The Scope Of Multifaceted Career Growth Outside Of Management; How Can Organizations Help?

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The Scope Of Multifaceted Career Growth Outside Of Management; How Can Organizations Help?

For professionals in corporate organizations, the most common career trajectory is becoming a manager after gaining significant experience working at a junior level. But does everyone want to be a manager at some point?

Reports and expert opinion suggests that not all employees would want to get into management. If anything, the Great Resignation has shown us that many people have chosen alternative career paths because of passion, the desire to learn new things, and finding an overall balance in life.

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Of course, many still want to be managers and enjoy the responsibilities it entails, but companies don't seem to have a plan for those who don't.

Questioning The Normal Trajectory

Usually, employees are promoted to higher positions when they have proved that they are good at what they do. However, the task of becoming a manager involves making others better as well. Is there any parameter to check if those criteria are fulfilled by a candidate being promoted to the level of manager? Not always.

The notion that everyone wants to be a manager because of better compensation and other benefits is outdated. Becoming a good manager requires qualities that are more than just being good at something as an employee. It requires leadership, empathy, honesty, and a great degree of self-awareness. Above all, it takes time and effort!

As a result, it is essential that organizations choose managers based on a number of factors, rather than just seniority and skills. On the flip side, it is also important to remember that each employee comes with their own needs, demands, weaknesses, and strengths.

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For many, it could be that they are excellent at what they do but do not have the qualities to be a manager. However, they would want to grow as professionals and the onus lies with the organization to create alternative career paths for them. But how can an organization do it? Let’s find out.

Creating Better Opportunities For Employees

An organization should reflect on the internal requirements and see if they can accommodate employees with different standards. For example, some employees could be high-performers with a strong sense of accountability and the ability to self-manage. An employer should look at what opportunities can be created within the organization for such employees.

It is important that the opportunities not only suit the employees in question but also motivate them to give their best. The Great Resignation has shown that employees often look for new experiences and the opportunity to learn new things and grow. An organization should make the arrangements so that such aspirations of the employees can be fulfilled.

At the same time, it is necessary to reflect on whether employees working in managerial roles are satisfied with the work they are doing. If not, the option must be given to them to step off, while at the same time, the organization should also ensure that alternative career paths can be charted for them.

Exploring Through Doing

Many employees often are sure about how they want their career to progress. While everyone starts with an idea of where they see themselves in 5 years, most of the technical skills are learned on the job. When an organization gives employees the chance to find their mozo, it could lead to higher productivity rates.

It could also help them to find an alternative career path if they so choose. A great way to enable employees to learn and grow is to provide them with mentorship to help them hone their skill set. Many experts have suggested pairing employees with 'peer mentors' or a model of mentorship in which the traditional seniority factor doesn't apply, is a great way to make work more fulfilling.

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It could lead to a well-connected workforce - something critical to our current hybrid work culture. At the same time, it can make progress easier to measure as employees would be working on specific projects.

Conclusion

The most important priority for organizations today is to retain talented employees. The lessons learned in the Great Resignation show that employees would ultimately choose what they want to do and from where and if an organization is not willing to accommodate that, then someone else will.

An organization should ensure that it cares for its employees and are willing to make certain adjustments in order to accommodate them better and enable them to grow, even if that means not becoming a manager!