HRM 635 How can the organization’s leadership support individuals seeking to relocate laterally or advance their careers by moving into a position of higher authority within their organization?

There are several opportunities for organizational leadership to support individuals in their pursuit of improving their career. In order to advance in their career, organizations can support individuals through the use of professional development which has proven success. Professional development is ongoing approach employees can use to develop their skills and advance their position within the organization. Professional development offers employees the necessary tools to build upon their skills, knowledge, and performance in their current work area. Professional development bridges the gap between employee and organizational success. When the employee develops professionally, the organization reaps the benefits and advances as well (Morais, 2022).

It’s not enough to tell an employee to engage in professional development activities unaccompanied. The leader needs to show support with action and go beyond offering, by empowering the individual to develop and providing guidance. Leaders’ posses a powerful tool of encouraging individuals to further develop their strengths which is a form of job enrichment. Through ongoing coaching, the leader can identify the individual’s goals for future positions and offer them an individualized action plan to achieve those goals. Succession planning is a cost-effective method that encourages development of individuals with a plan of retaining and progressing employees in other positions throughout the organization. However, it will take skill and constant effort on the part of the leader. Therefore, the leader will need professional development on how to properly execute succession planning. The leader will need to distinguish the needs of the organization, develop employees, and select the most appropriate candidate to fill the role (Dessler, 2016). To be effective, succession planning requires developing individuals for leadership positions those possess significant potential. The individuals should challenge the status quo, be mindful and engaging, and display resilience behaviors. If coached properly, these types of individuals can lead in prominent positions throughout the organization (Fernandez-Araoz et al., 2021).

References

Dessler, G. (2016). Human Resource Management (15th ed.). Pearson Education.

Fernandez-Araoz, C., Nagel, G., & Green, C. (2021). The High Cost of Poor Succession Planning. Harvard Business Review, 99(3), 98–107.

Morais, M. (2022). Leverage professional development to build your business and employees. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2022/03/18/leverage-professional-development-to-build-your-business-and-employees/?sh=ae859337af30

Click here to ORDER an A++ paper from our Verified MASTERS and DOCTORATE WRITERS HRM 635 How can the organization’s leadership support individuals seeking to relocate laterally or advance their careers by moving into a position of higher authority within their organization?:

An organization should not be afraid to develop talent out of fear of being poached but instead engage and retain employees (Lauby, 2018). The organization’s leadership support for employees seeking to relocate laterally or advance their careers into a position of higher authority can be done by investing in professional development, facilitating mentorships, and promoting from within. Incorporating employee career growth opportunities such as structured training programs and enrichment, enlargement, and cross-training can bolster employee skill sets and promote learning from their peers (Lauby, 2018). Sometimes, it might require organizations to borrow expertise from consultants to host workshops or present new insights as a more effective way to provide training to entire teams. These career support programs make employees more productive and engaged in the workplace, stopping them from pursuing new roles elsewhere. Additionally, instituting succession planning programs by identifying skills and competencies next-generation employees will need to function well in key positions can help fill positions occupied by exiting baby boomers or executives (SHRM, 2022).

HRM 635 How can the organization’s leadership support individuals seeking to relocate laterally or advance their careers by moving into a position of higher authority within their organization

Emphasizing a culture of coaching and mentoring is an excellent way for managers to encourage employee growth. Mentoring programs can be used to develop managers, provide opportunities to share experiences, and gain exposure and skills needed to move into management positions (GreggU, 2020). Managers can also use job enlargement techniques to add responsibilities to existing employee roles, broaden their job experience and teach employees additional skills, which is helpful in terms of career growth and often results in better compensation.

At UTSW, we have a 12-month “Aspiring Leaders Program” for employees who aspire to be leaders but are not currently in a supervisory role with direct reports. The training provides eligible employees with leadership training and resources to facilitate a successful move into a leadership role. The curriculum features in-person leadership group sessions, individual project assignments, development assessments, and one-on-one mentoring with a mentor. After successful completion, participants are credited with one year of supervisory experience.

