Career development is an ongoing organized and formalized effort that focuses on developing enriched and more capable workers. It has a wider focus, longer time frame, and broader scope than training. Development must be a key business strategy if an organization is to survive in today’s increasingly competitive and global business environment.

Before putting a career development program in place, management needs to determine (1) who will be responsible for development, (2) how much emphasis on development is appropriate, and (3) how the development needs of a diverse workforce (including dual-career couples) will be met.

Career development is a continuing cycle of three phases: an assessment phase, a direction phase, and a development phase. Each phase is an important part of developing the workforce.

In the assessment phase, employees’ skills, interests, and values are identified. These assessments may be carried out by the workers themselves, by the organization, or by both. Self-assessment is often done through career workbooks and career-planning workshops. Organizational assessment is done through assessment centers, psychological testing, performance appraisal, promotability forecasts, and succession planning.

The direction phase involves determining the type of career that employees want and the steps they must take to make their career goals a reality. In this phase, workers may receive individual career counseling or information from a variety of sources, including a job-posting system, skills inventories, career paths, and career resource centers.

The development phase involves taking actions to create and increase employees’ skills and promotability. The most common development programs are mentoring, coaching, job rotation, and tuition assistance programs.

Employees must increasingly take an active role in their own development. To do otherwise is to risk stagnation and obsolescence.