The traditional notion of career progression is evolving, challenging the status quo of upward mobility.
- Katy Edwards, a facilitator and coach, advocates for recognising the importance of sideways career movements.
- Employees often find lateral moves more fulfilling, offering diverse opportunities and skill development.
- Managers should engage in open dialogues with staff to understand personal career ambitions.
- A failure to adapt to these changes may risk employee dissatisfaction and turnover.
In recent discussions about career development, the traditional ladder-climbing approach is being re-evaluated. Facilitator and coach, Katy Edwards, highlights the changing attitudes towards career progression, advocating that lateral moves should be prioritised alongside vertical ones.
Edwards argues that not every employee aspires to ascend into senior management roles. Instead, many employees seek opportunities to acquire new skills and explore different departments or industries. This approach often leads to greater professional satisfaction.
By embracing sideways career paths, individuals have the chance to engage in ventures like side hustles or multiple jobs, which can provide a desirable lifestyle through part-time or remote work, generous holiday provisions, or flexible hours.
Historically, consistently choosing lateral moves might have been misinterpreted by HR teams as a lack of ambition. However, Edwards notes that this view is outdated as today’s employees are empowered to choose roles that align with their personal and professional needs.
The shift in career development has significant implications for management teams. Modern workforces value roles that cater to their lifestyle preferences over traditional hierarchical advancement, as evidenced by younger generations’ propensity to job-hop in search of such opportunities.
The challenge for HR professionals is to reassess their evaluation criteria. A resume reflecting numerous lateral moves might indicate a proactive pursuit of personal ambitions rather than a deficiency in motivation.
Edwards warns that a lack of recognition for lateral career moves could drive employees to seek growth opportunities elsewhere, even within their current roles.
To prevent this, regular communication between managers and employees is crucial in understanding individual career aspirations. Tailoring development opportunities to these insights ensures a motivated workforce and optimises training and development investments.
Edwards concludes by asserting that fostering open communication about employee goals not only enhances the workplace environment and retention rates but also equips the organisation with a more skilled and satisfied workforce.
Adapting to the growing trend of lateral career paths is essential for retaining talent and fostering a thriving workforce.
