By Amy Numbers

Most business leaders cite employees are their most valuable resource. Without them, their business could not function, grow and prosper. Why is it then that we spend less time and money on proper training and career development than we do on simple building maintenance?

In professional service organizations, it is very common to pay more attention to the business than the people. Further, the training that occurs is typically technical in nature, related to a new certification or maintaining a professional license. And, in our current economy, training programs are one of the first line-items to be cut from the budget. This is unfortunate, since the cost of recruiting and retaining employees is so high. However, with the right training program, firms can make the most of their investment in their greatest resource – their people.

Getting Started
As companies grow, many initiate employee training programs simply as a means to show new hires how to do their job. It is essential that the learning curve is minimized so the new person can be an active, contributing member of an organization. However, in many organizations, the need is much greater. For example, there is a gap between the experienced staff and the next generation of leaders. Further, it is crucial in today’s marketplace to help all employees, especially the younger generations, understand their role in the organization now and in the future.
According to Janine Moon, principal at Workforce Change, the Gallup Organization reports that disengaged workers, i.e. those not aligned with the organization’s mission, cost U.S. businesses over $380 billion annually.

Case in point, when H.R. Gray – a construction management company and consulting firm – recognized this trend, they decided to take proactive steps and initiate a career development program. Working with Moon, they identified 20 employees to participate. All selected participants were relatively new employees – hired within the last five years – with strong potential leadership skills.

The five-month-long program began with an assessment of the individual (their skills, values and strengths). This assessment helps the employees identify their “foundation” (their strengths, weaknesses, values), basically identifying who the employee is and skills they can build upon as they move forward in their career. The employees then met with the owners of H.R. Gray to discuss the business philosophy, goals and dreams of the organization. This helped to identify clearly where the individual fits into the organization and, more important, if this individual is a good fit for the organization.

According to Tom Merritt, H.R. Gray’s chief administrative officer, this is a crucial step that is often overlooked by companies. However, without this information, it is impossible to put together a meaningful career development path.

“It is important during career development to link the corporate goals and objectives with the employee goals and objectives,” he said. “Without making that match, it is hard to create success. If you identify a mismatch, you have the chance to realign objectives as applicable.”

Fortunately for H.R. Gray, the exercise validated that there was a huge alignment with the individuals’ values and H.R. Gray’s corporate values. Without this fit, individuals have little or no emotional connection to their work, and their results show it. Quality, customer service and productivity suffer. Younger workers, in particular, want to make contributions that matter to the organization and want to take satisfaction from their work; they want it to fit.

With objectives outlined, the program continued with a series of two-hour group meetings held twice per month, each with a different focus such as leveraging strengths, clarifying motivators and researching potential career directions. The program also includes one-on-one coaching with Moon, worksheets, as well as research related to H. R. Gray’s strategic direction. Further, participants were encouraged to identify and meet with potential mentors. According to Moon, one of the program’s objectives is to bridge the leadership and knowledge gaps between experienced employees and newer ones. By learning how to approach mentors and prepare for a focused discussion, participants are able to tap a greater number of experienced managers and learn from each. The time commitment for the program is approximately 10-12 hours per month.

Dan Weis, a construction manager at H.R. Gray is a participant in the career development program. He found the one-on-one coaching with Moon helpful as he aligned his career goals and objectives with those of a senior construction manager. “The outside perspective Janine brought to our sessions was great. She was able to align my strengths and interests with the traits our company needs in a construction manager role and develop a plan that will guide my career to benefit both H.R. Gray and me.”

Real-World Application
In the final months of the program, participants are tasked with applying what they have learned by conducting research and developing a case study within their area of interest. Examples include new lines of business opportunities with the federal government, capitalizing on sustainable development in the public sector, increasing ADA curb ramp opportunities and opening new regional offices. According to Merritt, the intent is to build on the skills they learned and apply them in a way that is meaningful to the business. The case studies are then presented to and reviewed by the management team for consideration. This exercise permits the group to work on their presentation and sales skills.

“I have always felt like a part of this company, but now, having gone through the program, I feel like I know what H.R. Gray is doing and why we are doing it – I feel more aligned with the company,” said Kristen Braden, a project manager. “I have definitely taken a second look at my training needs and re-evaluated associations I’ve been involved with to determine how it helps with my overall career plan. The program has helped me analyze and solidify my various career activities and determine which closely match my long term goals.”

