The need for a personal development plan in organisations is increasingly becoming more apparent, as organisations find that it is increasingly difficult to keep people motivated and excited about their role within the business. After all, there are thousands of corporate team building events every year that result in barely a few new members joining up to join the team that was ‘glamourised’. The reality is that there is very little in the way of genuine engagement with work by these corporate parties, and much of the energy that is expended at these functions ends up being wasted on the type rather than the quality of people who show up. This does not help the organisation, and the companies involved actually become slightly worse off as a result of having used their valuable time and money investing in these activities instead of creating an environment where people feel more involved and engaged with the company’s work and goals. If something like this sounds familiar, it may be because you’ve heard the term ‘personal development’.
So, how personal development can support organisations? In reality, personal development is much more about encouraging you into taking control of your own life, and being prepared to live a life that is not just based on the treadmill of another day. It is about encouraging you to look at yourself as an individual, rather than just as a member of a team, and how personal development can support this approach. The challenge for organisations is to provide the right kind of support and encouragement – without this, people will feel that they have been taken for granted, and the personal development plans that they put into place will have been largely fruitless.
Most of the time, this sort of support comes in the form of a personal development plan, or some sort of seminar or workshop designed to support and grow your skills, create more positive relationships within your workplace, and generally encourage you to think differently and achieve more. These are activities that people can do in the comfort of their own home, and which give them a sense of control over their future. However, organisations can provide something more structured – providing employees with training and development opportunities through CVs, and providing opportunities through seminars and forums. This provides employees with the opportunity to take control of their careers and make the most of their abilities – whether these are skills they have learned through their work, or skills they have developed through the help of an organisations personal development plan.
There are two key ways in which organisations can support employees in how personal development can support organisations. The first is to provide funding for personal development. In some cases, this might involve money from the employer, but it could also be through sponsorship from an external source. This is often seen as the better way to provide support, as it allows organisations to control what is provided. In other cases, the money might come from a company within the organisation, which allows employees to access the funds they need to create a better personal life. There are many ways in which organisations might fund the development of personal interests, such as through competitions, scholarships, or foundation works.
The second way in which how personal development can support organisations is by developing close relationships with employees. It is well known that employees often feel neglected by organisations. It is important to develop close relationships with employees, as this can provide a feeling of belonging and success. Employees may also feel that the company appreciates them for their personal efforts – something which is not always the case. By making an effort to develop close relationships, it can show that the organisation values the person and wants to see them succeed.
These two ways in which personal development can support organisations are essential. However, there are other ways in which employers and employees can benefit from personal development. By giving proper feedback and encouragement, it is possible to improve performance and productivity in all areas of life – including at work.
One of the main reasons why organisations should consider how personal development can support organisations is because of how productivity and performance can affect the bottom line. In certain cases, employees might feel undervalued within an organisation. This is particularly the case if they have performed less than satisfactory work in the past. The personal side of things such as self-development can be used to encourage productivity and performance within organisations.
Another way in which how personal development can support organisations is because of how it can help create stronger professional networks between employees. When people who are employed in the same organisation become more comfortable with one another, it can make them more able to collaborate with each other. This is particularly important for highly productive staff who are in the process of training new recruits. By creating professional networking, organisations are able to get things done faster and in more effective ways.