New Year, New Goals: How HR Supports Personal and Professional Growth
- flaminiavisionfact
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
Author: Marianna Komjáti
New year, new area, new me. Somehow the beginning of a new year feels special. If we think logically it’s just the next day. But somehow it feels different. It gives more energy, more motivation to people. So if you want to energize your company, your customers there is no better time than January. After Christmas time, when most people over-spend their money, when they had a holiday, a break in their work it’s the time when they are ready for changes. Employeescan make big changes, if they get good support. This is the point where Human Resources (HRs) comes in. They are the right people for supporting personal and professional growth in your company. In the following article I’ll tell you how!
New year, fresh start
Psychologically the new year represents a fresh start. People are more open to change, more open to set goals and more optimistic about their ability to change. How can you use this as your advantage in your work place? Create a win-win situation. People want to change, they want to become more. Give them the ability, the place where it’s possible. The common goal can be:
● A desire to learn new skills.
● More open mindset and more interest for feedback.
● Deeper connections.
● Better relationships.
● Improving communication skills.
● Stronger commitment for personal well-being.
● Ability to develop new interests.
These are just a few ideas, but there are many areas where the change of people make amazing results for both sides. For the company and for themself. Help them change personally so they can change professionally.
Power of the environment
What do people think about your company? Do they like the atmosphere where they work? Or hate it? What do you think where they can do more progressive work? You can hear a lot about how important it is to have a good environment. Many articles are written, many podcasts talk about how powerful the environment is, how much it affects the person. Let’s start to believe them and make a harmonic office atmosphere, where people are ready to be creative, to share their ideas.
How to start, help setting the personal and professional goals
A lot of boss, company owners do not care about their workers' personal and professional improvement. They think it’s a waste of time and money. But trust me it’s not need to take a lot of time or much. You can do it smart and effectively. Make a plan with your HR. First set the goals of the company and find the personal goals, which are matching with your professional needs. Support your employees' personal development in the way that they will support your needs. One of the most important roles as an HR to help employees see how their individual goals connect with the company mission and vision. To see where they are, how important they are in this system.
Practical HR actions
Goal setting workshops
Encourage employees to define SMART goals that align with team and company priorities. Make a motivational presentation to them, how important personal and professional growth is. Try to time it at the beginning of the year. It feels more like a fresh start. After the presentation, give them some short and easy exercises. Like do the SWOT analysis on your personality. What are your strengths, weaknesses and what opportunities and threats give it to you? In your daily routine, life? In your personal and professional life, what advantages and disadvantages you have. (For sure they will tell you kinda similar issues, values, you can talk about the solution and the progress. And it can give you good ideas on what the topics should be for the next presentation that HR can do for them.) You can put some playful elements in your workshop. Adult also enjoy games. And then you can set SMART goals. It’s enough if you show them how to do it. You start it together and later they can think more about this by themself. The focus is motivating and making them understand why it is good for them.
Performance conversations
Shift annual reviews into ongoing, future-focused development discussions. Make small groups, teams where people can brainstorm together. As the HR you should be aware of how to make the group. Where people can work well together.
Think deeply about this question, talk with your CEO, what is his/her opinion:
● Do you want mixed teams?
● Or people of similar prestige in one group?
● What are the topics that we want in the focus?
● The groups get the same or different questions?
The HR of the company probably knows which are the more critical areas, where are conflicts between people and how they can probably work easily and honestly together.
Transparent career paths
Show employees how their aspirations can realistically evolve within the organization. Build visual career maps, show vertical and lateral career options. Explains what skills, behaviours are required at each level. Ask them about their long-term goals. Translate those goals for weekly, monthly tasks. Talk about the past, present and future also. Not only what will be. Point them where they come from, where they are now and where they can be, if they take the effort and make the work done. Show them good role-models and success stories. Give mentoring and coaching opportunities to them.
When personal ambition and organizational strategy move in the same direction, both sides win. Support them in this way. Give the emotional support to face easier stressful situations.
Learning and Development: The Foundation of Professional Growth
Key learning strategies HR can implement:
It is HR's duty to make learning an ongoing process rather than a one-time occurrence.
1. Personalized development plans
Not everyone needs the same training. People are different. Let’s just categorize them for introverts and extroverts. They need the total opposite things to feel good. Create more options and possibilities, where people can choose. Personalization is the key. Employees can concentrate on what really matters for their roles and future goals with the support of customised learning paths.
2. Blended learning opportunities
For maximum effect, combine project-based learning, mentoring, in-person workshops, and online courses. Motivate the people that try as much as they can to find the best way for themselves.
3. Internal knowledge sharing
Encourage staff members to instruct one another through communities of practice, internal webinars, or lunch-and-learn sessions.
4. Leadership development program
One of HR's most important investments is training future leaders. Make learning accessible and relevant for all the employees. HR empowers employees to become confident, competitive and better stress tolerant, better team players.
Conclusions
“New year, new goals, new me.” It is not just an overrated quote. It is a good invitation for a fresh start. An invitation for new career and personal growth. When HR actively supports personal and professional development, employees become more confident, capable, and committed. Growth isn’t just an individual journey. It’s more effective if you share it with somebody. If you get support in this “road”. HR knows solutions for developing both personal and professional goals. Let’s start the year like this! Let’s make your company more successful, by making your employees more valued, more satisfied.
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