If you were to ask your team members if they feel they have enough chances for professional growth within your organization, what would they say?
Would they tell you about the numerous career development initiatives available, and that they regularly have time for upskilling and reskilling?
Research from McKinsey indicates that 41% of employees have left their jobs due to a perceived lack of career advancement opportunities. Professionals in HR and Learning and Development (L&D) are acutely aware of this trend. In Together’s report, “Enterprise L&D in 2025: Predictions and Trends”, industry experts predict that limited career growth will become the primary driver of employee turnover in the near future.
This graph illustrates the understanding among HR and L&D professionals regarding the impact of limited growth opportunities on employee turnover.
The issue of insufficient growth is recognized, and addressing it can take various forms. A critical question for organizations becomes: Who Runs A Career Development Program to effectively tackle this challenge?
Let’s delve into the world of career development programs, exploring their nature, implementation strategies, and successful examples from leading companies to provide inspiration.
What are Career Development Programs?
Career development programs are structured frameworks designed to align employee skills, needs, and long-term career aspirations with both present and future opportunities within an organization. These programs are designed to empower employees for success within the company and throughout their entire professional journey. They can encompass a wide range of activities, including external certifications, conference and seminar attendance, and internal initiatives such as peer mentoring programs.
Typically, career development is viewed as a continuous process throughout an employee’s working life, often integrated with on-the-job training. Academic career development arises when employees enroll in formal courses offered by educational institutions. Similarly, bootcamps are intensive, short-term programs focused on developing specific hard skills to facilitate employee upskilling or career transitions.
Why are Career Development Programs Important?
HR and L&D professionals understand that investing in talent development is not merely about employee retention, but about building a more robust, engaged, and adaptable workforce. Effective employee training is a significant undertaking, but the benefits are substantial.
Here are several key advantages of implementing career development programs for employees:
Employee Retention
Employee career development stands out as a highly effective strategy for boosting retention rates. These programs are instrumental in retaining valued employees by addressing their personal and professional growth needs.
💡 Remarkably, 94% of employees report they would remain at their current company if the organization invested in their career advancement.
Investing in employee growth not only strengthens your employer brand and company culture but also cultivates long-term employee loyalty. This investment signals that the company values its employees’ futures, making it a more attractive and supportive place to work.
Upskilling and Reskilling Employees
With a well-designed development plan, employees can stay abreast of industry trends and evolve their skill sets through reskilling and upskilling initiatives. This proactive approach prepares them for future roles and aligns their capabilities with the evolving needs of the company.
Frequently, this strategy allows companies to develop existing talent to fill new roles rather than incurring the costs of external hiring. Promoting from within saves on recruitment expenses and reduces onboarding time, as internal candidates are already familiar with company operations and culture.
Leadership Development
Career development programs are vital for nurturing future leaders. Depending on the program’s design, employees can hone critical decision-making and cross-functional skills through participation in high-potential leadership programs.
By integrating a dedicated leadership development program into your overall talent strategy, you establish a strong leadership pipeline. This ensures that both emerging and current managers are equipped with the necessary skills to guide the company through changes and drive continued success. These programs are often run by senior leaders in conjunction with HR to identify and cultivate future leadership talent.
Successful Career Development Program Examples
For organizations seeking inspiration for their own career advancement programs, examining successful implementations at other companies can be incredibly valuable.
Here are six examples of real-world career development programs in action:
1. Marriott International
Marriott International demonstrates a significant commitment to early career development programs and has achieved considerable success. Their hotel internship programs provide recent graduates with opportunities to complement their academic learning with practical, hands-on experience guided by industry experts. Additionally, their Voyage Leadership Development Program supports new and existing employees in developing discipline-specific management skills and expanding their professional networks. These programs are typically managed by Marriott’s HR and Talent Development teams.