References:

GreggU. (2020, June 8). Employee and Career Development. (Video). Retrieved from https://youtu.be/LLvacMQr_dM

Lauby, S. (2018, May 11). How to Create a Recruiting Strategy: Buy, Build, and Borrow. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/talent-acquisition/pages/how-to-create-a-recruiting-strategy.aspx.

SHRM (2022, January 27). Engaging in Succession Planning. Retrieved from https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and samples/toolkits/pages/engaginginsuccessionplanning.aspx

I agree with you that some employers may be against developing their worker’s talent due to the fear of losing them. Also, the cost and time spent in the training programs may scare some organizations against advancing workers’ productivity (Hongal & Kinange, 2020). However, it is good when organization develop talents among workers. Organizations that support career growth are primary beneficiary of skills and expertise acquired from training programs. Employers can participate in developing and nurturing workers’ performance through initiating mentoring and training programs (Mantow & Nilasari, 2022). In order to create a holistic experience, organizations may include different stakeholders in these initiatives. Organizations have perfect networks that can benefit mentoring programs (De Boeck et al., 2018). Therefore, the employer may use organization’s status to facilitate mentoring and training initiatives. Employers have the opportunity to train their workforce according to their needs through these training and development programs. Coaching activities both within and outside the organization is beneficial in developing talents.

References

De Boeck, G., Meyers, M. C., & Dries, N. (2018). Employee reactions to talent management: Assumptions versus evidence. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 39(2), 199-213. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2254

Hongal, P., & Kinange, U. (2020). A study on talent management and its impact on organization performance-an empirical review. International Journal of Engineering and Management Research, 10. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3559991

Mantow, H. A. D., & Nilasari, B. M. (2022). The Effect Of Knowledge Management And Talent Management On Employee Performance. Jurnal Manajemen, 26(1), 51-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24912/jm.v26i1.837

Kaiser Permanente takes pride in investing in their work family. Kaiser considers that their employees is what makes Kaiser Permanente a better place to work. Kaiser encourages their employees by enhancing their skills and assisting them by moving up the ladder in their career. The organizations mission is fulfilled and accomplished by providing high-quality, affordable care to members, patients and their nearby communities. Kaiser Permanente has been recognized by their employees for the healthcare organizations culture, leadership, management, and compensation. The organization and employees succeed mutually by fulling the organizations mission and the employees by moving up the ladder, receiving great excellent pay and benefits, and serving for a worthy cause. Kaiser provides a comprehensive compensation and benefits program which supports the health and well-being of the organization’s employees and their families. The opportunities offered to their employees to advance their careers through new and meaningful experiences outside of their current role with KP’s Stretch@KP professional development program. The organization assists with employee-led business resource groups that connect people from diverse programs, provide networking opportunities among employees with common interests or cultures, and create learning and professional development opportunities at all levels. The organization also provides Healthy Workforce Program, which offers all employees with tools and resources to lead healthy, balanced lives at work and home. Kaiser Permanente has been recognized for their commitment to supporting their employees and being the best place to work.

References

Society of Human Resource Professionals. (2021). Retaining Is Key Employment Strategy at Kaiser Permanente. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/organizational-and-employee-development/pages/retraining-is-key-employment-strategy-at-kaiser-permanente.aspx

Each of us likely desires to achieve our greatest capabilities in our professional lives. We as individuals probably have goals that we want to achieve, however, we likely need some help from supervisors or bosses to help us reach those goals. We will all have employees or fellow workmates that will have maximized their potential while at their current position or work location and might need to move to a more challenging job, or a job with greater responsibilities. However, that employee might not be properly prepared for this next step or might languish in their current position being underdeveloped and underutilized if you as a leader and manager never sat down with them to discuss their career goals with them.

SHRM states in their toolkits that, “Knowing what each employee values and how that relates to his or her development needs should greatly affect the type of development activities provided for the employee and, ultimately, for the success of such activities”(n.d.). Once you understand what is important to a member of your team you can then develop an individual development plan (IDP). Which according to SHRM, “details an employee’s intentions and learning outcomes as well as support necessary to meet his or her tangible growth goals” (n.d.).

