Creating Career Pathways That Actually Inspire Loyalty

We all have a relative, friend, or neighbor who left a good-paying job, pleasant work culture, and great benefits. Employee retention is quickly fading within organizations that fail to create purpose and instead give money and perks. When an organization aligns its career path with an employee's aspirations, it not only retains talent but also fosters loyalty. 

Many organizations still rely on outdated "career ladders" that only move in one direction: upward. Career ladders are structured promotions that enable employees to move up the organization's hierarchy step by step. An example would be an analyst who progresses to a senior analyst position and then to a management role. Traditionally, this type of promotion focuses on titles, and advancement is typically tied to years of experience, performance, or waiting for someone in a higher position to retire or move on. Some have displeasure with linear promotions, as they may seem like a one-size-fits-all approach that overlooks individual strengths.

Career pathways, on the other hand, give multiple routes for growth. It is a flexible, dynamic lateral move that includes project-based experiences and skill development. An example would be a marketing associate progressing to an HR coordinator and then to a training specialist. This type of promotion focuses on reskilling and upskilling. Instead of climbing a hierarchy, employees acquire new skills and expand their knowledge. It's simply one's individualized map to success. According to Cyberwarrior.com, organizations investing in career pathway development experience up to a 40% increase in workforce retention and a 25% reduction in external hiring costs. ("Career Pathway Development")

Here are some ways to retain employees by creating career pathways that inspire loyalty:

1. Offer multiple pathways, such as vertical, lateral, cross-functional, leadership, or specialist.

2. Regularly encourage employees with growth conversations.

3. Invest in employee education with tuition support, training, mentorship, etc.

4. Identify roles that can lead to future growth by mapping individual skills to opportunities.

5. Celebrate growth regularly by recognizing internal promotions, skill certifications, and milestones.

Career pathways navigate a network of trails—you can go up, sideways, or in any direction to explore a different route to reach meaningful destinations. Climbing the ladder, one step at a time, does not give modern employees the flexibility and personalization they desire. If you're looking to earn loyalty from employees, create career pathways that align with the organization's needs and their goals.

Ebony Stonewall-James is a Client Communications Specialist at Pinnacle HR Consulting, LLC (“Pinnacle HR”). Founded in 2011, Pinnacle HR is a minority woman-owned human resources consulting firm that supports small non-profit organizations and businesses primarily in the Washington, DC, region. Contact us here.