Supporting Employee Career Development

Louder for the people at the back 🎤 Many organisations today seem to have shifted from being institutions that develop great talent to those that primarily seek ready-made talent. This trend overlooks the immense value of individuals who, despite lacking experience, possess a great attitude, commitment, and a team-oriented mindset. These qualities often outweigh the drawbacks of hiring experienced individuals with a fixed and toxic mindset. The best organisations attract talent with their best years ahead of them, focusing on potential rather than past achievements. Let’s be clear this is more about mindset and willingness to learn and unlearn as apposed to age. To realise the incredible potential return, organisations must commit to creating an environment where continuous development is possible. This requires a multi-faceted approach: 1. Robust Training Programmes: Employers should invest in comprehensive training programmes that equip employees with the necessary skills for their roles. This includes on-the-job training, mentorship programmes, online courses, and workshops. 2. Redefining Hiring Criteria: Organisations should revise their hiring criteria to focus more on candidates’ potential and willingness to learn rather than solely on prior experience or formal qualifications. Behavioural interviews, aptitude tests, and probationary periods can help assess a candidate's ability to learn and adapt. 3. Partnerships with Educational Institutions: Companies can collaborate with educational institutions to design curricula that align with industry needs. Apprenticeship programmes, internships, and cooperative education can bridge the gap between academic learning and practical job skills. 4. Lifelong Learning Culture: Encouraging a culture of lifelong learning within organisations is crucial. Employers should provide ongoing education opportunities and support for professional development. This includes continuous skills assessment and access to resources for upskilling and reskilling. 5. Inclusive Recruitment Practices: Employers should implement inclusive recruitment practices that remove biases and barriers. Blind recruitment, diversity quotas, and targeted outreach programmes can help ensure that diverse candidates are given a fair chance. By implementing these measures, organisations can develop a workforce that is adaptable, innovative, and resilient, ensuring sustainable success and growth.

Work shouldn’t cost you the things that matter most. Too often, people sacrifice their health, relationships, and happiness for their jobs. On Thanksgiving let's get that balance right. But the most successful professionals understand this simple truth: Work and well-being can coexist. Here are 5 principles to create a fulfilling work-life balance: 1. 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 → Define your work hours and stick to them. → Protect your personal time like it’s a crucial meeting. 2. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 → Focus on high-impact tasks and let go of unnecessary ones. → Don’t let fake urgencies derail your priorities. 3. 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 → Choose roles or policies that allow for remote or flexible work. → Flexibility isn’t a perk—it’s a necessity for well-being. 4. 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗢𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 → Speak up about unreasonable workloads or toxic cultures. → Companies that prioritize well-being listen to employee feedback. 5. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 → Choose roles and employers that align with your personal mission. → Success without fulfillment is a sign to reevaluate. Your work shouldn’t cost you your joy or health. What strategies help you balance work and life? Let me know in the comments below 👇 --- ♻️ Find this helpful? Repost for your network. ➕ Follow Dr Alexander Young for more tips on leadership, workplace culture, and career growth.

HR Director asks COO: "How do we ensure our top talent doesn't leave after we've invested in their development?" COO: "The real question is: How do we survive if we don't develop our people and they decide to stay?" Insight: Elevate your team's skills to world-class levels. Then create an environment so inspiring, they wouldn't dream of leaving. 𝟭) 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗜𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 Development is crucial for: ↳ Company growth ↳ Innovation ↳ Competitive edge Stagnation is the real threat, not attrition. 𝟮) 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 Foster an environment with: ◦ Continuous learning opportunities ◦ Clear growth paths ◦ Recognition and rewards Culture is your strongest retention tool. 𝟯) 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 Combine skill growth with: ↳ Meaningful work ↳ Autonomy ↳ Purpose-driven goals Engaged employees are less likely to leave. 𝟰) 𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 View development as: ◦ An ongoing process ◦ A mutual benefit ◦ A competitive advantage Growth-oriented cultures attract and retain top talent. 𝟱) 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽'𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Leaders should: ↳ Model continuous learning ↳ Provide mentorship ↳ Create growth opportunities Leadership sets the tone for development and retention. Remember: The risk of losing developed talent is far less than the certainty of retaining undeveloped employees. Ask yourself: Are you creating an environment where top talent not only grows but also wants to stay and contribute? ------------------------------------------------- Follow me Dan Murray-Serter 🧠 for more on habits and leadership. ♻️ Repost this if you think it can help someone in your network! 🖐️ P.S Join my newsletter The Science Of Success where I break down stories and studies of success to teach you how to turn it from probability to predictability here: https://lnkd.in/ecuRJtrr

