Growth in the Flow of Work
The solution approach for the current challenges in personnel development?
Retention, talent crisis, transformations, hybrid working, technological changes - these are the challenges companies are facing today. Everyday work is changing faster than ever before, employees are voluntarily quitting for another job, and at the same time it is difficult to find talented staff. How can CEOs and HR keep up?
Josh Bersin, one of the thought leaders for corporate learning, presents a guide for workforce development in the results of his latest study. In addition to developing knowledge, skills, and competencies, Josh Bersin says the primary focus is on enabling employee growth. He coins the term "growth in the flow of work (Gitfow)" which, according to his study, leads to significantly stronger business, people and innovation performance (7). Interesting, isn't it? So, according to Josh Bersin, Gitfow is a solution approach for the current challenges of HR and PE.
What exactly is meant by Gitfow and how it can look in practice, we describe in this article.
A contribution by Lina Maring & Johannes Darrmann
"When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute."
- Simon Sinek
What does "growth in the flow of work" even mean?Â
Gitfow basically means that companies adapt to constant change, looking at employee development holistically and integrated into their business processes.Â
The pandemic, for example, has changed the world of work in the long term. But technological changes, automation and globalization have the same effect: the world of work is changing and employees must constantly adapt to keep up with the changes, enjoy their work and remain competitive. Therefore, it is important for employees to continuously adapt and expand their skills and competencies. The focus of "Growth in the flow of work" is therefore on the growth of employees and managers in order to deal with this continuous change.
How exactly do employees and managers grow?
Teaching knowledge, skills and competencies is important. But, according to Josh Bersin, the most important thing is to apply the knowledge and skills learned and to take on new tasks and roles. Employees leave their comfort zone and learn new things. We need to experiment, make mistakes and celebrate successes because, according to other studies, we learn most effectively through trial and error and feedback (1). This requires courage and a corresponding corporate culture with the right mindset from HR.Â
Why is this mindset so relevant for HR and PE?
Because it leads to success! A company that focuses on employee growth will be more successful in the long term than companies that focus only on their own growth. By fostering employee competencies and skills, not only will employees be happier, but they will also be more productive. It also increases employee retention and intention to stay with the company (2).
What do the study results say?
Also according to Bersin, "Growth in the Flow of Work" has a positive impact on corporate, human resources and innovation performance. Companies not only exceed corporate goals, but employees grow and develop their full potential. Innovative strength and loyalty to the company increases. In addition, these companies can adapt more quickly to change, building a stronger position in the marketplace (7).
Exactly what we want, isn't it? Therefore, it is of great importance that companies, especially HR, create a climate that motivates employees to develop. If the employees grow, the company will grow as well.
(7) Source: The Josh Bersin Company (2022). Growth in the flow of work: The Definitive Guide to Corporate Learning.
How to implement "Gitfow" in practice? - The guide
In his study, Josh Bersin describes 6 elements that companies should implement to realize "Growth in the flow of work". The 6 elements each consist of 4 dimensions that represent the success factors. For example, program design, learning in the flow of work, leadership development, coaching and mentoring, career management, skills and competencies are all important in fostering employee growth (7). However, the holistic view of these processes is also elementary.
(7) Source: The Josh Bersin Company (2022). Growth in the flow of work: The Definitive Guide to Corporate Learning.
Why is the holistic view of processes so important?
Only in this way can the full potential of the employees be utilized! This is not just about identifying bottlenecks or sources of errors in relation to the 6 elements, but about designing work processes that fully exploit the potential of employees. The interaction between employees and processes should be optimized so that companies can ensure that their employees work efficiently, are satisfied and can continuously develop (7).
What does this mean in concrete terms for HR and PE?Â
Josh Bersin summarizes that growth should be the new mission of workforce development. The entire employee environment should be set up to foster learning and growth! What might that look like? In practice, HR and PE can implement overarching development paths with, for example, agile compensation models, formalized job rotation, talent or career marketplaces, and leadership assessments based on mobility within the employee's organization, among others. The goal here should be to build corporate competencies in learning, skills development, and career development (7). Digital tools can facilitate administrative processes so that employees have more time and energy for creative and strategic tasks.Â
So for HR and PE, in concrete terms, this means using structured management and organization, technology, and the right people development skills to realize the new mission of people development.
Coaching plays an important role in this!
Why? Coaching helps managers and employees to gain personal insight and stimulates reflection. It helps them to recognize their strengths and weaknesses and to work on them in a targeted manner (3). They learn to set goals and achieve them independently, which leads to greater satisfaction and productivity (4). In addition, coaching increases employee retention and reduces turnover because employees feel valued and supported (5). Coaching is a valuable method for developing employees' potential and improving their skills. Especially valuable in times of change! Coaching helps employees to adapt quickly to new processes and technologies and to see change as an opportunity to develop further. Companies should therefore use coaching as an integral part of their HR development strategy to promote the growth of employees and the company.
Success factors in relation to coachingÂ
The conclusion to be drawn from Bersin's remarks is that coaching should be an integral part of the HR development strategy. Leadership development programs for all levels also play an important role. He summarizes the following success factors for this:Â
Companies should offer external coaching programs and facilitate access to coaching
Coaching methods should be a core leadership skill
Managers should be trained to coach teams
Provide development opportunities, such as coaching, to managers at all levels
This is where thankscoach comes into playÂ
thankscoach can help to realize these success factors. With a digital coaching solution, thankscoach enables HR to develop managers and talents effectively, on demand and measurably.
Want to learn more about how the coaching solution can help your organization? Then contact us without obligation for a first meeting.
Sources:
1. Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning: legitimizing peripheral participation. Cambridge university press.
2 Abdul-Razak, D., Ismail, H., & Abu Bakar, R. (2018). The Impact of Employee Development on Job Satisfaction and Intention to Stay. Human Resource Management Research, 8(1), 1-8. doi: 10.5923/j.hrmr.20180101.01
3. Cox, E., Bachkirova, T., & Clutterbuck, D. (2018). The complete handbook of coaching. Sage Publications.
4 Jones, R. J., Woods, S. A., & Guillaume, Y. R. (2016). The effectiveness of workplace coaching: A meta-analysis of learning and performance outcomes from coaching. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 89(2), 249-277. (personal and professional development of employees and promoting organizational growth).
5 Grant, A. M., Curtayne, L., & Burton, G. (2009). Executive coaching enhances goal attainment, resilience and workplace well-being: A randomised controlled study. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 4(5), 396-407. (Executive coaching = improve personal effectiveness, enhance goal-setting skills, and increase job satisfaction = growth company).
6 Kaifi, B. A. (2015). Impact of coaching on employee performance and effectiveness: Analyzing evidence-based practices from the corporate sector. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 6(3), 56-72.
7. The Josh Bersin Company (2022). Growth in the flow of work: The Definitive Guide to Corporate Learning.
