Professional Development as a Performance Incentive

In today's tough economic times organizations are cutting back on whatever they can, and training programs tend to be the first to go. Organizations want to focus on pulling through the tough times, not on developing their employees. But just because they’re spending less does not mean there’s not a price to pay.

This price comes in terms of employee performance when the good times return, but also in terms of employee incentive and morale. Employees want their organizations to provide them with training opportunities so they are able to develop themselves within their profession. If an organization doesn't provide these opportunities, employees will leave to find a company that will. A high turnover rate means more cost and less productivity. When employees are dissatisfied, they also tend to deplete the sense of community in an organization, leading to an apathetic approach to work life. This approach finds individuals no longer striving towards organizational goals, which is a great internal weakness for the success of the company. Managers need their employees to be working together towards large organizational goals instead of working independently towards their own individual goals.

In essence, training provides more than increased productivity. It acts as an additional incentive for employees to stay with a company because they are able to develop and improve their own management skills. It also enables employees to develop their sense of community within their organization because their managers have shown that they believe in them enough to invest in their skills. The morale of the employees increases because they now feel more secure about their future with their company.

So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to coach and mentor; organizations need to capture the knowledge of their employees and pass it on for the development of others. We know the times are tough, so try forming a peer coaching group within your organization and meet bi-weekly to talk about and reflect on your management experiences. After 3 sessions, re-evaluate if your time is worth it. What have you learned? What have you gained? You'll be surprised at how far a little talking, coaching, and mentoring can bring you and your organization.