As a member of your company’s HR department, it’s your responsibility to help your employees grow. Sure, they have to put in some of the work themselves, but the workplace should cultivate an environment where your employees can learn leadership skills and reach their full potential. Not only will this be beneficial to them, but your business will thrive because of it.
There are a lot of ways that an HR department can improve office culture. Through diversity initiatives, productivity workshops, seamless paydays using a paystub generator, and more. Among the most important, however, is encouraging leadership development, and here’s how you can do so.
Set Up a Mentorship Program
Companies with good bosses had to learn their leadership skills somewhere. In other words, everyone — whether a new hire or a senior employee — could use a good mentor, and it’s the HR department’s responsibility to make that happen. Set up a mentorship program that includes meetings between bosses and employees. Between higher and lower-level employees, and even between fellow high-level employees. This will give your colleagues the opportunity to learn tips and tricks from each other and form new bonds. You’ll be surprised how much they will learn from each other. You’ll also likely see positive changes in your everyone’s mindset and confidence.
Encourage Networking
While it’s important that your employees learn from their colleagues within the office, it’s also beneficial to talk to others in the industry that don’t necessarily share your employees’ company name. Taking the initiative to reach out to other businesses to set up virtual or in-person networking events can give your employees the opportunity to share knowledge and ideas for how to be better leaders, forge powerful connections, and get their names out there to raise their industry reputations. What’s more, this networking can provide business opportunities in the form of partnerships and referrals that will be beneficial for the company at large. Your employees will gain leadership skills while taking your company to the next level — a win-win.
Provide Growth Opportunities
If employees in the office don’t feel like they have mobility opportunities, they won’t be incentivized to work toward becoming strong leaders. Or worse, they’ll quit their jobs. It’s the HR department’s job not to let this happen. Provide your employees with growth opportunities such as internal and external training, guest speakers, paying for formal education, and more that will give them the assurance and determination to shoot for higher-level roles. Providing growth opportunities tells your employees that you believe in their futures; invest in your employees, and they’ll invest in the company in return.
Allow Space for Struggling
When an employee needs help with a task or has a workplace problem, they might look to the HR department immediately for help. Of course, if it’s an emergency or requires intervention, step right in and do your job. But if you think it’s an issue your colleague might need to figure out on their own, don’t just solve it for them. Nudge them in the right direction and provide guidance, but give them the space to work through it analytically and emotionally. When an employee feels responsible for solving a difficult problem, they’ll build their pride and their confidence — and thus their leadership skills.
Lead by Example
As the HR department, your job is to create an office culture that you can be proud of. You should model the leadership skills that are most effective in an office space: commitment, fairness, motivation, transparency, and compassion. If your employees trust their HR department to lead with respect and integrity, they’ll want to emulate your actions. Leading by example is one of the most powerful ways to make an impact and you don’t have to lift a finger.
Building leadership skills within the workplace is an opportunity for your employees and your company to grow together. Don’t pass it up; follow these tips and you’ll have an office filled with confident leaders and problem-solvers who get things done.
