How to encourage employee personal development
Most business owners devote to their enterprises and end up forgetting to take care of themselves. Building and running your company is a demanding task. It needs undivided attention, sacrifice, and dedication. However, as your business grows, you should also grow with it.
This growth can come about by cultivating a working culture that allows for personal growth together with business growth. Caring about your employees’ personal development will positively affect employee performance, and consequently, profitability. So, how can you contribute to employee personal development? Here are four tips from the team here at Mål Paper.
1. Create a safe and open environment
If an employee feels unappreciated or oppressed, they are likely to get stressed, record low productivity, or at worst, quit. An environment where employees cannot freely share their thoughts inhibits personal growth.
You can make the environment-friendly by encouraging thoughts and honest feedback. It should be monitored to ensure the freedom cultivates positive encouragement, and not an opportunity to lay blame on others.
2. Encourage self-investment
Personal growth has a different meaning for every individual. It could be coming out of a mental illness such as depression, or learning something new. For others, it could be increasing their confidence or improving their relationship with others.
The point is understanding how every employee is looking to invest in themselves. Then getting them on a path that will cause them to grow. Your organisation can do this by making offers, maybe for those seeking to learn new skills, or paying for therapy for anyone battling mental health issues.
3. Hire a coach
Adding a professional coach to the team could encourage personal growth. For instance, the coach can point out weaknesses and drive employees to improve. You may have a poor performing employee who doesn't know what he or she is doing wrong.
The hired coach can identify what is wrong and steer him or her in the right direction. The employee with time will record improvement and increased productivity-which could translate to higher self-esteem.
4. Set achievable goals
While business goals tend to be direct, personal development goals aren't. Therefore, strategies need to be set, and each step evaluated.
Being an entrepreneur means more than just business. Potential customers look to connect with the person who came up with the company. Therefore, you need to invest in personal growth to make yourself better and trusted in the market. You can lead your team, and yourself towards personal growth using our tips above.
