Managing Career Development Today

Date: 03/09/2010

Forget about offering jobs for life. If you want to retain your best people, provide them with flexibility and the opportunity to grow.

Career development has taken on a whole new meaning in recent years. That's the view of Roger Reidy of BPS Consulting, who advises businesses and individuals on how to manage the change from baby-boomer "cradle-to-grave" employment to the new era of flexibility and job-switching that's typical of Generations X and Y. Employers now have to earn the loyalty of their employees, who are more likely now to take charge of their own careers and move on if they're not satisfied. They're also seeking more flexibility and better work-life balance than their parents experienced. But Roger Reidy says employers should see career development programs as an excellent staff retention strategy - even if people do eventually move on to seek new skills or advancement, they're more likely to return if they've been supported and encouraged to develop.