Our post, 21st-century agriculture amazes many, scares some paints vivid pictures of food production in the United States. As technology advances, new skills are paramount to achieve success. Erika Osmundson reminds employers of seven underlying benefits from professional development beyond simple education:
- Confidence and credibility
- Efficiency
- Ability to influence and lead
- Network
- Keep current
- Achieve career goals
- Become a better employee
Source: Pork Network, October 5, 2016.
Employee development opportunities that are planned and executed in a professional manner show your employees that this is important and should be taken seriously. Consider an annual employee development plan. This can be developed in conjunction with staff and communicates to your team that staff development is important. Having a plan also helps make sure these opportunities don’t get pushed to the back burner.
INSIGHTS: The best organizations prepare for professional development as rigorously as personal vacation time. It needs to be scheduled along with the daily work of the business.