When you hire an individual to fill a position, it’s understood that specific duties and responsibilities are to be satisfied. Employees often get to a place where they have mastered their required duties however and may begin to feel “boxed-in.” The mind wanders and focus fades when an employee is no longer being challenged. This can be avoided by letting your workforce know that they have the freedom to incorporate their professional and personal aspirations into their job duties, even if it seems outside the scope.
For example, employee X is hired to perform duties as an UX designer. While satisfying said duties, the job itself began to expand into something more than a job description. While incorporating an interest in product management and development, the UX designer watched his job evolve in a direction that it may not have done had someone else taken the position. The role became hybrid; containing its original description and a skillset unique to the individual that occupied the roll. The point here is to emphasize the value that personal aspiration and interest bring to the table. The individual was shaped by the initial duties, incorporated their own interests, and in turn grew exponentially as a professional. The following tips should be advised to your workforce to help see that all of your employees can have similar outcomes!
Avoid the Job Description Trap
A job description is critical for the success and outcome for a job to be satisfied; how else will an employee know what is expected of them? That being said though, a job description is a mold, a template if you will and that can be quite restricting. After said duties have been satisfied, employees should be able to explore other job functions if they have an interest in doing so. Professional development comes from expansion. Let’s face it, sometimes the total engagement from your workforce can be lacking. What better way to get them involved and excited to come to work than to allow them to incorporate their own personal aspirations and interests.
Boost Togetherness
Generally speaking, we establish ourselves by identifying our interests and connecting with those that share a similar goal. Encouraging your workforce to incorporate their interests in the workplace will allow for stronger relationships and an overall happier place to work. Happy employees equal higher productivity; a motor firing on all cylinders!
Remove Limitations
The only limitations that an employee can have are the ones that are manifested internally or bestowed upon by management. Both of these can be avoided by hiring intelligent, capable, and well-versed folks. A positive work environment where management encourages employees to reach outside their hired job descriptions can do wonders for workforce development.