Why professional development is important

As an employer, you need to provide your employees with a pathway that will help them develop. This is what’s broadly referred to as professional development. Now, you might think that this is something they can do in their own time. After all, it’s their development. While there is some truth to this, it’s still not the only approach you should rely on. You should be providing your employees with regular learning opportunities. Here, they will be able to gain knowledge and refine their skills. This will improve their productivity, allowing them to perform better in their roles. Remember, when your employees develop, your business will see a higher level of growth.

What is professional development?

Professional development is the practice of learning through education and training. Employees can take on professional development in various ways. They can take classes, attend seminars and teach themselves new skills. Or even stay up-to-date with the latest market trends. Of course, everything they learn can be applied to their role. 

It’s common for companies to support their employees with their professional development. You can provide this through internal training sessions. Or if it’s something you need support with, you can recruit the help of an external training provider. Here, your employees will receive structured training. The provider will create an environment where their development is the sole focus. They will learn the latest knowledge and techniques. This will help them to develop within their roles and the company. 

What are the benefits of professional development?

Professional development can help your employees in various ways. Training can improve your employees as people, improving their confidence, knowledge and skills. Of course, when your employees improve, your business does too. Below are some of the ways professional development can benefit your organisation:

Improves team performance 

Prioritising professional development will improve your employees’ skills. They will be able to refine both their technical and soft skills. This will make them more effective in their roles, leading to a more productive workforce.  

As your employees improve they will be able to take on more responsibilities. This is one of the many benefits you will see when you upskill your employees. With time, they will become more experienced while continuing to refine their skills. This will give them the ability to move into management positions. This is where they can use their knowledge to lead others. From this, you will see an improvement in both individual and team performance. 

Boosts morale 

Finding out what motivates and drives your employees is important. When you sit down and speak with them, you will most likely find that a lot of your employees are ambitious. Because of this, they will want to pursue opportunities to develop. Not providing these opportunities is when problems tend to arise. Making this mistake can lead to your employees leaving to advance their careers. 

Retaining talent is more cost-effective than onboarding new employees. That’s why it’s in your best interest as a business to provide these opportunities. With extra training, your employees can develop their hard and soft skills. And as they develop, they will provide more value. This might result in them even filling leadership positions in the future. By realising this opportunity, both job satisfaction and morale will improve. As a result, they will see no reason to leave, improving your retention rate. 

Enhances company reputation 

Career development is a pivotal touch point for workers. This likely concerns both your current employees and those interested in your company. This is understandable, as people want to see themselves progress. You have probably found that this topic comes up a lot in interviews. This is especially true with top talent, who might end up with a variety of job offers. But, if you make promises, you then have to deliver them. If you don’t, your new hire may begin to look elsewhere, bringing your hiring process into disrepute.   

Yet, providing these opportunities will have the reverse effect. New employees will recognise your company as one which prioritises their development. Of course, this will have a positive word-of-mouth impact. Whether on company review websites or by telling people they know. This will enhance your company’s reputation, causing more people to want to work for you. 

What professional development courses are available?

The topic of professional development is relevant to all roles. It doesn't matter which industry and sector you operate in. As a result, there is a variety of professional development courses out there. But, at Pareto, we offer some key courses that can develop your employees. This is regardless of their specific roles and responsibilities. All the Professional Development courses we deliver are bespoke. This means you can build a training programme to suit the needs of your employees. With this in mind, below are some of the professional development courses we offer: 

Driving Customer Excellence

Every customer interaction is a chance to increase engagement. That’s why we offer the Driving Customer Excellence course. Learners will recognise how their ability to communicate with customers impacts sales. They will build skills and techniques to help them successfully communicate with customers. Some of the core topics can include mapping the client journey and managing conflict. This is all to help your employees deliver a positive customer experience. 

Powerful presentations

Presentations are an opportunity to deliver an impactful message. This course will help your employees refine their key messages in a style that suits them. They will learn how to create informative presentations, tailored to the audience. By the end of the course, learners will be confident in delivering presentations. Whether in a virtual or a face 2 face setting.  

Creative Thinking and Problem-Solving 

Creative thinking and problem-solving are important skills in any line of work. In today’s changing landscape, they are needed more than ever to solve challenges. With this course, your employees will learn the skills necessary to think creatively. This will allow them to solve problems in a business environment. In turn, this will lead you to achieve your strategic and operational goals.  

Do you want to support your employees’ development? If you do, make sure to explore our Professional Development page for more.