1. Professional skills enhancement
First things first, all employees need to be proficient in the skills required to carry out day-to-day job duties. After initial onboarding, employees should regularly engage in development activities that can help them improve and expand on those skills, especially as technology and methods evolve.
2. Collaboration and communication
Being able to effectively collaborate and communicate is absolutely essential for employees who operate as members of a team. Encouraging employees to develop these skills leads to more efficient and active dissemination of information and encourages dialogue that can lead to innovation.
3. Goal setting and organization skills
Employees who can organize their workspaces and minds, and lay out strategic professional goals for themselves are instrumental in the achievement of larger organizational goals. By including goal setting and organizational skills in development efforts, L&D teams can help employees become more self-sufficient, ultimately reducing stress and increasing productivity.
4. Conflict resolution
When working as part of a team, conflicts are bound to arise from time to time. At this point, employees need to tap not only into communication skills but empathy and professionalism as well. Building conflict resolution skills into employee development allows employees and managers to address and de-escalate conflicts, reducing tension, improving morale, and building stronger teams in the long run.
5. Adaptability skills
Today’s workplaces are becoming increasingly dynamic, requiring employees to be flexible and agile to thrive. By including adaptability-related skills in employee development, team members become better equipped to handle complex situations, acclimatize quickly, and stay productive in the face of challenges.
6. Productivity and time management
Productivity is a critical employee development area because it is relevant to every aspect of work and ultimately determines the success of an organization. When employees can hone their productivity skills, they not only have a positive impact on business outcomes but also tend to become more engaged and satisfied at their work.
7. Cross-functional knowledge
By training employees to understand and carry out tasks that lie outside their regular job responsibilities, L&D teams can help employees gain new perspectives on workplace challenges and be prepared to take on new responsibilities as needed. This employee development area is especially important in times when positions become vacant and remaining employees need to pitch in to keep things running smoothly.
8. Leadership skills
Employees at every level can benefit by developing their leadership skills. By giving employees opportunities to hone their management skills, they become better communicators, problem solvers, and team members.
9. Creativity in critical thinking
Creativity is a development area that impacts just about every aspect of work. Encouraging creative thinking among employees empowers them to address common issues in innovative ways and helps keep businesses competitive in evolving industries.