Career planningProviding feedback & coaching

Career conversations: Why they matter

Career conversations: Why they matter

5 minutes

Career conversations are honest talks between an employee and their manager about their goals, skills and development. These discussions focus on the future, looking at how personal ambitions can match up with long-term opportunities in the company, rather than just focusing on current job tasks or performance.

 

These discussions help your team members understand where they are in their careers, where they want to go, and how they can get there. For leaders, facilitating these conversations is key to motivating and engaging your team. A LinkedIn workplace learning report found that 94% of employees say they would stay longer at a company if it invested in their career development, making this conversation essential to retention.

Components of career conversations

Having career conversations helps your team members navigate their career paths. They start with you helping your person understand what they want to achieve in their careers. Do they have a dream role?

 

Career development conversations also involve taking stock of your team member’s current abilities. What are their strengths? Where do they need improvement? This helps in understanding the gap between where they are and where they want to be. 

 

Another important aspect covered by these discussions is the obstacles employees might face. From there, you can look into what opportunities are available within your team or the broader organisation. Then you can develop a clear, actionable plan by setting short-term and long-term goals.  

By covering these areas, career conversations provide a structured approach to career development, ensuring that people in your team have a clear understanding of their career path, the steps they need to take, and the support available to them.

How do these discussions benefit you and your team member?

Career conversations are important for both team members and leaders. Here are some of the benefits of having regular career conversations.  

1
Your team members feel supported
Consistent support helps build trust and shows employees that you are genuinely invested in their career progression. Feeling supported in this way can boost morale and strengthen the bond between employees, the organisation and you! Gallup found that employees who feel their manager helps with career development are 2.5 times more likely to be engaged.
2
Identify clearer career paths
Often, people have a general sense of where they want to go but lack the specific details or a roadmap. Through these discussions, you can help your team define their goals. This clarity allows your team members to focus their efforts and make informed decisions about their professional development. It transforms vague ambitions into actionable plans, making their career trajectory more defined and achievable.
3
Identify skill gaps
Career conversations help pinpoint what your team member needs to develop to move forward in their plan. By discussing their current skills and future aspirations, managers can identify gaps in knowledge or experience. This identification allows for targeted training and development plans, ensuring that employees acquire the necessary skills to advance in their careers. Whether it's technical training, leadership development, or soft skills enhancement, these conversations help tailor the right opportunities to each individual's needs.
4
Increase motivation and productivity
When employees have a clear understanding of their career goals and feel supported in achieving them, their motivation and productivity increase. They are more engaged in their work, take initiative, and contribute positively to the team and the organisation. Research by Oxford University's Saïd Business School has shown that happy employees are 13% more productive.
5
Personal and professional growth
They encourage your team member to think about both their personal and professional growth. This holistic approach ensures that employees are not only developing skills for their current roles but also preparing for future challenges and opportunities.

By prioritising these discussions, you can create a supportive and thriving work environment where everyone in your team feels valued and empowered to achieve their full potential. 

Sources
LinkedIn Learning. (2021). 2021 workplace learning report: Skill building in the new world of work. LinkedIn. Retrieved from https://learning.linkedin.com/resources/workplace-learning-report
Gallup. (2017). State of the American Workplace. Retrieved from

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