Career Development And Types Of Employee Separations

Career development is different from training as it tends to have a more broad focus as well as extend for longer periods and has a wider scope than training does. The training aims to improve performance whereas career development aims to produce workers that are enhanced and have greater capabilities. One must not think of career development as a one-time training program or as a basic workshop for career planning. Career development is instead of putting in continuing, organized and official effort into acknowledging people as a key resource in an organization.

The field of career development, which is somewhat new, there has been a great number of changes made mainly since nowadays career opportunities and career paths are not as structured and aren’t as predictable as they used to be around thirty years ago. Where job security and long career tenures within one company were expected to working in the business world, now it is characterized by downsizing and technological advancements. There is now a higher level of uncertainty in the workplace which has made employees and employers that factors such as job security and loyalty to the company and workers are being swapped for things such as marketability of skills and services. Before an employee’s career used to consist of an ongoing series of positions where the levels of authority would increase within the same firm. While a formal path at the same organization can still characterize someone’s career, the truth is that for most workers careers are neither linear nor are they bound to a single organization. In the current business world, a career can go in various directions and can be across several employers. Regardless of this unstable corporate atmosphere, career development is still important. It plays a substantial role in assisting managers when it comes to hiring and helps them in retaining a skilled and determined workforce which the organization requires to succeed. However, this can only happen if it actively aligns with the needs of both employers and employees.

In the 70’s, several companies human resource departments began career development programs so that organizational needs such as preparing workers for management positions could be met rather than meeting the needs of the employees. Presently, career development strives to meet the needs of both the employees and the employers and how they can be kept in harmony. Organizational and personal career needs should be linked so that a successful career development program can be created. Most organizations see career development as a means to prevent the threat of job burnout, a way to better the quality of the work-life of an employee, and a way to meet positive and dynamic goals. This reformed emphasis is mainly a result of bringing together competitive pressures with employee demands for new chances of skill development and growth. These ideas have turned career development into a far more complicated task than what it was before. Jobs might no longer be in a firm hierarchy through which a career path is easily formed. Career development needs the active involvement of the employees in trying to come up with the various possible paths their careers can go in. A company needs to establish career development as a fundamental corporate strategy so that the organization can endure the progressively competitive and worldwide business environment. In a technological world that relies on information, organizations will be competing mainly for the knowledge, capabilities and innovative qualities of their employees instead of more on labor costs and manufacturing. As it has a key role in securing a competent workforce, career development must be considered crucial and not just a convenient program that is not prioritized and is only given when the financial situation of the organization is optimal.

Types of Employee Separations

Employee separations can be broadly divided into two main types, voluntary and involuntary. Voluntary separation is when an employee decides that they wish to leave. Involuntary separations are decided by the employer.

Voluntary separations are ones that are initiated by the employee when they decide for reasons that may be personal or professional that they no longer want to have a relationship with the employer. The decision could be due to them wanting a better job, a different career path, or simply wanting to have more leisure time. The decision could also be due to the employee finding the current job unpleasant if their working conditions aren’t up to par, less salary, bad colleague or supervisor relationship, etc. generally, the reasons behind leaving an organization are a combination of having better alternatives as well as dissatisfaction from the current job. Voluntary separations are either avoidable or unavoidable. They are unavoidable when they are due to the employee’s personal life decisions that are not concerned with the employer or organization. However, most employee separations tend to be avoidable, and are usually due to staffing errors. If companies invested in proper HRM recruitment, selection, training and development, they would be able to figure out how to find the most suitable job for the employee.

Involuntary separations occur when the organization decides that it no longer wants a relationship with the employee. This can be either due to economic needs or if the employee does not fit in well at the organization. Involuntary separations are very serious and have a big impact on both the organization and especially on the employee who is terminated from their position. While the decision to let go of an employee is implemented by the company’s managers, it is the responsibility of the HR staff to make sure that the dismissal adheres to the company’s employment policy. The HR staff and the management need to cooperate to effectively execute the dismissal. The HR staff serves as advisors to the managers and help them avoid the possibility of doing anything that may be seen as wrong or unfair. The HR staff also works to protect the employee from being dismissed from any sort of unfair treatment from having their rights violated. Involuntary separations are either discharges or layoffs. Discharges are when there is a weak fit between the company and the employee. This could be seen as either bad performance or the employee being unable to cooperate with the management. There are also cases where employees take part in major misbehavior such as theft which usually results in on-the-spot termination. In cases of discipline, the managers must ensure they are following the discipline procedures that have been established by the company. Employees should be given a chance to correct their behavior before given serious punishment. If the employee does not cease their misconduct, then the company may discharge them. Layoffs are when a company needs to cut costs. This affects both hourly and salaried jobs. A reduction in the workforce is usually an effective way to improve the economic situation of a company.