, at a variety of cost tiers.
When There’s a Diversity of Options, Results Tend to Be More Robust
Before you start, get aligned on your organization's performance management goals, whether that's increasing employee engagement, productivity, or work satisfaction. In addition to providing clarity on what you want to work on, this sets you up for identifying the right quantifiable metrics to track, which will be essential for measuring the program's success.
Everyone learns in different ways, so it’s important to offer a diverse range of programs. What works for one employee might not work for another.
Here are just a few places where you can get started:
- Sponsor certifications
- Offer workshops
- Support seminar and conference attendance
- Internal mentorship
- External mentorship and coaching
- Conduct team exercises
- Offer stipends for continuous learning
As an example, our own team recently conducted a strengths finder assessment, which proved valuable on both an individual and team level. It told us all where we could most quickly and effectively collaborate across tasks, and where we could individually and collectively target improvement.
Getting Personal: The Role of Mentoring and Coaching
Mentorship is an amazing way to help employees grow. They can ask questions, work on individual growth plans, and get personalized help. But if you don’t have the time or resources to do internal mentorships (i.e., your team is small and doesn’t have enough mentors), the right type of external mentorship could be the solution.
I’ve heard of leaders helping employees get connected with mentors outside of the organization. Another solution would be to use a mentorship and coaching platform like Boon. Having a trusted mentor or coach provides employees with someone they can confide in when it comes to what’s on their minds or in their way. These mentors can guide individuals through both the professional and personal challenges they face. Our approach is highly tailored to the mental and performance needs of the individual, and can be a consistent tool for employee growth.
Whatever Approach You Decide On, Consistency Is Key
While attending a conference once a year can be educational (and fun), it lacks the continuity required to really build growth. We’ve seen time and again that a consistent, continuous program creates the best results, as it maintains focus and momentum and holds people accountable for their growth. By making a solution like this part of your workplace operations, it also becomes a staple in your culture, indicating to your workforce that you are committed to everyone’s development.
Investing in professional growth is always critical for long-term business success, but it’s even more important that you invest in the right kinds of professional growth. Choose solutions that employees actually want to use on a regular basis. This usually leads to increased productivity and work satisfaction, and lower rates of burnout and turnover.
And you’ll have a team of happier people.
For more information on the platform that combines mental well-being, professional growth and employee retention, visit www.boon-health.com.
For more information on how to modernize your approach to performance management with a solution that takes both mental well-being and professional development into account, visit: www.boon-health.com.
About The Author
Alex Simmons is the co-founder and CEO of Boon, a personalized and scalable performance management solution for the modern workplace. Boon partners with businesses by connecting their employees with highly accredited coaches from top-tier institutions and diverse backgrounds, creating a confidential one-on-one relationship for exploring the ins and outs of everyday life.
