Personal Development is Business Development

If like me you own and manage a SME then you will know that it’s a major task to get a company up and running; recruit and retain staff, then grow your customer base and make it profitable. It requires a lot of attention and dedication; in fact you might get so busy running your business that you forget about your staff development. However, I am a firm believer that as your business grows, so should your staff.

So what is staff development?

Staff, or personal, development is where an employer creates the conditions in which an employee may consciously and continuously improve their skills and abilities at work. In my experience, it is an essential part of business because it encourages and empowers employees to perform better in their roles, which in turn creates greater job satisfaction. This should mean they are less likely to look for personal growth elsewhere and helps to reduce staff turnover with all its incumbent costs. As a result, your company should benefit from increased productivity and happy customers.

Staff development planning

Most SMEs, including mine, don’t have the luxury of an in-house HR resource to manage and implement staff development plans. So for that reason it makes sense to keep it straightforward, simple and manageable. Not that this will compromise its effectiveness.?Start off by creating a bespoke plan for each individual, with their input and agreement at each point. The plan should outline their strengths and weaknesses, highlight areas to develop and set achievable goals. These should reflect both long-term goals and the day-to-day tasks that will contribute to these.

Opportunities for growth

Any potential ‘weakness’ an employee may have is really an opportunity for that individual to grow. For example, if you find that someone is struggling with face-to-face meetings, then arrange for them to accompany you to, or sit in at, a client meeting to see how you handle these interactions.?Or if their IT skills are weak, they might benefit from one-on-one training.?And of course, make sure you review and appraise each person’s performance against their plan on a regular basis, say quarterly or at least twice a year. Remember that the development plan is a motivational tool to help structure their progress and nurture their development, not an instrument of torture with which to bludgeon them for their shortcomings.

Encourage your staff to be proactive in their own development. This sends the message that you are invested in their development. However, it will also show you how dedicated and invested they are in your business. As their confidence and skillset grows, their benefits spread throughout the workplace and into their personal life too, helping them feel more content generally, and with a clearer and more committed vision of their future.

Summary: the benefits of staff development

A staff development approach can:

·???????Improve employees’ skills and performance

·???????Create an upwardly mobile workforce that allows you to promote from within

·???????Increase productivity

·???????Enhance staff retention

·???????Make it easier to recruit quality staff

·???????Help your organisation handle change more effectively

While I don’t claim to be an expert in staff development, this approach is working for me, and my team. However, where I do claim considerable expertise is in the area of business broadband and telephony. For more information, get in contact with me, Paul Hagan, or any member of the HPN team on 028 9053 8411.?