Most managers focus on performance once a year. The best managers improve performance daily. After 25 years of managing teams, I've learned, The difference between good and great managers isn't: • Effort • Skill • Tools It's having the right information at the right time. But most people managers work from scattered and stale data: • Random, handwritten notes from 1-on-1s • Performance reviews from 6 months ago • Gut feelings about who's struggling • Occasional frustrated feedback And that's if they can make time to manage at all. Here's where AI comes in. AI won't manage your team.  But it will help you know them. Here's why you need an AI-powered employee dashboard: HIGH-FIDELITY PROFILES | See The Whole Person ↳ Combine resumes, assessments, and feedback into one view ↳ Understand strengths, gaps, and motivations ↳ Predict where they'll thrive and where they'll struggle CONNECTED TO EXPECTATIONS | Align Profile to Performance ↳ Link their capabilities to role requirements ↳ Identify natural fits and development needs ↳ Spot blind spots before they become problems WITH TARGETED DEVELOPMENT | Focus on What Matters Most ↳ Build 90-day plans for 2-3 key capabilities ↳ Adjust based on real data, not assumptions ↳ Track progress with specific milestones INSTANT PATTERN RECOGNITION | Spot What You'd Otherwise Miss ↳ Upload weekly updates, KPIs, and meeting notes ↳ Get early warnings on performance shifts ↳ Let AI identify trends across time PERSONALIZED COACHING | Tailor Your Approach ↳ Get AI-suggested coaching topics for each person ↳ Customize feedback delivery to their profile ↳ Make every 1-on-1 more impactful The AI advantage: It never forgets context.  It spots patterns across months of data.  It grounds your coaching with homework, not guesswork. The 7-step framework: 1. Create high-fidelity employee profiles 2. Connect profiles to role expectations 3. Build targeted development plans 4. Upload ongoing performance data 5. Get AI-suggested coaching 6. Tailor feedback to their profile 7. Track progress and iterate [Get my starter prompts from the carousel below] Better yet: Join our Free Lighting Lesson next week.  And we'll build one together.  In under 30 minutes. November 13th at 1 PM ET: https://lnkd.in/e3h3aRDa A few more tips: • Keep one AI thread per employee for context • Upload data weekly, not just when problems arise • Use AI insights to inform your coaching, not replace it The truth about great management: Most managers react to problems after they happen. Great managers predict and prevent them. Better information leads to better decisions. Better decisions lead to high-performing teams. 📕 Save in case you want to build this out later.  ♻️ Share to help other managers connect with their people. 🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more AI-powered management strategies.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 I saw much prioritization of work and only work, especially among top performers. While this sometimes led to better career paths, it was much more directed to burnout and other not-so-nice stuff. Even if you like your work very much, people are complex and social creatures that cannot only work but nothing else. A well-rounded life means improved mental and physical health, enhanced creativity, enhanced productivity, greater resilience to stress, improved relationships, and better work-life balance. Here is my recommendation on 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲: 🔹 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Define your working hours and avoid unnecessarily taking work home or extending your workday. Clearly distinguishing between work and personal time will help you maintain a healthy work-life balance. 🔹 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲: Dedicate time to caring for your physical, emotional, and mental health. Exercise regularly, eat well, get adequate sleep, and practice stress management techniques like meditation or mindfulness. 🔹 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗯𝗯𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀: Pursue activities and interests outside of work that you're passionate about. This will help you explore different facets of your personality and provide a sense of fulfillment. 🔹 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀: Invest time in nurturing relationships with friends, family, and significant others. Strong social connections are crucial for overall happiness and well-being. 🔹 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: Continuously seek opportunities to learn and grow, whether it's through reading, taking courses, or attending workshops. Expanding your knowledge and skills will enrich your life and enhance your personal and professional growth. 🔹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝘀: Regularly take time off work to recharge and relax. Plan vacations or staycations to explore new places, cultures, and experiences or spend quality time with loved ones. 🔹 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀: Establish short-term and long-term goals, such as health, relationships, and personal development. Then, regularly review and adjust these goals to stay motivated and focused on your overall well-being. And remember to 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲. This can help you maintain a positive outlook and foster overall happiness. 👉 Take care. #selfcare #personaldevelopment #career #techworldwithmilan #mentalhealth

