By
Claire Morley-Jones
February 17, 2025
Is your career development strategy about as exciting as watching paint dry? Or worse still, non existent? With our latest article we'll help you to forget everything you've learnt about dusty old corporate ladders and teach you instead about career journeys. In the last 5 years, career development pathways have replaced ladders and look far more like a 'pick your own adventure' book than a traditional corporate hierarchy! We'll hep you understand how to use them to create a workplace where your best talent doesn't just climb but explores, pivots, and truly owns their professional development.
As a fellow SME owner, you're well aware of the challenges that come with running a busy company. And whilst most of us get dragged from pillar to post by operational needs, one of the most critical aspects of maintaining a thriving business is ensuring your team remains engaged and productive. However, most people think the route to their teams hearts lie in salaries, perks & pensions!
And of course, when times are tough, those things matter even more to employees; but you’re less likely to be able to provide them! Instead, you can provide personal development and show your team their route to succeeding not just in your business but in their entire career.
First things first. Career development pathways aren't just a buzzword I've plucked out of thin air. They're the evolved, smarter cousin of those dusty old career ladders we've all been clinging to for far too long.
Think about it - when was the last time your career felt like a straightforward climb? Exactly. Those days are now very much in the past or restricted to only a few sectors. In today's fast-paced, ever-changing business landscape, careers are more like a thrilling adventure park than a simple ladder. You've got twists, turns, exciting detours, and sometimes even a loop-the-loop!
Now, I know you're probably thinking. "Claire, that's all well and good for the big corporates, but we just don’t have that time and those resources." And I take your point. I do. But I also know that we can flip that thinking on it’s head – being small can be your biggest strength!
Being an SME isn't a disadvantage - it's your superpower! You've got agility, flexibility, and the ability to pivot faster than a ballerina on espresso. Use it! Your size means you can offer truly personalised career journeys that those corporate giants can only dream of.
In a small team, every role is crucial. This means your people get to wear multiple hats, develop a broader skill set, and really see the impact of their work. It's like being a big fish in a small, but incredibly exciting, pond! Also, I bet you know all your team. Between you and your leadership you can name every person, know more than one private thing about each of them and have personally been exposed at some point to their work. This closer interaction should be leading to a more loyal, more engaged culture and all those amazingly fuzzy personal relationships mean more trust, more honesty and more opportunity to craft a career pathway that will motivate and inspire.
Right, let's roll up our sleeves and get into the nitty-gritty of creating these pathways. Don't worry, I promise it's not as daunting as it sounds!
First up, we need to get a bird's eye view of your business. Drag that organisational chart out of whatever drawer it's been hiding in. If you don't have one, now's the time to create it (and yes I do know that isn’t as easy as it sounds; I’m just hoping you have HR software to help)! This isn't just a box-ticking exercise - it's the backbone of your career development strategy.
Your org chart should be a living, breathing document. Don't just list job titles - include key responsibilities, required skills, and how each role contributes to your business goals. This clarity is gold dust for your employees, helping them see where they fit in the bigger picture.
Next, we're diving deep into each role in your business. I want you to create role profiles so clear, my dad could understand them (and trust me, he still thinks I "work with people").
For each position, spell out:
• Key responsibilities (and I mean really spell them out)
• Required skills and qualifications (be specific - "good communication skills" means nothing)
• Performance indicators (how will they know they're smashing it?)
• Potential next steps (where could this role lead?)
This isn't just paperwork - it's a roadmap for your people. It shows them what's expected now and what they need to do to progress. BUT, I appreciate that right now you’re likely thinking , “seriously we DO NOT have time for that”. I’m not though, asking you to do it all! Have every team member write down what they do for the next two weeks. Then ask them to have a think about what they do that’s different on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis. Give them a role profile template, ask them to complete it with all those duties and responsibilities and get their manager to sign it off. I’m afraid I can’t make it entirely pain free, but at least this way you’re not responsible for doing it all!
Now for the fun part - creating career roadmaps for each department or function. This is where you get to play career architect!
Start by identifying the natural progression within each area. But don't just think vertically - consider lateral moves too. Maybe your marketing whiz could sidestep into sales, or your finance guru could try their hand at operations.
Include skills needed for each step, estimated timelines, and any qualifications or training required. And please, make it visual! A well-designed career roadmap can be a powerful motivational tool.
Time for a bit of detective work. Look at your roadmaps and your current team. Where are the gaps? What skills are missing? This is your training needs analysis, and it's crucial for targeted development.
Remember, training doesn't have to mean sending people on expensive courses. Get creative and consider things such as:
• In-house workshops led by your experts
• Online courses (there are tons of free or low-cost options)
• Mentoring programmes
• Job shadowing
• Industry conferences or webinars
The key is to match the training to the need and the learning style of your people. One size definitely doesn't fit all here!
Never underestimate the power of a good mentoring or coaching programme. It's like having a career development turbo-boost! If you can, set up a formal mentoring scheme, pairing less experienced staff with your seasoned pros although, don't just match people randomly - consider personalities, career goals, and skills gaps. It’s also a good idea to give both groups a briefing on how mentoring works, what is expected of them and what process the mentoring should follow.
And coaching? It's not just for the execs. Encourage a coaching culture where managers regularly sit down with their teams to discuss progress, challenges, and aspirations. It's amazing what can come out of a good chinwag over a cuppa!
