I'm sure you've read the same articles I have that show employees want continual development and growth opportunities. It's a trend that has only grown stronger over the last few years.
Professional development isn't about staying in your lane,
it’s about charting a career path that makes the most sense for each individual.
That path may be in a straight line, or more likely, will take a turn or two along the way. Traditionally organizations look at the path linearly, however in today’s world there are many turns to take along the way.
Establishing the Right Path: Ladders and Lattices
Career ladders are the traditional approach to career growth and are often viewed as job promotions. It’s when an employee moves into a position of greater responsibility, skill, and authority in their current job family and traditionally includes an increase in salary and/or benefits.
Career lattices also involve job movement but as the term lattice implies, it can take place in any direction (i.e., promotion, lateral, or even demotion). For instance, a customer service manager might accept a new role as a sales manager. They’re both manager positions but in different areas of the organization.
It is important to remember that it’s not required to exclusively use either a ladder or a lattice. Employees might say, “Maybe this next opportunity, I’ll take a lateral and for the next one, I’ll go for a promotion.”
The more employees understand their career path options, the better equipped they are to achieve their career goals. And the more employees can manage their careers, the better the organization will be at finding, engaging, and retaining the best talent.
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Career Ladder |
Career Lattice |
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Opportunity to progress within job family and reach higher levels
Encourages employees to excel and strive toward important goals |
Broaden knowledge of other departments and expand organizational perspective Learn new skills |
Career Path Mentoring
Employers who invest the time and dollars on formal training and career pathing efforts benefit by creating stronger performers who stay longer with the company. Leaders who are able to see the benefits of both a career and lattice approach will be able to best serve the needs of their employees – and in return – the organization.
Don't Hold on Too Tight
Remember that employees who are achievement-driven will want to have continual forward movement, whether that be on a ladder and/or lattice.
Keeping someone from moving to a new role, because they are ‘so good’ in their current one, will backfire. Either the person will become less driven, or worse yet, they will leave for the opportunity not provided by the current organization.
This actually happened early in my career. A peer of mine wanted to expand her knowledge and move to another department. The company said ‘no’ – they didn’t want to lose their star performer in that role. Instead of staying, she left the company entirely.
That experience stuck with me. When I became a leader, I adopted the philosophy that developing my employees was part of my job. Period. If that development led them to another team, or even another organization, I considered that a success. Their career path was unfolding, and their success was growing. That’s when we all win.