Now that we have developed an IDP for an employee, we can then provide coaching, and offer mentors with experience in areas they are interested in. We can also provide them with professional development opportunities, as well as any educational needs they may want to help them reach their stated career goals.

I see this type of career progression support from leadership frequently in my current organization. We have a lot of younger enlisted members that need to have the opportunity to lead/supervise larger amounts of people, or want to move into a job that will further their career. We will frequently advise them on the steps they need to take to make themselves competitive for those positions and provide guidance on how to get the training they need. We will also provide recommendations for those qualified or highly motivated individuals as they peruse these goals.

Reference:

Developing employees – Society for Human Resource Management. SHRM. (n.d.). Retrieved May 10, 2022, from https://shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/tools-and-samples/toolkits/Pages/developingemployees.aspx

With the job market constantly evolving, employee development and continual learning are more important than ever in assisting employees in successfully achieving their career goals. Organizations must invest in their employees in order to be successful and prevent stagnation; therefore, employee development should be a priority in any organization to attract and retain talented candidates and enhance employee engagement and productivity. According to Jangbahadur & Sharma (2017) employee development is the process where employees acquire professional training or pursue learning opportunities to improve and grow their knowledge, skills, and abilities within an organization. A structured and effective employee development program aids in assisting both the organization and the employee in achieving their goals and improving their performance (Jangbahadur & Sharma, 2017). For example, at my organization they offer the VA Aspiring Leaders Program (ALP) and the VA Leadership Development Mentoring Program (LDMP) to prepare high potential, high performing employees to assume greater levels of responsibility and leadership roles within the VA’s health system.

Adopting proven, effective employee development strategies are essential to prepare and develop employees for future leadership roles within an organization. However, they must be tailored to meet the needs of the individual and organization. According to Jangbahadur & Sharma (2017), these four factors must be taken into consideration when developing employee development strategies, human resource management practices, leadership development, self-development, and career development practices. Human resource management practices provide employees with continuing training and development activities to increase competency, skills, motivation, and productivity (Jangbahadur & Sharma, 2017). Leadership development involves improving the job-related skills of employees at all levels through training and development, coaching, participation, empowerment, and delegation (Jangbahadur & Sharma, 2017). Self-development initiatives implemented by the organization aid employees in increasing self-productivity, decision-making and relationship-building skills (Jangbahadur & Sharma, 2017). Although complex as highlighted by Jangbahadur & Sharma (2017), career development provides a learning environment where employees achieve performance by creating and implementing career development goals.

References

Jangbahadur, U., & Sharma, V. (2017). Measuring employee development. Global Business Review, 19(2), 455-476. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150917713548

Often times, employees come to a point when they are ready to advance their position or further develop their skills. How can the organization’s leadership support individuals seeking to relocate laterally or advance their careers by moving into a position of higher authority within their organization? Provide an example

A lateral move in reference to employment is defined as a move to a different job with essentially the same title, pay and role, either within your current place of employment or with a new company. Jobs are at the heart of the employment relationship, and are considered the building blocks of careers (Baruch and Rosenstein, 1992). A lateral job transfer may be initiated by either the employer or the employee. There is a common misconception that it is always a step backward, but business experts agree that this is not always the case. No two employees at your company are exactly the same. Each person you work with has their own personality, with a unique mix of goals, passions, and priorities. For people who are motivated by job titles and salary increases, it can be challenging to understand why anyone would want to make a lateral move in the same company, but there are plenty of good reasons to consider a sideways move, including:

The potential for a more sustainable work-life balance
The chance to learn new skills or get more education
A desire to become more marketable in future job searches
The ability to build a professional network and get better visibility in the company
Burnout in a current role
An interest in building collaboration between teams
Better skills fit in another department
Improved job security.

