Employee skills development is a key challenge and at the same time an enormous lever for corporate success. Managers in particular are faced with the task of not only recognising the skills of their teams, but also expanding them in a targeted manner and promoting them sustainably. KIROI Step 8 supports managers as a valuable tool for systematically establishing employee competence development as an integral part of the management culture.
Employee skills development as a strategic management task
For managers, employee skills development means much more than organising occasional training courses. It is about providing employees with targeted support in order to recognise existing resources and promote them in a targeted manner. Companies in the mechanical engineering sector, for example, rely on job rotation to familiarise employees with different production processes and expand their skills in a practical way. In the service sector, teams benefit from systematic coaching to strengthen communication skills and conflict management. In the IT sector, mentoring programmes are regularly used to promote the exchange of experience between junior and senior employees.
KIROI Step 8 enables managers to initiate organised development paths and at the same time respond flexibly to individual strengths and development needs. For example, a project manager in the construction industry can expand her skills with the help of targeted practical tasks, while the manager provides continuous feedback and support. In the retail sector, employees benefit from practical workshops that enable them to conduct customer meetings confidently and deepen their product knowledge. At the same time, such measures significantly increase customer loyalty and employee satisfaction.
Best practices for the implementation of employee competence development
Many companies report that employee competence development can be realised particularly well through a combination of different methods:
1 **On-the-job training:** In a pharmaceutical company, employees are assigned new areas of responsibility which they work on independently with the support of an experienced colleague. In this way, they improve their professional qualifications through practical application.
2 **Targeted coaching:** An international consulting company relies on individual coaching sessions for managers to strengthen both their methodological and social skills. The positive feedback shows how coaching can accelerate development processes and promote the acceptance of new ways of working.
3 **Networking and knowledge exchange:** In an agency, mastermind groups are regularly formed in which employees share complex case studies and develop solutions together. This format increases competences in depth and at the same time has a motivating and integrating effect.
BEST PRACTICE with one customer (name hidden due to NDA contract) In a telecommunications company, employee skills development was anchored in KIROI Step 8. Managers planned individual development measures for each team member. For example, a project manager was given the task of setting up a new product team and was supported by accompanying coaching sessions. The team's increased self-organisation and communication skills led to a significant improvement in project times.
KIROI step 8: Targeted management of employee skills development
The eighth step of the KIROI model focuses on the sustainable anchoring of development processes in day-to-day management. The main aim is to implement development plans consistently and evaluate them regularly. Managers are given the tools they need to conduct development discussions in a structured manner and to design individual learning paths.
In the production environment, this can be done, for example, by introducing regular assessments that visualise learning progress and derive new goals. In public administrations, value is also placed on documentation and reflection so that skills are not only built up, but also recognised and utilised. Start-ups in the technology sector are experimenting with agile learning formats that enable spontaneous knowledge transfer and rapid feedback.
It is important that managers actively fulfil their role as learning facilitators. They provide impetus, challenge and encourage personal initiative. This has a positive effect on motivation and loyalty. At the same time, transparent structures create clarity as to which competences the company needs and how employees can develop them.
Tips for managers on implementation
- Use competency models as a guide to recognise individual development needs.
- Promote an open feedback culture that supports self-reflection.
- Integrate different methods such as coaching, workshops and learning projects to appeal to different types of learners.
- Agree clear development goals with defined milestones in dialogue with your employees.
- Use practical examples to ensure the transfer of theory to real tasks.
My analysis
For managers, developing employee competences is a complex but rewarding process that strengthens companies in the long term. KIROI Step 8 provides valuable impetus to support development in a targeted, systematic and practical manner. By fostering individual potential and keeping an eye on the company's strategic requirements, managers create sustainable added value.
Practical examples from a wide range of industries show how diverse and effective skills development can be. Whether through practice-orientated learning, coaching or knowledge sharing - success depends on the commitment of managers and their ability to win over employees as active partners in this process. Employee skills development should therefore always be seen as an integral part of management work, linking individual career paths and corporate goals.
Further links from the text above:
Skills development: definition + successful examples
11 Employee development methods & benefits
Strategies, methods and practice - Prof. Dr Kai Reinhardt
Successful skills development: 9 tips and 3 levels
Successful skills development in 5 steps
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