This time of year, many professionals review their past performance and future opportunities to plan the path ahead. Those in human capital management can capitalize on this period of reflection and motivation by offering career development opportunities for their team members, giving them the tools and support necessary to carve out the best possible professional outcome. Here are three ways for professionals in human capital management to foster growth and encourage career development within their businesses, thereby increasing the value of a company’s human capital.

Encourage Team Members to Prioritize Work-Life Balance

As workers return from their holiday breaks, they learn that transitioning from a period of rest to intense work and productivity can lead to burnout, even more so when professionals feel chronically overwhelmed and overworked. Those in human capital management must emphasize the importance of work-life balance. Encouraging the use of paid time off, remote work options, and flexible hours can help ease the strain on workers and provide them with the flexibility they need to regain stability. Many other ways to promote work-life balance exist, too: offering paid parental leave, prioritizing productivity over hours, and implementing health and fitness programs can all give professionals a sense of balance.

Cross-Training, Upskilling, and Learning Soft Skills Can Boost the Value of Human Capital

Knowledge is power, particularly in terms of career development. Boost the value of your company’s human capital by offering opportunities for continued learning, professional training, and collaborative work. While formal training programs are an asset, other ways to promote upskilling with your team are available. Offering cross-training opportunities to your staff members can distribute responsibilities more evenly, provide workers with the chance to learn new skills, and create a more well-rounded team. Soft skills can be particularly important; while things like data analysis, programming, and accounting are essential for certain positions, having strong communication, critical thinking, and conflict resolution skills can be just as necessary. These soft skills can also help your team collaborate more effectively.

Utilize SMART Goals

Finally, encourage strategic development by introducing your team to SMART goals. When creating plans and pathways in career development, professionals can use the SMART strategy for goal setting. This mnemonic device reminds people to set goals that are:

• Specific, or clearly and concisely defined,
• Measurable, or able to be quantified and observed,
• Achievable, or realistic and able to be attained,
• Relevant, that it serves other overall goals and plans, and
• Time-bound, or assigned a clear deadline.

Giving your employees the framework necessary to create goals and track their progress is essential in fostering career development.

About Lewis-Price & Associates Inc.

Lewis-Price & Associates, Inc., is a fast-growing mission solutions company supporting federal agencies through premiere training, program management and IT services. Serving federal agencies across the government spectrum, from defense to civilian, we ensure the success of ongoing federal agency operations through effective curriculum development, professional coaching, program management, and administrative and technical services. Lewis-Price is committed to providing high quality, effective and on-time solutions to partners and customers through a team that values integrity, intention and excellence in everything we do. Learn about how we can bring our unique approach to success to your organization today at lewisprice.com, and please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.