Getting Down to Business
Another key element of the program was ensuring that participants really had a chance to better understand the business. According to Moon, it is crucial to provide in-depth information about your organization to help employees better understand marketing, how decisions are made, methods for securing work, why you have a certain niche, leadership philosophies and more. This will provide a higher level of understanding of the organization than most employees typically have as well as insights that foster loyalty and alignment. Although it is common to tell employees that everyone is responsible for marketing and business development, unless you help people understand what that means or give them the skills to actually do this, you are wasting a valuable resource.

One means for creating such transparency at H.R. Gray was an open house panel discussion at which employees were encouraged to ask senior leadership questions. Nothing was off limits. This open interaction and two-way conversation helped employees better understand the actions and decisions made by the senior management team.
“Business decisions and their rationale aren’t always apparent,” said Braden. “However, this forum allowed us to ask really open questions. I gained an invaluable perspective on why things are done a certain way and I have a much better appreciation now for what happens behind the scenes.”

For example, one participant asked CEO Jim Joyce to describe his typical day. His response included an honest admission that he often lays awake at night thinking about his responsibility to take care of 60 families, referring to the number of employees on the payroll. One participant noted that the session clearly delivered the message that running and owning a business is much more than playing golf with potential clients and bringing home a bigger paycheck.

Planning for Success
At H.R. Gray, participants also are tasked with taking an introspective look at their career goals and developing a three-year growth plan that aligns their objectives with the company’s goals (i.e. continuing education, more certification, accreditation, etc) and plans for annual learning opportunities. For example, Merritt said that it is really common for employees to express an interest in returning to college to earn a graduate degree. While that is admirable, this desire isn’t always a fit with the recent desire and sometimes insistence that the firm provide project staff with training and accreditation from professional associations such as the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) or the USGBC LEED-AP certification.

Focusing on these types of learning provide a meaningful impact to the organization and add to the employee’s portfolio of skills that will assist them in better serving the H.R. Gray clients and providing for growth opportunities in the organization. This review also allows employees to see how their goals align, or don’t align, with the corporate vision and objectives. “When associates are aligned with the corporate direction doing work that uses their strengths and talents, productivity and customer service are at peak levels and all stakeholders win” said Merritt.

According to Moon, a good career development and training program will also create opportunities for meetings and mentoring time with senior leadership. For example, she noted that senior leaders are often perceived as too busy to meet with employees, but the program participants found out differently. Leaders welcome opportunities to meet with younger workers and pass along experience, technical knowledge and relationship skills when the workers initiate the meetings and come prepared to learn. The program taught participants how to approach senior leaders, how to prepare for meetings, and how the outcomes become learning that cannot be found in a book.

Lessons Learned
Although the obvious goal of a career development program is to engage employees, assess their skills and identify key competencies that need to be developed, as well as align their objectives with those of the firm, the company also greatly benefits from such a program. For example, the senior leadership at H.R. Gray credits the career development program with teaching them a great deal about their areas of opportunity.

Another outcome of the program is a change in philosophy related to how H.R. Gray now executes their hiring process. For example, they have integrated new steps into the standard hiring protocol to ensure the potential employee is a fit with the company’s culture. Further, potential employees not only interview with senior leadership, but also spend a great deal of time with their potential peers and supervisor. And, H.R. Gray often will take the candidate to a typical job site so they get a sense for actual working conditions.

“We have really slowed down the hiring process and are more deliberate about who meets with the candidate,” said Merritt. “This process change produces much better results in the long-run. We are looking for the best fit, not only for the position, but with our company culture and values.”

Another realization gained through the career development program is the high level of interest and commitment of employees related to self-improvement and the role they view themselves as having in the success of the company.

“It is really energizing to engage employees, help them better understand our business and align their goals with the corporate objectives, and then experience their enthusiasm,” said Joyce. “They are motivated, stimulated and provide great ideas on new opportunities for the company. Our employees are anxious to see where they fit in and develop a growth plan for their career at the company.”

Informed business owners know that their employees make the difference in their organization. In today’s marketplace, it is essential that training and development is not only geared toward technical skills and accreditations, but also how your team members are part of the business’s future. Such a program will give your organization an advantage, as well as help you retain talent and make smart new hires.

About the author
Amy Numbers is Communications & ROI Specialist at Constructive Communication, Inc. — a marketing and public relations firm serving the A/E/C and other technical industries. She can be reached at anumbers@constructivecommunication.com.