The mix of factors that go into the decision to pursue a lateral move will be different for each employee, and there are certainly plenty of good reasons other than the ones listed above. Whatever the reasons, it is important for managers to advocate for what is best for the employee’s career path, even when that means a move to another team. While it is understandable that managers may feel slighted or confused by an employee expressing a desire to move into another department, these career moves are seldom meant as an indictment of any manager’s performance. Supporting and facilitating moves that benefit the personal career goals of your most promising employees is beneficial for the good of the whole company. Here are some reasons why:

Improved employee engagement: Helping employees make moves that are good for their personal skills and goals sends an important message to the entire workforce: that they are not wheels in a machine, and that company leaders are committed to what is best for them as individuals. This one cultural factor goes a long way toward increasing the loyalty employees feel toward their employers, and is good for nurturing an engaged workforce. (Lyons, Schweitzer, and Ng, 2015) noted that Careers research has evolved from focusing on traditional organizational careers (i.e., job movements inside an organization) to a model characterized by increased job mobility across and within organizational boundaries. Internal job change intention refers to the desire to make “any substantial changes in work responsibilities, hierarchical levels, or titles within an organization”, including upward and lateral job change intentions; (Feldman and Ng, 2007: p. 352).

Better skills fit: Moving people along a predetermined career path, and into management roles they are not suited for, is bad for everyone. For one thing, reluctant managers will likely either burn out or offer insufficient support to the people beneath them (if not both). Beyond that, however, the company will miss out on that employee’s best work. Allowing people to thrive in roles that are suited to their personalities and skills is better for the ecosystem of the company.

Collaboration between departments: Cross-pollination between teams and departments is often a great way to break through common roadblocks that slow down innovation in the company. When an employee from one department takes their knowledge and experiences into another role, they can serve as an advocate, building closer communication and finding solutions that will yield better outcomes.

Unlike managers and the C-suite, whose focus is often squarely on meeting company’s goals, HR managers are generally aware of new best practices and workplace trends. Sharing examples of similar companies who have seen the benefits of allowing and encouraging lateral moves may be helpful in convincing leaders with a more rigid understanding of career paths that sideways moves don’t indicate a lack of ambition. Unfortunately, managers who welcome existing employees onto their teams, may not be equipped to ensure that their new reports are properly trained. While a laterally-moved employee will likely not need the full onboarding and training plan that a brand-new employee would need, they are also generally not fully prepared to hit the ground running in their new role on day one. HR leaders can help ease the transition by working with the employee, their former manager, and their new manager to create a custom training plan that addresses existing skills without making faulty assumptions.

To shift long-held cultural understandings about lateral career moves, versus promotions, company leaders and management will likely have to have many philosophical and logistical conversations. HR managers can step in to support all involved parties in several key ways:

Ease frustrations: Any major career transition, even if it is within the same company, comes with bumps in the road. HR managers can help by providing a safe place to have productive conversations and facilitate discussions to get employees and managers moving forward on the same page. As an HR manager, your role as an advocate for what is best for the good of the company, often means that you have to ease employees and managers toward welcoming new ideas and approaches to common workplace situations. Building a broader cultural understanding of the various ways employees may want their careers to develop, will take time, but as with any investment in employee engagement, it is worth the effort.

References:

Baruch, Y., & Rosenstein, E. (1992). Human resource management in Israeli firms: Planning and managing careers in high technology organizations. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 3, 477– 495.

Duval, J. (June 12, 2018). Why and how to support lateral moves in your company. https://www.fuseworkforce.com/blog/why-and-how-to-support-lateral-moves-in-your-company

Feldman, D. C., & Ng, T. W. H. (2007). Careers: Mobility, embeddedness, and success. Journal of Management, 33, 350– 377

Inkson, K., Gunz, H., Ganesh, S., & Roper, J. (2012). Boundaryless careers: Bringing back boundaries. Organization Studies, 33, 323– 340.

Lyons, S. T., Schweitzer, L., & Ng, E. S. W. (2015). How have careers changed? An investigation of changing career patterns across four generations. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 30, 8– 21.

HRM 635 How can the organization’s leadership support individuals seeking to relocate laterally or advance their careers by moving into a position of higher authority within their organization?