3 Ways to Boost Retention with Leadership Development
In today's dynamic job market, attracting and retaining talent has become a critical challenge for organizations, especially when it comes to leadership roles. The questions everyone is asking: How do you fill open positions with the right people and what will motivate them to stay?
The latest LinkedIn Global Talent Trends report, published May 2023, aims to help companies around the world answer these questions. While competitive pay, promotion opportunities, flexible schedules, and remote work are highly valued, there's another key factor that can be accessible and cost-effective, yet is often overlooked: leadership development.
Leadership development impacts not just leaders, by giving them the skills to lead effectively, but company culture as a whole. Good leaders have the power to transform the employee experience into a positive and motivating one, increasing their likelihood to stay. Research suggests that companies that offer these opportunities see higher engagement, retention rates, and profitability.
However, not all leadership development programs are created equal. For training to be truly effective, it needs to be accessible, personal, and directly relevant to your leaders. Here are three ways to infuse a culture of learning into your organization:
Learn Early and Often
When a new employee joins your team, start their journey with learning. Make it a part of their onboarding process. Don’t be afraid to let new employees join leadership training sessions, even if they aren’t completely up to speed yet on everyday procedures. This not only equips them with the skills they need to excel in their roles but also fosters a sense of value and belonging, which can make them want to stay longer.
But don't stop there. It’s important to give leaders regular time for learning and development throughout their careers. Make sure everyone on your team has time to learn new things as part of their regular work.
Balancing the demands of daily operations with the need for continuous learning can be one of the most challenging aspects of most training programs out there. However, leadership development doesn't have to equate to a scheduling nightmare. With the right approach and resources, it can be seamlessly integrated into your regular operations.
“The way through this ongoing uncertainty and change is to create a more efficient and equitable labor market — and we do that by orienting businesses around skills. As talent leaders, you’re best positioned to lead the way — designing roles around skills; recruiting candidates and deploying employees based on their skills; and helping employees build skills businesses need in the future.”
- LinkedIn Chief Economist Karin Kimbrough, LinkedIn Global Talent Trends Report
Conduct Training on a Regular Basis
One of the reasons why employees don’t engage in learning is because they don't have the time. The key to promoting continuous learning lies in its ease and accessibility. By offering shorter, bite-sized training sessions, leadership development can easily fit into everyone's calendars.
This approach not only makes learning more digestible, but it can also accommodate employees' varying schedules and learning styles. It also ensures that skill enhancement and knowledge growth are ongoing processes seamlessly incorporated into their daily routine and workflow.
Train Every Leader, From C-Suite to the Frontlines
Leaders exist at every level of your company, from the C-Suite to the frontlines. Giving every leader the access to training and resources they need to become successful leaders can have a huge impact on your entire organization—from culture and productivity to engagement and retention.
By extending training opportunities to all, each individual is equipped with essential leadership skills and ensures a robust pipeline of future leaders. This inclusive approach fosters a culture of professional growth but also creates a supportive work environment where every leader feels valued and empowered.
Create a Culture of Learning and Development
At SwiftLeadership Café, we’ve worked to make leadership development more accessible than ever for companies who don’t already have a robust development program in place.
SwiftLeadership Café is an on-demand leadership development platform designed to level up your leadership team in 1 hour or less. Our ready-for-you content is made to be delivered on your team’s time to avoid scheduling headaches and help foster a culture of continuous growth for your leaders while making them happier, more invested employees.
Start Your Free Trial of SwiftLeadership Café
Prioritizing leadership development not only gives your employees the skills they need to succeed but also invites them to be a more active part of your team.
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