2. Workday
Workday employs a skills-based HR strategy that empowers employees to identify and pursue specific skill development goals. The company facilitates internal mobility, connecting employees with opportunities to join different teams across the organization to gain new skills and broaden their perspectives. Since its inception in 2021, Workday’s career development program has received positive feedback from participants, highlighting its effectiveness. Workday’s program is likely a joint effort between HR, L&D, and department managers to identify skill gaps and create internal mobility pathways.
3. Randstad
Randstad, a multinational human resources consulting firm, effectively utilizes professional mentoring programs for employee development. By measuring the turnover rates and employee engagement of program participants, Randstad observed a significant 49% reduction in turnover, alongside a more engaged and motivated workforce. These mentoring initiatives are often spearheaded by HR in partnership with senior leaders who serve as mentors.
4. Ethena
Ethena, a smaller company specializing in interactive compliance training, exemplifies how company values can be integrated into career development. Ethena provides its employees with full access to their comprehensive course catalog, covering topics from DEI and unconscious bias training to leadership and role-specific skills. This commitment to employee learning is likely driven by Ethena’s leadership team, reinforcing their company culture through accessible development opportunities.
5. Aflac
Primarily known for its iconic duck mascot, Aflac, the insurance corporation, also distinguishes itself through robust career development programs. Aflac’s Career Success Centers are available to all employees, offering personalized career counseling sessions. Employees can meet with counselors to define their career goals and strategize on achieving them within the company. Aflac’s programs, managed by dedicated career services professionals within HR, feature diverse activities like Career Insights sessions, where employees engage with company leaders to understand the skills and knowledge needed for different roles.
6. Accenture
Accenture, a global IT and professional services company, makes a substantial investment of nearly $1 billion USD in career development programs. Their aim is to ensure employees’ skills remain current with evolving industry demands. Accenture supports external certifications, such as Salesforce and AWS, provides leadership training, and cultivates niche, industry-specific skill sets. These extensive programs, overseen by a large L&D department, offer growth opportunities across all levels of the organization.
Numerous companies have implemented career development programs with impressive outcomes. Explore more examples of the best company training programs here.
Best Practices for Building a Career Development Program
Having established the value and nature of career development programs, let’s address the practical aspects of implementation. Here are key strategies for creating a successful and impactful career advancement program, and clarifying who runs a career development program within your organization:
Define Target Employee Groups
Determine which employee segments the program will serve. Will it focus on early-career professionals, high-potential employees preparing for leadership, or underrepresented talent? Understanding the target audience is crucial for tailoring program content, learning formats, and relevant topics. This strategic decision is typically made by HR and senior leadership, who then task L&D with program design.
Foster Collaborative Development Plans
Individual Development Plans (IDPs) should be at the heart of career development, tailored to each employee’s unique career and personal growth needs.
Instead of presenting a generic course catalog, IDPs offer a personalized approach to help employees achieve their short and long-term career goals and enhance job performance. The creation and execution of IDPs is a joint responsibility between managers and employees, emphasizing ongoing dialogue, feedback, and preparation. Managers play a critical role in guiding and supporting their team members’ development journeys.
Integrate Mentorship for Employee Growth
Workplace mentorship programs offer significant advantages, particularly for junior employees, and can even benefit senior executives through reverse mentoring.
Career mentors assist mentees in defining their career objectives and provide guidance on achieving them. Integrating a mentoring program into a broader career development framework provides enhanced support for employees seeking advancement, while simultaneously boosting overall company engagement. Mentoring programs are often administered by HR or L&D departments, who manage mentor-mentee matching and program logistics.
Empower Employee Growth Today
A robust career development program is not just essential for employee retention; it is fundamental for building a stronger, future-ready workforce. By investing in these programs, organizations empower employees to enhance their skills in current roles, navigate career progression (whether up the corporate ladder or across a career lattice), and explore diverse career paths.
Providing employees with the necessary tools and support allows them to thrive and contribute more effectively. Platforms like Together’s mentoring software streamline the creation and management of career advancement programs, simplifying administration and enhancing participant experience.
Discover how Together’s mentoring software can support your career development program—book a demo today.
