Career Pathing is the design, development and implementing of resources to assist employees in making their most significant and satisfying contributions to an organization throughout their careers.
In a continuing climate of reengineering, downsizing, consolidation, contract work, outsourcing and related business practices, every organization is challenged to do more with less. The most efficient path to this goal is to encourage the growth of your employees, maximizing the potential in your organization while providing personal satisfaction and professional development.
Get commitment from your organization at all levels. Career Pathing that does not receive buy-in at all levels of an organization will never succeed.
- Design a reasonable and practical process that meets the needs of your organization, from entry level personnel to supervision, middle managers and senior-level people.
- Identify and document Success Factors for your organization. Select positions or function to be "pathed," taking the time to develop a list of competencies, personal traits, skills, etc., necessary to perform the work efficiently and effectively.
- Include specific skills such as operating a 10-key calculator or using a particular software package.
- Evaluate how factors like personality and style relate to performance.
- Identify and assess successful individuals in your organization to provide benchmarks for employees as well as candidates.
- Provide assessment. Identify what abilities and styles can be measured and design assessment processes to gather than data.
- Use these processes to measure the core competencies necessary for successful candidates in the positions being "pathed."
- Be sure that the assessment processes and instruments you select are providing reliable and valid data.
- Help identify vocational "misfits" before those employees become casualties of the Peter Principle - rising beyond their level of competence.
- Include career development plans and updates in each employee's performance appraisal.
- Consider using tuition reimbursement, mentoring and coaching for training and education. Provide in-house training for staff.
- Implement and evaluate the development plan. Effective development plans will be based on learning and performance, designed with measurable goals and benchmarks to track the results of the process.
For more information about the many components of Career Pathing, call Barry Davis at 717.509.8889 or via email bdavis@lmaconsulting.cc.