Hazel Kassu is a managing director with Houston-based recruiting firm, Sudduth Search.
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When I worked as an in-house HR manager, I was responsible for fostering a productive and positive work environment. This gave me a front-row seat to the seismic shifts brought on by Covid-19 and an understanding of what types of leaders are best at motivating people under transformational conditions.
There’s a lot of talk nowadays about workplace culture—and for good reason. The post-pandemic labor force has different priorities than before. Today’s job seekers want to work for employers that are a cultural fit and have true open-door policies. But how does leadership actually go about retaining key employees once they’re on board?
We’re increasingly seeing that a key component is supporting training and development—financially and otherwise—to allow employees to acquire new knowledge and skills or improve their existing skill sets.
How L&D Impacts Culture
Leaders may question the connection between learning and development programming, work culture and retention. Well, the data doesn't lie. According to McKinsey research, a lack of development or growth opportunities led around 60% of employees to leave their jobs. Opportunities for growth effectively keep talent engaged and committed by improving workers’ sense of well-being, lowering anxiety and increasing confidence. Additionally, high-achieving, ambitious and motivated candidates are attracted to employers that can demonstrate a track record of advancement for those who perform well.
Industry research is also beginning to show that organizations have a better chance of keeping employees and making significant gains if they embrace this knowledge. In fact, as fellow Forbes contributor Garen Staglin pointed out, “Every $1 investment in mental health improvement programs has a $3 to $5 ROI.”
Using L&D To Impact Your Culture
If those of us in HR have learned anything over the past few years, it’s that companies are nothing without employees. That's why L&D should be a priority, and there are a lot of ways to invest in it.
One industry-specific option is sending employees to conferences. Industry conferences are valuable as a learning and development tool because of the topic sessions and expert panels they offer. They're also opportunities for employees to network with peers, share ideas and gain exposure to new technologies. Assisting employees with joining industry associations or acquiring job-specific certifications is also very valuable to professional growth. This shows a commitment to employees' development, which improves the culture and encourages your talent to stick around.
Lunch-and-learns are a great in-house option for learning and development because they have the added benefit of team building. Formal mentoring programs can prepare mentees for career growth and a specific growth track, while more informal arrangements set up a relationship where established employees share their expertise and serve as a go-to resource for developing employees. Relationships like these are valuable not just for learning and development but also for individual promotion within the organization. This can create greater loyalty among employees, which also positively impacts your workplace culture.
Learning and development is an effective way to build a workplace culture that encourages and supports employees. The best part is that there are so many options to employ, like edtech programming, network events and more. The important thing is finding the best way to ensure your employees can continue advancing themselves and gain satisfaction in their work and at your organization.
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