Within the technology marketplace, providing in-demand products and solutions can result in exponential growth. In such a rapidly changing environment, attracting, developing and retaining top talent are key to continuing growth and success. Our Boston area client, a leading web services company providing a digital operating environment for the web, experienced significant global growth within the prior 4 years — and needed to ensure their talent strategies kept pace. And, as with many organizations with in-demand, highly-skilled employees, career development is a critical part of their talent strategy. They engaged with us to develop a career development tool that individuals can utilize to inform personal development and career development conversations between employees and their managers.

The Solution

Working with senior internal client partners, we designed and developed a web-based career development portal in which all associates could access information about potential career paths.  In Phase One, we integrated disparate career path tools and references to create consistent career development tools for 15 job families and over 70 positions that represent 60% of the employee population. Phase Two of the engagement added additional positions and tools to support career development. In addition to the job family and position-specific reference tools, the tool included on-line training, manager and employee tools to support career conversations including testimonials from incumbents describing particular roles, their areas of responsibilities, and experiences provided in each role. Future phases of the solution will include the addition of more job families and further refinements to the tool.

Results

Through this approach, our client advanced their talent development efforts, increased positive career discussions, and refocused on being prepared for continued growth. Here are some of the results, following the implementation of Phase One:

• A pulse survey showed that over 700 employees accessed the tool for career conversations.
• Survey results indicated a 10 point increase in the number of positive responses about the ability to access information that is helpful to my career conversations.
• Survey results also showed a 5 point increase in positive response about management support for career development.