Love them and keep them: Why career growth matters more now than ever
Riverfront Regional Park, Sonoma County | Erik Castro | erikcastrophoto.com
By Zaina Orbai and Tom Floyd
The world has changed. The workplace has changed. What people want from work and why they want it has changed.
We are living in one of the most challenging U.S. labor markets in modern history. Every business, no matter how large or small, is “now hiring.” The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported job openings at an all-time high of 10.9 million this summer as the economy opened. In the same timeframe, the U.S. civilian labor force has been slower to recover. Despite the number of job openings increasing, fewer people have returned to work and 4 million people voluntarily resigned from their jobs in July.
People have woken up and realized they’re in control of their lives, their careers and where they go next. And if leaders don’t embrace this movement, they’re going to miss an opportunity to turn the Great Resignation into a Great Career Migration that helps people find fulfilling opportunities within their own companies.
At The RealReal, this movement has driven us to commit and invest even more deeply in our employees. It’s why we are strengthening our focus on career growth and internal mobility programs to help employees build their skills, expertise and experience in order to extend their career arc at the company.
We teamed up with Tom Floyd, founder of Flouracity, to define career expectations for all levels in the company and rolled out a three-part program to train managers on how to have meaningful career conversations. And we learned the importance of three crucial things:
Start a dialogue about career and purpose at work.
CEOs revealed in the Q4 2020 Vistage CEO Confidence Index survey that the biggest challenge they are facing today is related to morale, including keeping themselves focused and engaged. Many leaders make the mistake of hiding from this, rather than openly acknowledging it. When senior leaders tackle how they’re feeling head-on and use forums like company all-hands meetings to discuss how they’re feeling, it makes it safe for others to talk about it too. These conversations have a natural ripple effect of creating dialogue about career, purpose and possibilities. Today, those conversations matter more than ever. If you’re a senior leader, make space for these conversations and prioritize initiatives focused on career growth and finding purpose at work.
Hold managers accountable to developing their people.
HR leaders reading results from their most recent engagement surveys are seeing three things: employees don’t believe there are opportunities to advance, they’re seeing a shortage of learning and development opportunities and people are burnt out. This is a time for HR to be proactive in ensuring managers are armed with the skills to help their people both take care of themselves and rediscover their purpose at work. A recent McKinsey study revealed 70% of employees shared their sense of purpose is defined by their work, but others show managers don’t necessarily agree it’s their role to have these conversations.
Make sure managers are clear that developing their people is their biggest priority and then arm them with tools like career frameworks they can use to help their directs discover opportunities that energize them, whether those opportunities are within their current roles or within other teams. Last but not least, invest in learning and development programs that teach managers how to have conversations about mobility. Whether it’s talking through how to handle key moments in these conversations or giving managers opportunities to role-play with their peers, the goal is to ensure managers are equipped to facilitate two-way conversations about internal growth.
Use deep listening and simple questions to hold meaningful conversations.
Today’s managers are regularly having conversations that traditionally would’ve been passed off to HR, including conversations about burnout, mental health, racial injustice and more. The fundamental skills managers need to ensure people feel seen and heard in these conversations are listening to connect and questioning to understand. Yet when we reflect on listening, most managers — like most of us in general — aren’t very good listeners, spending most of the time distracted, preoccupied or forgetful when listening.
For managers, retaining people during the Great Resignation involves resisting the urge to stay focused on the business in one-on-ones and using these conversations to connect with people about their careers. Turn those cameras on. Ask your employees what they like most — and least — about their current roles. Listen for the feelings and values behind what they’re saying that help you see things from their perspective. And then show up as a thought partner who helps them brainstorm new opportunities and roles that energize and excite them.
The feeling that people aren’t doing work that fulfills them is The Great Awakening happening across the globe. Companies can’t afford to ignore this. It’s never too late to start creating a culture of learning and growth. When done well, leaders can bring about lasting transformation that impacts lives.
Zaina Orbai is the Chief People Officer at The RealReal. Zaina is passionate about building sustainable companies and transforming workplace communities.
Tom Floyd is an executive coach and founder of Flouracity, a professional development company that helps managers grow in their careers, leaders flourish in their roles, and people become the best version of themselves.