4 Ways Leaders Can Drive Private-Sector Employee Growth

Career progression is an individual ambition and a critical component of organizational success. Helping employees grow beyond their roles allows them to understand the bigger picture, fostering a deeper connection to the company’s mission and goals. This holistic development is crucial for employee satisfaction and retention. Employees who comprehend different business facets are better equipped to contribute meaningfully to their organization.

Business acumen, including understanding finance, product development, and customer and technical support, is integral to career growth. But these fundamentals are often overlooked because they are seen as complicated and something leadership and the accounting team manage. However, this acumen is essential for making informed decisions that benefit the company.

Meanwhile, different sectors and backgrounds pose unique challenges for career growth. For example, the public sector has distinct operational frameworks compared to the private sector, which can be challenging for managers transitioning into the corporate world.

Individual differences matter for career progression and growth as well. We all have diverse backgrounds and education levels. Understanding people who come from different places and backgrounds, including the military, is important for career progression to be successful in your organization. For example, an employee who comes from the military may be less inclined to provide bottom-up feedback because of their traditional training and respect for hierarchy. It's a leader’s job to reiterate their level of openness and expectation around that and to continue to encourage a safe working environment by celebrating ideas. 

Managers—both new and experienced—can take the reins on employee development to create a stronger and more effective organization by focusing on trust, empowerment, transparency, and business fundamentals.

Building and Earning Trust in the Workplace

Trust is the bedrock of employee empowerment. It encourages a more engaged and proactive workforce. When employees feel trusted, they are more likely to take the initiative and contribute to the company's success because they feel valued. There are several strategies for earning this trust, including:

• Open communication. Transparent communication facilitates trust. Regular updates, open forums, and feedback mechanisms ensure that employees feel heard and valued.
  
  
• Consistency and reliability. Consistent actions and reliable leadership build credibility. Employees must see that their leaders are dependable and consistent in their decision-making and behavior.
  
  

Trust leads to a more dynamic workforce. Employees who trust their leaders are more likely to go above and beyond in their roles, contributing to a positive and productive work environment. They are willing to take chances because the trust established has created a safe space.

Empowering Employees to Make Decisions

Decision-making autonomy is a powerful tool for employee empowerment. Employees who are free to make decisions feel more invested in their work. Additional accountability forces the employees to grow and have a sense of responsibility and ownership. This autonomy drives innovation and efficiency. To facilitate informed decision-making, organizations should provide the necessary tools and training. This includes:

• Educational workshops. Training sessions on critical thinking and decision-making processes.
  
  
• Access to information. Providing access to relevant data and resources that enable employees to make informed choices.
  
  
• Mentorship programs. Formal or informal programs provide professional skill development, increased confidence, knowledge sharing, and career advancement.
  
  

Good leaders understand they know less than their field team and are often several levels removed from an issue. Therefore, they need to rely on their field team to make sound decisions. Plus, to take care of the community (employees, customers, partners), empowerment is critical.

This responsibility can lead to innovative solutions and better outcomes because employees are directly involved in the success of their projects. Empowerment is necessary for any organization that seeks to scale, grow and exceed expectations.

Promoting Broader Transparency

You cannot have empowerment without transparency. Employees need to understand where the company stands and where the organization wants to go in the future.  

Transparency in the workplace significantly impacts employee morale and performance. When management shares information openly, employees feel trusted and valued. However, transparency must be balanced with confidentiality. To implement broader transparency, organizations can host:

• One-on-one meetings. Regular meetings between managers and employees to discuss progress and concerns can encourage an open dialog about career growth, shortcomings, educational goals or how to manage personnel dynamics.
  
  
• Team meetings. Open forums where team members can share updates and feedback promotes a sharing environment where all team members are heard.
  
  
• Multiple communication channels. Using formal and informal communication methods, including face-to-face interactions, ensures that all employees are kept in the loop. Reducing silos and championing team interaction using video conferencing, phone calls, and in-person meetings help employees feel comfortable with each other and their leader.
  
  
• Implement bottom-up planning initiatives. Program success is often the result of feedback from front-line employees or those working on the program regularly. Feedback should be encouraged and communicated to senior leadership to continuously improve programs.
  
  

Developing Trust to Support Transparency

A culture that values and protects transparency is essential for long-term success. This culture is built on trust, so leaders need to follow their stated intentions with action and be clear about expectations. Practical ways to build this culture include:

• Say/do ratio. Ensuring that commitments are met and explaining when they are not. Sweeping conversations under the rug or pretending like they never happen disintegrates trust.
  
  
• Courageous conversations. Encouraging open dialogue about difficult topics reduces resentment and teaches teams how to productively discuss projects and behaviors.
  
  
• Accountability mechanisms. Whether it's a project management tool, weekly meeting, or something else, employees value consistent mechanisms because they know what to expect and the systems hold everyone accountable for their actions.
  
  

By consistently demonstrating trustworthiness and openness, organizations can foster a transparent environment where employees feel secure and engaged.

Educating Employees About Business Fundamentals

Employees who understand business fundamentals are better equipped to contribute to the company’s success. This is often intimidating to employees who don’t work with business metrics or financial reports. However, having a solid grasp of what the company does and how it makes money is critical if you want to foster an environment that promotes bottom-up support, feedback and employee growth.

As mentioned earlier, the leader is often removed from the day to day that happens several levels down. If you have an educated workforce, they can identify problems or inefficiencies that the leader may never know existed.

At AMAG Technology, we host weekly sessions that cover several topics, including how our business is run. The goal of the program is to educate all employees on all aspects of the business so everyone can assist or at least know where to get more help if needed. This has helped the company be more efficient and inclusive.

Educating employees across all functions, including commercial, operational, customer service, and general administration, ensures that everyone has a foundational understanding of the business.

Career progression is valued for employee satisfaction and retention. A comprehensive approach to employee development is essential for organizational success. By investing in employee progression, companies can ensure long-term growth and a motivated, capable workforce. Encouraging these practices leads to a more dynamic, transparent, and effective workplace, benefiting both employees and the organization.

Kyle Gordon is executive vice president of global sales, marketing, and commercial excellence at AMAG Technology.