Career conversations: Why they matter
Career conversations: Why they matter
5 minutes
Career conversations are open, future-focused discussions between you and your team member about their goals, skills, and development. They go beyond day-to-day performance to explore where your team member wants to go in their career and how their ambitions can align with opportunities within the organisation.
These conversations help you and your team member understand:
- Where they are in their career
- Where they want to go
- How to get there
A good career conversation looks at strengths, areas for growth, and potential obstacles, while identifying pathways and opportunities to bridge the gap. Together, you create an actionable plan with both short and long-term goals.
These conversations are key to motivating and engaging your team. Here are some of the benefits they have for your people:
- Consistent support helps build trust and shows your people that you are genuinely invested in their career progression.
- Career conversations help pinpoint what your team members need to develop. It makes development plans targeted and tailored to them.
- They help prep your team members for future opportunities.
- Finally, they’ll be less likely to leave!
When people feel seen and invested in, they’re more likely to stay and thrive.
For leaders, these conversations are powerful drivers of engagement and retention. In fact, LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report found that 94% of employees would stay longer at a company that invests in their career development. By making career conversations a regular practice, you help your people feel supported, motivated, and clear about their future.
It’s also likely that your team members want to plan their careers – they just don’t know where to start. A survey by the MIT Sloan School of Management found that while 67% of employees want to advance their careers, nearly half (49%) say a lack of good career advice has held them back.
For many, planning for the future can feel uncertain. That’s where your guidance comes in. Start with our practical guide on how you can set up the conversation in a meaningful way.
