Have your in-house training programs stalled out? Recent research has confirmed that the actual learning event represents only part of the learning experience.

A University of Phoenix study showed a strong trend toward informal learning. As much as 50% of learning occurred as a follow-up to the training event. This is corroborates the importance of using reinforcement tools in the work environment, such as email reminders and newsletters; twitter feeds, targeted blog articles, and personal follow-up via telephone, or small group refresher sessions.

Also, help top performers develop their career and deliver impactful employee development plans that address the needs of a multigenerational workforce. Successful companies are offering the kinds of far reaching programs that are designed to increase overall professional competence and effectiveness, take into account the learning styles of each generation and use innovative tools to reinforce learning, before competitors do.

Professional competence, once assumed to be part of every employee’s professional resources toolbox, has become more difficult to convey and expect. The language of professionalism is all but lost in many work environments, and restoring it will improve performance in the workplace.

Your Culture Matters!

Professional competence is often a matter of perspective; what’s considered professional and acceptable in one organization may be an egregious misstep in another. How would you describe your organizational culture? Culture is made up of three elements:

 Communication

  Work Patterns & Physical Environment

  Individual Power

Spend fewer resources on hiring and retention and give your current employees a strong chance at succeeding by clearly outlining and communicating your organizational culture. Employees who have a deep understanding of your company are much more likely to assess the culture as compared to their own work style and behavior patterns, and learn to match the two.

Does Your Staff Have Professional Competency?

The importance of a professional presence is no longer understood by all employees. Moreover, the understanding of what is or isn’t professional is largely assumed, which leads to increased conflict and misunderstandings. Ultimately, they are responsible for a loss of time and money. Each employee should be aware of the competencies that the company expects them to have already mastered and how they can increase competency in areas where they may be lacking. Business, Personal and Strategic Competencies all are an essential part of the competent employee.  Where do you think your employees fit in? Are they ready to handle their current challenges as well as the complex problems that they are likely to face in the future?

Customize Performance Management

Performance management is an enormously powerful and yet under-utilized tool in today’s workplace. Two key findings from a Gallup survey of over one million people contribute to Employee Development System’s mission of improved performance management.

1. Employee engagement requires consistent interaction between manager and employee.
2. The foundation for building a strong workplace is for managers to communicate clear performance expectations.

Knowing these two facts, how does your organization measure up on employee engagement? Employee engagement issues and performance issues are worsened by hapless managers and leaders.

After all, employees don’t quit a job, they quit a manager!

It is in your organization’s best interest to arm itself with positive, informed, knowledgeable performance managers who can navigate generational issues and diverse challenges at a level superior to others. How do companies help their leaders excel at performance management? By giving them a language for navigating less than ideal behavior as well as making the most of star employees.

Find more resources here or stop by our site to read and learn more about the importance of your employee development programs.