Employee development is an important responsibility for both employees and employers. Good managers continuously prepare their employees for future leadership roles. Doing so increases employee engagement and productivity and makes employee transition into leadership roles as seamless as possible. Here are three helpful strategies that are vital to developing employee leadership skills:
- Encourage Networking – Networking is fun and essential to individual growth and business development. Encourage networking within the work place during lunch hours, during after-work events, and outside of the company. Have employees attend industry events with upper management to give them a clear idea of how to conduct themselves so they can attend future events on their own. Employees who attend industry events on their own time could also be a sign of a potential great leader.
- Assign a Mentor – Mentor/mentee relationships develop when employees grow and advance their skills. Mentorship programs are beneficial for assimilating new hires and are a great tool for cross-training current employees. Cross-training can affordably boost employee performance and motivation and it prepares employees for expanded roles within the company.
- Provide Opportunities to Grow – Provide employees with opportunities so they can grow to one day pursue a leadership role within the company. Opportunities for growth could include paying for formal education, internal and external training, lunch-and-learn programs, and more. Set up a calendar with upcoming events and trainings to keep employees organized and help them attend on their own time if need be.
Employees are your company’s biggest asset, make sure to properly invest in them. Read more on How to Turn Good Employees Into Great Leaders
here!
