How to Use Professional Development to Increase Engagement and Minimize Attrition

The media has dubbed this time "The Great Resignation" because so many Americans are leaving their jobs. However, some sectors have historically struggled to retain employees and, more specifically, to retain women. Why? Ask women sales professionals, and you'll hear answers like hostile work environment, unequal pay, no chance for advancement, no female mentorship, or just feeling left out.?

In the sales industry and other industries experiencing historically high attrition, employees leave because of no professional development. As a result, companies may invest in other companies, new product lines, and new equipment, but they're not investing in their people–and they're losing talent because of it. Conversely, companies who invest in training and professional development reduce attrition rates and benefit by nurturing a more stable–and contented–workforce.?

Do you want to boost employee retention and stop squandering resources on the perpetual need to hire and train new employees? Instead, create a professional development program that will benefit your company and team.?

Expand Exployees' Knowledge Base (and Credentials)

New employees bring knowledge and skills to their positions. Often, employees learn on the job. They might invest in training and professional development outside the workplace to grow their knowledge base. However, companies can ensure that their employees develop their skills and knowledge by creating professional development plans.

More fully developed team members strengthen the whole team. When your employees attain achievements such as new certifications or credentials, those achievements can benefit your company. Will professional development ensure that you keep all of your team? No. People will move on for all sorts of reasons. However, you can reduce your attrition/turnover rate by supporting employees' professional growth needs.?

According to the University of Massachusetts Global, more than 70% of workers believe their schooling did not adequately prepare them for the workplace, and 60% of their survey respondents reported that they'd be more likely to accept a position at companies with professional development programs in place. Workers are hungry for knowledge. As a result, they're more likely to stay at a table where their plate is full of the stuff!

Boost Your Employees' Confidence

Employees constantly contact their colleagues, leadership, and customers in the sales sector. How can you give them an edge when they're dealing with so many different types of people? People tend to be more effective in their jobs when they're confident. Professional development boosts employee confidence, which can lead to improved performance.?

A great salesperson is a confident salesperson, but don't confuse a confident attitude with confidence in skill sets. Assess your team. They can surely improve their skills to grow their confidence in new areas. You can design a flexible, professional development program that offers a diverse range of offerings designed to address the full spectrum of your employees' professional development needs.

Keep Your Workforce Current on Industry Advances and Standards

Few industries are untouched by change. Yet, it can be difficult for businesses to keep up with new advances and trends when they're focused on their day-to-day operations. However, you can design a professional development program that addresses broad industry trends and the latest standards and regulations to ensure that your workforce is working on the cutting edge.?

It's essential to maintain a broad awareness of what's happening in your industry. By encouraging your team members to sign up for coursework or workshops that focus on industry advances, you can support their professional development goals and benefit from the knowledge they bring back to your company.?

Create an Internal Pipeline for Leadership

How does your business currently attract talent to open leadership positions? When you develop your workforce, you'll have a ready pool of applicants who are familiar with your company, its processes, and its culture. Of course, it's often a great idea to invite new hires from the outside into your business, but if you want to reduce your turnover rate and ensure smooth transitions into open leadership roles, you should look to your team when hiring.

Employees who feel that advancing into leadership roles is unattainable will not stick around to watch the company continually hire outside help. Many employees want to advance and grow their careers. They yearn not only for more money in their paychecks; they want more responsibility, a greater sense of purpose. If your business doesn't offer advancement to them, they'll find a company that will. To ensure that your employees have the skills needed to advance, you've got to promote their professional development.?

Increase Networking Opportunities

When employees participate in professional development opportunities, they don't simply acquire more knowledge and training. They network. They meet new people. Through their new connections, your business can make new connections too. When your sales professionals network, they enjoy numerous benefits to their jobs. The better they perform their work, the better for your company.?

Boost Team Morale

When you invest in your employees, you can boost their morale. It's not rocket science. Most employees are grateful for the time and resources you devote to their growth. That's why companies with fully realized professional development programs experience improved employee retention. Happy employees tend not to resign. They know how important it is to work in a business with a healthy workplace culture where they feel valued and respected. When you invest in their professional growth, they invariably feel a stronger sense of loyalty to your company and more satisfaction in the work they do.?

