Whether you’ve been in your field for two years or 20, professional development is one of the best habits you can adopt. In fact, the continuous learning and endless curiosity that come with professional development can help you thrive in your career.
You might be stuck in a fixed mindset if you think you know everything about your job or industry. This can keep you from reaching your full potential.
In contrast, a growth mindset pushes you to develop new skills, which makes you more valuable to your team. Plus, it will keep you current as your industry and career path evolves.
Let’s take a look at the importance of professional development, how you can develop professionally, and some useful examples to help you get started.
Professional development
The definition of professional development is the act of doing any activity you can to get better at your job, outside of your normal day-to-day tasks. It’s similar to continuing education, but not exactly the same.
Taking classes or reading the latest research can be professional development. So can volunteering for new projects in your current role.
It can also include on-the-job training or improving soft skills like becoming a better listener. Regardless of the method, committing to professional development puts you on a path toward growth and well-being at work.
The importance of professional development
Some jobs actually require professional development for employees. For example, teachers and other educators are required to know about the latest advancements in their field. That way, instructors are prevented from passing on outdated information.
Most states also require doctors and nurses to incorporate new medical knowledge into their treatments. This starts early with the training they receive as residents.
Some industries don’t mandate professional development but move so quickly that it’s basically required anyway. Software engineering is a good example of this, with new approaches and libraries cropping up weekly.
No matter what industry you work in, high-quality professional development has huge advantages. It makes you a more valuable employee and helps you advance along your career path.
That said, professional development doesn’t just have to be a career move. It can be fun too. If you’re stuck in a rut, learning new skills can remind you why you chose your job in the first place.
Benefits of professional development
Let’s unpack some of the benefits of career and professional development in more detail.
1. Expand the range of challenges you can handle
Some people have one method they use to solve every problem they encounter at work. But that can be a risky approach. Sooner or later, they’ll run into a problem that the approach can’t handle.
The right professional development opportunity makes you more versatile. It adds high-quality tools to your toolbox so that you’re able to problem-solve with ease.
2. Renew your excitement for your job
Many people have been working the same job, or at least in the same industry, since they left school.
That can lead to boredom, stress, and a dangerous lack of engagement. Through professional learning programs, you can learn new approaches that make you excited to come to work each day.
3. Become more attractive for promotions
If you take part in continuing professional education, you’ll show your manager that you care about performing well in your job. As a result, you’re likely to show up in their mind when they’re considering who to promote.
Suppose two candidates apply for an engineering management position.
One thinks they know everything, and the other understands that there’s always more to learn. The hiring managers will likely pick the second candidate based on how they approach both work and management.
4. Stay on top of industry trends
Software is now part of practically every industry. And with the rapid pace of scientific development in the 21st century, everybody’s job is changing quickly. Taking time for professional development can do wonders to help you keep up.
5. Network with people in your field
When you commit to professional development, you come into contact with other people who are on a similar path to you. That expands your network, accelerates your professional growth, and encourages the cross-pollination of ideas.
How professional development benefits employers
If you’re an employer, providing professional development opportunities for employees can pay dividends.
Employees who take part in continuing education are more likely to be engaged with their work — and that’s good for business. Not to mention, employee retention rates are shown to increase when workers are engaged.
In today’s competitive job market, this is more important than ever — workers are still quitting in huge numbers. The good news? Professional development can help.
In fact, according to one study, 94% of employees said they would stay with their current employer if they invested in their career development.
1. Education programs are a recruitment perk
Aaron Filous, CEO of Promotable, said that in an environment where employees move from job to job quickly, professional development opportunities are an attractive draw for new talent.
“Whether an employee stays for decades or not, offering continuing education is still worth it,” Filous said. “It is a nice perk for recruiting that shows the company cares about the employee’s growth, and even if the employee is only there for a couple of years, it’s better to have more highly skilled employees for the same price.”
In SHRM’s report, 48% of HR professionals cited training and education programs as the most effective recruiting tool at their disposal.
The Better Buys survey found that 78% of respondents currently have access to professional development, while 92% believe access is important or very important.
According to the survey results, employees with access to professional development opportunities are 15% more engaged in their jobs, which led to a 34% higher retention rate.
This means those employees are more productive day to day and less likely to quit their positions, which saves employers an average turnover cost of six to nine months of an employee’s salary.
“Hiring is expensive and time-consuming,” Filous said. “It is often easier and cheaper to retain your own talent or hire from within. Training or upskilling employees opens an additional talent pool for the employer that they already had.”
The primary four recruiting models are traditional recruiting, outsourced recruiting, light internal recruiting and heavy internal recruiting.