You can spend millions on new tech, but without this one skill, you're part of the 70% that fail. Ever watched a child resist trying new food? That's exactly how most employees feel about new technology at work. I learned this the hard way while leading digital changes in my team. The game changer wasn't fancy software, it was understanding how my team felt. Here's the exact playbook that turned my team's tech fear into enthusiasm: 1. Listen first, act later. When team members worry about losing their jobs to automation, show them how the new tools will make their work easier, not take it away. Schedule dedicated 1:1 sessions to document concerns. 2. Keep talking, keep sharing. Set up structured communication channels, bi-weekly tech updates and anonymous feedback systems. 3. Take baby steps. No one learned to run before walking. Give your team time to learn new tools at their own pace. Break training into short, digestible 15-minute daily modules focusing on immediate-use features. 4. Celebrate small victories. Create a weekly "Tech Win" spotlight in team meetings to recognize progress. 5. Know yourself first. As a leader, if you're stressed about change, your team will feel it too. Use established change management frameworks to assess and manage your own readiness for change. The success of digital initiatives isn't measured by technological efficiency, but by how well teams adapt and thrive in their new environment. What's the biggest challenge you've faced when implementing new technology in your team? #Leadership #Growth #Change #Success

As LinkedIn's 2025 Workplace Learning Report states, career progress is people's number one motivation to learn. And, as we all know, fueling a culture of continuous learning leads to innovation. At Verizon, we’re investing in career development in a big way, refreshing practices and introducing new tools to expand our employees’ options for future roles. So, what does that really mean? It's all about providing our people with greater ownership to build the career path they want. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to get from point A to point B. With the help of technology and AI, our V Teamers are able to map out next steps including one or two roles into the future. They receive suggestions for training and development opportunities, and alerts with available jobs that match their skill sets. Here’s the best part: Since transforming our approach, we’ve seen a remarkable increase in employees applying for and moving into new roles across the organization. And 1 in 3 of these moves is to a different job family! Investing in our employees is an investment in our company’s future. Giving them the clarity they need to take their careers where they want to go creates an engaged and empowered workforce. We’ve seen it firsthand. What are your top observations from the LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report? Let me know in the comments. #HR #WorkforcePotential #TalentStrategy

I used to be proud of my 80-hour work weeks. → Until I burned out completely. Here's what I learned about real success. The truth about work-life balance: It's not about equal time. It's about equal energy. Here's my framework: 1) Energy Management Track your peak performance hours Schedule deep work during high-energy Rest when you're low 2) The Boundary System No-phone zones at home Email-free weekends Protected family time 3) Time Multipliers Batch similar tasks Automate repetitive work Delegate what drains you 4) Life First Scheduling Book personal commitments first Protect exercise time Schedule daily recharge 5) Work Boundaries Define work hours clearly Set client expectations Learn to say no 6) Energy Boosters Regular movement breaks Healthy fuel choices Power naps when needed What changed when I implemented this framework? → Productivity up by 2x → Stress down 70% Remember: Success without fulfillment = The ultimate failure Work will take everything you give it, unless you set the rules. Start here: Audit your time Set clear boundaries Protect what matters Balance isn't perfect → But burnout is perfectly avoidable Your life = Your rules Rest = Productivity Boundaries = Freedom Share if you believe in sustainable success. Because remember: Nobody ever said on their deathbed "I wish I spent more time at the office." Start designing your ideal balance today.

