Professional development is a top priority for a lot of employees. It’s a major reason why employees leave one organization for another. And if the threat of top talent leaving isn’t reason enough to incorporate professional development into your organizational planning, consider leadership development and succession planning for your organization as well. Finding leaders from the outside that fit your organization comes with great risk – developing leaders from within your organization is a far more desirable option for most.
The question then, is how to cultivate a culture of learning that promotes employee growth and development. Many organizations with a flat structure struggle to find solutions without the typical “corporate ladder” to climb. However, the good news is that regardless of how flat your organization may be, there are plenty of opportunities to create professional growth and development opportunities and keep your employees performing at their best.
Credential Management
For human services organizations in particular, credential management is a critical element before any other type of learning and development can be considered. Ensuring that each frontline employee has the certifications, degrees, or continuing education credits that are required for them to fill a specific role isn’t a matter of a nice-to-have. It’s a matter of compliance. That’s why human services organizations are required to keep track of these various credentials, ensuring everyone stays current with their certifications. If your team is still using spreadsheets or other manual processes to track all of this, it’s time to consider a better solution.
At DATIS, our unified HR and Payroll platform automates credential tracking for easy management. The system can send reminders when credentials are about to expire, enabling organizations to take a proactive approach to credential management without the time-consuming process of manual tracking.
Goal-Setting and Performance Management
In addition to credentials, regular check-ins and reviews are important for performance management. Before organizations can help employees grow beyond their current role and responsibilities, they must ensure the employee is able to meet their individual goals and perform well in their current position. Many organizations still accomplish this through an annual review process. However, more frequent check-ins and reviews can be far more beneficial, creating an ongoing employee feedback cycle.
The DATIS solution provides automated reminders at the cadence you set to ensure these important check-ins are never missed or overlooked. Additionally, with self-rating and manager rating options, our platform provides the tools you need to have candid and productive conversations on what the employee is doing well and what areas may be in need of improvement. And, because the DATIS platform is completely unified, this important performance data is automatically stored in the electronic employee file for easy and accessible record-keeping.
Enabling Continuous Learning
Once we’ve taken care of the immediate requirement of ensuring the appropriate credentials and once we’ve managed the ongoing requirements of goal-setting and performance, we can take a look at professional development and learning opportunities. It’s important to note that professional development does not necessarily need to take a traditional path. Some employees may be interested in expanding their skillset for their current position. Some may be interested in learning more skills to develop into an effective leader. And some may want to learn new skills that enable them to make a lateral move into a different department or role.
Whatever the case may be, organizations will be best off when they account for and accommodate these individual differences. Rather than creating a one-size-fits-all learning program, you may find that creating different pathways and enabling various options will best serve the needs of your workforce. The DATIS platform allows for third-party learning content to be uploaded as well as for organizations to create their own unique training content to suit their needs.
Learn More About Talent Management from DATIS
DATIS provides completely unified HR and Payroll software that’s tailored to the unique needs of human services organizations. Encompassing all stages of the employee lifecycle with features like recruiting management, time and attendance, benefits, and much more, our platform empowers employees, engages teams, and evolves organizations. Our platform incorporates talent management features, including goal-setting and performance reviews, as well as continuous learning and online training options, to provide a comprehensive solution for organizations looking to better achieve their mission. If you’d like to learn more about our Talent Management feature or the comprehensive solution we provide, contact us today to schedule a personalized demo.