2. Development programs boost employee retention
Professional development gives your current workers an extra reason to stay on the job; it’s a way to empower your staff.
Every professional development opportunity you provide allows employees to enhance their resumes and gain the skills to advance into another position within your business. Instead of hiring externally, you can promote someone already familiar with the company.
One of the most significant reasons employees stay because of professional development is that it makes them feel valued. Your employees will be pleased that you’re investing in their future.
Instead of looking elsewhere for advancement, they may remain loyal to your business. Employee morale improves when they can expand their skill sets and add more value to their resumes.
Another morale-boosting perk is flextime, because it gives employees the autonomy to create a work schedule that leads to a better work-life balance.
3. Professional development cultivates hard and soft skills
Professional development is a clear benefit to employees who want to improve their skills and value in the marketplace. It can help them earn a promotion internally or continue pursuing their career goals elsewhere, as their marketability to employers increases.
However, it is also a boon for employers, who reap the benefits of a more skilled, satisfied workforce and an attractive tool for drawing in new, intrinsically motivated employees.
Professional development helps employees stay on top of new skills, especially in the tech field.
Technology evolves at a lightning-fast pace, and it’s essential to train staff on the latest programs and tools. Employer-sponsored professional development opportunities are the definition of a win-win.
To identify a leader in your organization, observe their character and work ethic, test them out in a small leadership role, and get recommendations from co-workers.
Types of professional development programs employees want
It’s essential to understand the types of programs and opportunities your workers want to utilize. By communicating directly with employees, you can build a program that works for everyone. Here are some ideas to get you started.
1. Online training sessions and webinars
In the age of the Zoom call, online training is likely one of the most common professional development opportunities. These sessions come with many advantages, including the ability to track employee progress directly.
Online training sessions are often a low-cost, time-sensitive training approach, as workers can attend online sessions as their schedule permits.
The downside to online training and webinar learning is that it’s hard to connect directly with employees. While a guest speaker or presenter may convey important information, sometimes the most effective way to work with employees is to do so on a personal level.
2. Manager coaching and mentorship
Manager mentorship is arguably the most effective professional development method, allowing teams to grow closer while employees advance their skill sets and careers.
While online training sessions can act as a one-size-fits-all solution to professional development, manager mentorship provides specific, targeted development to employees on an individual level.
This means employees feel heard on important issues and are given career direction inside and beyond the organization.
By prioritizing manager coaching, you ensure your workers’ professional development opportunities are being met. The biggest challenge with this type of development, however, is making sure you have excellent managers in place to provide the coaching.
3. Stretch assignments
Stretch assignments are a hands-on career development tool that can challenge employees, push managers to work closely with their teams and ensure your business moves in the right direction.
It’s easy for workers to lose focus when they grow stagnant and perform the same duties day in and day out.
When given a chance to “stretch” their abilities, employees can learn and grow while showing management they have the initiative and ability to contribute more meaningfully to the organization.
The downside to stretch assignments is that they are energy-intensive for both the employee and the manager mentoring the project.
To set up the employee for success, it’s essential to ensure the stretch assignment aligns with the employee’s skill set and that you give them enough time to plan and complete the project. It’s also helpful to give the employee access to resources and team support.
Steps to an effective professional development plan
Now that you know why professional development matters, you need to know where to begin. Here’s your guide to creating the best professional development plan for your needs.
1. Assess where you stand
Your first step is to take stock of what your current job duties are and what skill sets you use to carry them out. List as many tasks as you can think of. What are some areas where you feel you could improve? Why do you feel that way?
2. Decide on your goals
Next, figure out what success will look like in your professional development plan. When will you consider yourself to have measurably improved in one of your problem areas? What benefit do you hope to get from that improvement?
Try to create a specific goal with a measurable accomplishment threshold. “Get good at JavaScript” isn’t a useful goal. “Create a presentable website using original JavaScript code” is much better.
3. Identify resources
Determine what type of professional development programs or resources will get you to your goals. You could identify the leading professional development organization for your field.
Or, you could see what professional development initiatives and partnerships are available to you already through your company.
4. Build a support system
Now it’s time to seek out some mentors who can support you and hold you accountable. You’re far more likely to achieve your goals if other people in your office and your field are backing you up. Like-minded colleagues and coworkers can also provide career advice along the way.
5. Revise your plan regularly
The plan you start with might not be the one that gets you across the finish line.
At specific intervals, ask yourself if your plan is working for you. Do you feel closer to your goal? Are you retaining the new information you learn? If not, you may need to re-evaluate your goals or methods.