Can we all agree to throw out the phrase work-life balance? It's not attainable, and I see too many people burning out trying to achieve it. Let's shoot for work-life harmony instead. Striving for work-life harmony is a much more realistic and sustainable approach. 🌟 Work-life harmony doesn't mean juggling equal time between work and personal life. It's about creating a rhythm where these aspects complement and support each other instead of competing for attention. Here's how you can achieve it: 1. Boundaries with Purpose: Clearly define when work starts and ends. Set limits on emails and calls outside those hours, allowing you to engage in personal activities without work distractions fully. 2. Prioritization Power: Prioritize tasks based on impact and deadlines. When you're at work, focus on high-impact tasks so you can be present for personal time, knowing you've tackled the essentials. 3. Flex Your Way: Embrace flexibility in how and where you work. Some days might be better for early mornings, others for late nights. Flexibility keeps you productive while accommodating personal needs. 4. Mindful Transitions: Create a routine that helps transition between work and personal time. It could be a short walk, a few minutes of meditation, or even playing a favorite song that signals the shift. 5. **Blurred Lines:** Embrace the overlap between work and personal life. Consider a brainstorming session while cooking dinner or squeezing in a workout during a work break. Blend activities to optimize your time. 6. Learn to Say No: Saying yes to everything spreads you thin. Be intentional about your commitments. Politely declining tasks that don't align with your priorities ensures you have time for what truly matters. 7. Delegate & Collaborate: Don't be afraid to delegate tasks at work and share responsibilities at home. It not only lightens your load but also empowers others to contribute. 8. Tech Detox: Create designated tech-free zones and times. Disconnecting from screens fosters connections with loved ones and cultivates mindful presence. 9. Meaningful Multitasking: Combine activities that align, like listening to audiobooks during your commute or learning a new skill while exercising. Multitasking can be productive and enjoyable. 10. Regular Reflection: Periodically assess how your harmony is holding up. Adjustments might be needed as circumstances change. Remember, work-life harmony isn't a destination; it's a continuous journey. By embracing these strategies, you'll be better equipped to navigate the ebb and flow of life's demands, ensuring both professional and personal fulfillment. Let's redefine success and celebrate a life well-balanced in harmony. 🎶🌼

There was a manager, whose dedication to work knew no bounds - literally. His team found themselves burning the midnight oil every other day, not just during critical customer deliverables. It wasn't long before the relentless pace started taking its toll. The said manager believed in pushing hard to achieve results, but he overlooked a fundamental truth – sustainable success requires balance. The constant late nights and weekend work began to wear down the team. Stress levels soared, burnout became a common complaint, attrition skyrocketed as talented employees left for organizations that valued their personal lives. The departures didn't just affect productivity; it eroded the trust and camaraderie within the team. Eventually, the wake-up call came. Realizing the impact of his approach, he started (with great difficulty!) implementing boundaries. He encouraged his team to disconnect after hours and respect personal time. The focus shifted from sheer hours worked to the quality and efficiency of work done. Setting boundaries became a game-changer. The team regained their energy, creativity, and enthusiasm; productivity improved and the workplace atmosphere transformed. Employees felt valued and respected, knowing their personal lives were as important as their professional contributions. And for the manager, he finally learned that while hard work is essential, it's equally important to ensure that employees have time to recharge and maintain a healthy work-life balance. In the long run, this balance fosters a more engaged, loyal, and effective team. Remember, it's not about how many hours you put in; it's about making those hours count. #leadership #professionalgrowth #settingboundaries