Page 228 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

Job Enrichment and Professional Growth C215

hands-on leadership training that can’t be found at any off-
site workshop.

4. Focus employees on company growth as a key to
personal growth. Challenge employees to create their own
opportunities by identifying “unmet needs” in the organi-
zation. Welcome their proposals for new assignments or
roles that could result in growth opportunities for them and
the company, or even in the creation of new jobs.

5. Ask managers to hold “career checkups” where they ask
employees how they feel about their current opportunities for
career growth and learning, and paint a picture of possible
bright scenarios for future growth as the company turns
things around.

6. Encourage growth that doesn’t require upward
movement—horizontal moves, growing in place through
new assignments, temporary job tryouts, job swapping, and
skill-building rotations.

: A CHECKLIST OF MANAGER BEST PRACTICES TO ENHANCE
JOB ENRICHMENT AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

What follows is a summary of some of the practices, based on our
analysis, that Best Places to Work share. Check those that you believe
your organization is currently doing well, and place an X next to those
you believe you should be doing or doing significantly better:

— Give new hires meaningful challenges right from the start.
— Assure that managers are delegating challenging responsibilities and
tasks.