Goal Setting and Employee Learning and Development

Posted on: May 4, 2017, by :
employee learning and development

employee learning and development

Your Role as a Manager

Economic conditions, advances in technology and the pace of global change require organizations to operate differently than in years past. Organizations who survive and thrive in these times will be customer focused, agile and prepared to implement new practices quickly that save or make money. An appreciation for diversity, global awareness and the heightened use of technology must be woven into the fabric that is organizational cultural if organizations are to realize success.

Managers are key to ensuring staff understand and implement practices that position organizations to effectively compete. They also serve as interpreters, champions and organizers of change who are tasked with understanding departmental operations and aligning resources to ensure individuals and teams are supported and empowered to complete their work.

Their effectiveness depends in large part on their understanding of goal setting and the connections among organizational, departmental and individual and team goals. Managers must be able to conceptualize the connections and anticipate challenges and successes. They need to communicate clearly and consistently and set the standards for employees offering by guidance, tools and recognition.

The most effective managers also use goal setting to their advantage. They recognize that they must be proactive about goal setting for themselves as well as for their employees. This involves ensuring they know what is required of them. They must also work to proactively communicate with their leadership. This can involve communicating in ways in which are appreciated by their superiors while setting aside personal preferences to realize success in the workplace.

The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and communicate effectively are critical for managers.

 

Goal Setting and Employee Learning and Development

In order for employees to satisfactorily contribute to organizational goals and remain motivated to continue their employment with the organization, they need to receive support in the form of frequent communication and opportunities for learning and development.

Learning and development are most effective when the organizations’ leadership views development as an entire system and not just a series of one-time events.

What happens before and after training are also important. Training should directly correlate to employee job duties; otherwise the organization incurs unnecessary expenditures and morale suffers.

Training is most effective when employees are motivated about participating. Both of these factors emphasize the importance of managers communicating expectations with employees. Equally important is ensuring employees understand how their duties translate to goals, objectives and tactics and how the training can help them perform and achieve goals.

Employees should have opportunities apply what they learned in training on the job and receive feedback from their manager about their performance. The importance of training is reinforced when this occurs and employees can appreciate that training can improve performance when they witness the benefits.

Organizations want better trained employees who are prepared to excel at the tasks asked of them. Given that businesses evolve over time to stay on par with customer needs and expectations, organizations must ensure their employees also evolve. Beyond the obvious need to match talent with performance, is an organization’s ability to engage its employees.

Opportunities for learning and development show employees that you are invested in them and that they are important to the success of the organization.

Take our Manager’s Guide to Goal Setting FREE E-course today! Learn more>>

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