This is where the magic happens. Sit down with each of your superstars and create their personal career map. This isn't a one-size-fits-all exercise - it's about understanding their unique goals, strengths, and aspirations.
Do this during onboarding for newbies and as part of performance reviews for your existing team. It would really help to ask them open questions about their aspirations such as, where they see their career going, what they would like to develop in and which parts of the business interest them most.
Then, work together to plot out how they can get there. It's like giving them a GPS for their career - no more aimless wandering!
Right, you've got your pathways set up. Now, let's make them work harder! So the first thing to do is align any career development chats with your performance review process – they need to link together. Any review or catchup should discuss progress along the career path, any new opportunities or interests, set development goals and celebrate achievements and newly acquired skills.
Make sure your managers are trained to have these conversations. They should be career coaches, not just task masters!
Encourage Self-Directed Learning
Your people aren't school kids anymore - they don't need spoon-feeding. Empower them to take charge of their own development. If it’s at all possible, provide resources like:
• Access to online learning platforms
• A library of relevant books and articles
• Time for self-study or personal projects
But don't just leave them to it. Check in regularly, ask what they're learning, and how they're applying it. Show genuine interest - it's more motivating than you might think and keeps them held accountable for their own progress!
Learning should be as natural in your business as making a cuppa. But sometimes its not easy to see how to make that happen. Well, firstly you could start/end meetings with a "what have we learned" round. Then you could celebrate all learning achievements, not just work ones and encourage people to share interesting articles or ideas. Finally, have a think about whether you can set up lunch and learn sessions (you don’t have to provide free food. Although a cake might be appreciated!)
Remember, culture starts at the top. If you're not visibly learning and growing, why should your team?
Let's face it, doing the same job day in, day out can get about as exciting as watching paint dry. Shake things up with job rotation and cross-training.
Allow people to spend time in different departments or take on special projects. It's a win-win - they develop new skills, and you get a more versatile workforce. Plus, it can spark innovation when people bring fresh perspectives to different areas of the business.
Do you remember when you were a kid and you were rewarded with a medal or a trophy or even just an announcement in assembly? You probably glowed right! (Well at least before those awkward teenage moments where recognition suddenly became ‘uncool’).
When the teenage years are gone, it’s a well know fact that people love to be seen, valued and recognised - we're only human after all! It doesn’t have to be expensive but set up a system to celebrate learning and development achievements. For example, think, monthly star scheme, a wall of fame, access to the mentoring scheme or personalised, hand written well done cards.
Remember, it's not just about the big promotions, bonuses or perks. Recognise the small steps too - they all add up!
Over the course of 19 years running HR180 I’ve heard a lot of "buts" in my time! "But Claire, we don't have the resources!" "But we're too busy!" “But people will leave!” Don't worry, I'll address those now!
You don't need a Google-sized budget to make this work. Use what you've got:
• Tap into your in-house expertise for training and mentoring
• Explore free online resources (there are tons out there!)
• Partner with other local businesses for shared learning opportunities
• Use job shadowing and rotation - it's free and effective
• Time Constraints? Integrate Learning Into Everyday Work
Learning doesn't have to mean time away from the job. Try:
• Encouraging 'micro-learning' - short, focused learning bursts
• Setting learning goals as part of project work
• Using team meetings for quick knowledge sharing sessions
Remember, investing time in learning now saves time (and mistakes) later!
In a small business, there might not be a clear "next step up" for everyone. But that doesn't mean growth has to stop. You could create specialist roles or 'subject matter expert' positions, offer project leadership opportunities, expand responsibilities within a current role or focus on skill development rather than just promotions.
It's about growing in all directions, not just up!
Don't just implement your pathways and hope for the best. Measure the impact! Keep an eye on:
• Employee engagement scores (run regular surveys)
• Productivity metrics (are people working smarter?)
• Internal promotion and movement rates
• Employee retention rates (are your best people sticking around?)
• Skills acquisition (are you closing those gaps you identified?)
But numbers aren't everything. Get qualitative feedback too. Run focus groups, have informal chats, really listen to what your people are saying. They're your best source of insight into what's working and what needs tweaking.
As the big cheese, you've got a crucial role to play. Career development isn't just an HR thing - it needs to be championed from the top. It would be great if you, and the leadership team, could openly share your own learning journeys by regularly discussing what you’re currently working on and what new skills or insights you’ve recently acquired.
Getting personally involved in mentoring also demonstrates the true importance of professional development, showing that you’re all committed to growing talent. If you have any kind of organisational communications you could make learning a consistent by actively sharing relevant articles, recommending insightful books, and sparking meaningful discussions about professional growth across the team. Additionally, ensure you’re prepared to support career development by providing targeted training, offering ongoing coaching, and holding the leadership team accountable for their team members' professional progression.
Remember, your people are watching you. If you're not committed to learning and growth, why should they be?
There you have it - your comprehensive guide to implementing career development pathways in your SME. And remember, this isn't a one-and-done exercise. Keep reviewing, tweaking, and improving your approach. Stay flexible, stay responsive to your people's needs and the changing business landscape.
Implementing effective career development pathways takes effort, sure. But the payoff? A team that's engaged, productive, and committed to growing with your business. And in today's competitive market, that's worth its weight in gold.
And if you need a hand, you know where to find me. After all, this is what gets me out of bed in the morning (well, this and a strong cup of loose leaf tea!).
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