What you’ve learned in school may not be relevant and true after you graduated. Responding to the rapid evolution in the worldwide business landscape is crucial in every business department especially in the human resource department. Employees need to be kept abreast with the whims of technology and increased competitions in the digital and traditional world. Professional development shouldn’t stop just because we already have the job in a company.

According to Steve Hawter, vice president of learning and development at The Learning Experience, “Professional development “controls an employee’s readiness for contributing to a company in new ways, whether the company adopts a new strategy, expands or needs change.” To keep up with the rapid pace of change in the business world, employees must be encouraged and supported to seek refresher courses and accept new challenges.

Businesses and companies will profit more if its employees will learn a topic or skill that will enable them to adapt to the rapid evolution of their workplace and the challenges that they are facing.

But how do we encourage our employees to undergo professional development without forcing them or threatening them? Employees tend to avoid professional developments because they find it unnecessary or just a waste of time and effort. Here are some ways we can encourage them to undergo professional development programs.

1. Allow them to see that aside from the benefit of supplemental training they are actually ensuring that they remain relevant in their field. Keeping updated allows them to compete with the newly graduate whose knowledges are more relevant and fresher.

2. Professional development gives the employee high self-esteem. Having gain relevant skills and knowledge they will feel equipped and credible enough, increasing their self confidence and self-esteem.

3. Businesses should invest in professional development in this way they can keep their employees. Employees should see that the fastest way to losing one’s job is becoming a walking Jurassic meaning your knowledge and skills are old and obsolete.

            With all these being said and done one should still consult tis employees or conduct a formal research as to what aspect in their career needs further development. In this way we are relating more to them and allowing them to have voice where they can express themselves.

By: Marlon F. Bravo