Page 220 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

Job Enrichment and Professional Growth C207

: Developmental
Traditional Questions
Best-Places-to-Work Questions
Remedial
What is the problem or challenge
How can we help this person build on
what he or she already does well?
we need to address and fix with this
employee?
Broadcast
How can we get everyone to learn this Narrowcast
How can we offer opportunities that are
important content? tailored to a person’s unique learning
style, interests, and abilities?
Classroom Centered Experiential
How can we make the time in the class- How can we create opportunities for
room as effective as we possibly can? people to “learn while doing”?
Content Driven Relationship Driven
How can we help people learn this How can we help people develop a bet-
information? ter network of contacts, learn from each
other, and collaborate better?
Linear Career Path Dual or Multiple Career Path
How can we help people prepare for the How can we help people prepare for the
next step on the organizational chart? many career options that may be open
to them?

Let us be clear: there is nothing wrong with training and develop-
ment initiatives that support the implied objectives in the left-hand
column. Smart leaders take a comprehensive approach by asking
questions on both sides to make sure employees learn everything
they need to know to be effective in their jobs. The questions on
the right-hand side represent additional issues we must explore in a
fast-changing business environment with flatter organizations, more
tech-savvy generations with shorter attention spans, and reduced ex-
pectations of long-term employment.

: ANSWERING THE NONTRADITIONAL QUESTIONS

Let’s examine some of the ways Best-Places-to-Work employers are an-
swering the right-side questions in the chart above and implementing
this engagement driver to facilitate the achievement of both individual
and organizational goals.