At Glassdoor we think that career “equity” – the increase in an employee’s worth over time – is a key component in our total rewards package. The work environment, the company size and stage, and the product and brand all add to career equity. Those things should benefit all employees, but some people will get to see bigger gains than others: those who seize every opportunity to maximize their career growth.
As part of Glassdoor’s People team, I see it as our job to equip and empower our employees to get the biggest return possible on career equity. Helping people grow into new roles and take on new responsibilities fits well with Glassdoor’s mission: to help people find jobs and companies they love. It turns out that improving career opportunity can also boost employment brand. A study of company reviews on Glassdoor shows that career opportunity ratings are strongly correlated with overall rating and likelihood to recommend. Career opportunity is also correlated with Benefits and Comp, showing that people do see career growth as an important reward.
And it’s a business imperative. Employees are attracted to companies that provide career growth opportunities. Availability of career development is one of the highest impact levers to pull when it comes to engaging and retaining employees, and can be among the easiest to execute on.
We tell our employees that they are in the driver’s seat when it comes to navigating their career. Each person needs to pick their own career destination and put in the time to make progress on their career journey. HR and managers can provide the metaphorical maps, route guidance, snacks, and tune-ups. But ultimately, employees have to have the drive, curiosity, and sense of direction or they will not get much benefit from the career development programs their company offers.
In the spirit of opening new career doors, we’ve made August “Career Exploration Month” at Glassdoor. There’s a lot going on #insideglassdoor in August!
- Meet the Team. The month kicked off with presentations and Q&A from several of our Product Managers, and we’ve got volunteers from every department to talk about what they do and how they got into their current roles.
- Career Project Management. These workshops led by HR help people manage their own careers project with topics like Creating Your Career Plan, Building Your Skills, and Enlisting Others in Your Career Project.
- Speaker Series. Career Exploration Month was opened by Glassdoor’s CHRO Carmel Galvin, who shared a process for managing your own career project and shared her career story. We will also learn about the power of Personal Brand with executive coach Shivani Bhasin.
- Opening Doors Happy Hour. The month will wrap up with an informal mixer on Glassdoor’s deck, which is geared toward making new connections and learning more about what co-workers do and how they have grown their careers. I’m picturing beer and cake, and name tags that say “ask me about python” or “ask me about recruiting” or “ask me about business development.”
The response to this year’s exercise in career exploration has been high, with individuals dialing in from remote locations in addition to attending live. We’ve also recorded our sessions so that employees not available for a specific workshop or speaker event will be able to access the great information – and get inspired!
As we all know, it pays to retain good people. It’s good for your bottom line, your reputation as a recruiter, your company culture – and the list goes on. Actively helping employees grow their careers is not only great for morale, it’s a critical aspect of employee retention.
To understand the most significant factors that contribute to whether an employee stays or leaves, and what you can do about it, download Glassdoor’s Employee Retention Playbook.