Market Your Professional Development Program as an Employee Benefit

Of course, even when you reduce your company's turnover rate, you'll still be forced to hire from the outside from time to time. People retire or relocate. They leave jobs for all sorts of reasons. You're more likely to attract top talent if you have a fully realized benefit package that includes professional development.?

You can market your professional development program to persuade them to sign on when recruiting new applicants. In this climate where it's become challenging to attract and retain top-drawer talent, a professional development plan can give your human resources department an edge as they try to attract the best of the best.?

Building Your Professional Development Program

Suppose you're convinced professional development programs can help you retain more employees–great! Of course, you should be, as numerous studies prove the value of these programs. But here comes the hard part: designing (and funding) a professional development program. So, let's explore a few particulars to consider when you approach the creation of your program.?

Company Leadership/Board Buy-In

Professional development programs cost money. How much is your company willing to invest in the professional growth of its workforce? Assigning funds and resources to a project requires careful planning and buy-in from key stakeholders. The better the program, the better it will work. That said, there are many ways to develop a professional development program. We'll address some coming up shortly. However, the first step in your development process is to begin with a budget to know what you can afford to offer your employees.?

Evaluate Needs

Regardless of your industry, numerous conferences, coursework, workshops, and other professional development opportunities are likely available throughout any given year. Of course, your employees don't need them all, and your budget probably informs you that you can't have them all either. That's okay. Tailor your professional development program to what your employees and your company need.?

For example, your sales pros can typically benefit from professional development that targets their communication abilities–their selling skills, but that's not all. What about their command of technology as it relates to their field? What about their knowledge of the industry? Consider some of the key topics that your program should address. Then, you can fill in these development gaps with relevant development opportunities. Determining learning objectives is key to creating a simple program pertinent to your workforce.

In-House vs. Outside Professional Development Opportunities

As you plan your professional development plan per your needs and resources, you may want to create two divisions, one for in-house training and development and one that includes outside opportunities.?

In-House Professional Development

There are many opportunities that companies can offer within their environment. For example, consider these options:

• On-site workshops led by company leaders or knowledgeable talent
• Shadow colleagues
• Mentoring / coaching programs
• Group training sessions

Outside Professional Development

Your industry will also feature many opportunities for professional development. As you create your program, consider including the following:

• Industry conferences or webinars
• Professional development workshops
• Online or in-person coursework
• Certifications
• Participation in professional organizations

Preparing Your Training Modules/In-House Programming

It will take some time to create the professional development opportunities you want to offer within the confines of your workplace. Not only will you have to set aside time for staff to develop the programs and materials, but you'll need to make sure they have the resources they need to create meaningful programming. You may also need to develop your staffers to become effective trainers.?

Work with your human resources team to develop protocols and processes for developing your in-house programs. A good planning blueprint will also help you develop future professional development program opportunities.?

Be Flexible

A professional development program needn't be stagnant–or perfect. Learning is a process. Your professional development plan will need to change as your organization's needs and your employees' needs change. If something isn't working, change it. A great program is flexible and also measurable. Be sure that you're tuning into the success/problems apparent in your program. Set time aside to evaluate how it's working so that you can adjust as needed.?

Avoid the Pitfalls

As you create your company's professional development program, try to avoid the pitfalls. For instance, your employees may not consider it a perk to be allowed the time to attend a cross-country conference if they have to pay for their travel and meals. What about reimbursement? What about enrollment limits? How will you evaluate employees' performance in development opportunities? How will you elicit their feedback?

Many companies offer professional development opportunities that are so strict and cumbersome that they're not taken advantage of by employees. However, suppose you want your employees to experience positive professional growth. How can you create a program that facilitates that development with as little inconvenience to them and your business as possible??

Today, of course, you don't have to reinvent the wheel. There are plenty of companies that have fully realized and successful professional development plans. First, create a committee to examine these plans. Then, start planning your professional development program. In this time of great resignation, as companies vie to attract and retain top talent, it's essential to acknowledge that employees are looking for more than a paycheck from their employers. They want growth opportunities. Offering them professional development programming is the key to reducing your business's employee turnover.?

The National Association of Women Sales Professionals offers professional development courses designed by women in sales for women in sales. To learn more about what it takes to offer this training for your sales team, CLICK HERE.