Innovation at Work: Career Path Tools Boost Employer-Talent Relationship

Neil Cains, Chief Technology Officer, Innovation Lab

Allegis Group

Building relationships of trust with employees is one of the employer’s most critical and often-overlooked tasks. Trust means knowing your employer is looking out for you. It means understanding that your company is giving you the means to succeed in your current role and the path to succeed in the future. Our Innovation Lab approaches its work, knowing technology can help companies forge better talent relationships, and one of the most exciting developments we’re pursuing is career path development.

A Solution That Peers into Real Career Options

Through our innovation function, we have created a career path mapping tool that applies advanced data science and cloud computing capabilities to visualize potential career development options. The user, whether a job seeker, an employee, or the employee’s manager, can input current job information and a desired career objective. The tool applies algorithms to a large database of worker information, job descriptions, and histories to outline potential paths of advancement along with estimated timelines.

As an example, someone in an early-level marketing role may aspire to be a chief marketing officer. That role no longer necessarily requires a direct path of advancement through the manager, director, and vice president of marketing roles. The solution can provide a choice of several tracks, whether through a combination of product roles, sales, or other functions within the company. Employees can then have candid conversations about where they would like to move in their next steps, what kind of training and development they need, and where opportunities exist within the organization to move forward.

A Relationship-Building Advantage for Employers

This development tool is becoming more important as today’s workers find themselves navigating a complex array of skills demands, new opportunities, or broad career development paths. For employers, it can help reduce attrition, particularly among motivated high performers who often don’t adhere to traditional routes of advancement. On a deeper level, the solution provides a fundamental advantage in building relationships by demonstrating the employer’s commitment to the worker’s success.

Beyond providing employees with long-term planning guidance, a career path solution can also help recruiters deliver more strategic value to prospective candidates.

A Resource in the Worker’s Corner

The career path solution is a great example of how companies can apply technology in a way that gives employees a resource on their side. The solution represents the individual, not the company, but the results benefit everyone involved. Many people don’t know what the next best step would be in their careers. Many don’t realize there are parallel tracks toward achieving the same goal. By shedding light on the journey and taking away some of the guesswork, the career path solution will play a growing role in reinforcing the employee relationship of the future.

(This article originally appeared in “Smart Power: A Glance at Evolving Talent Technologies.” The free report provides an overview of talent management trends with insight on technology solutions influencing the talent acquisition process. Download your copy today.)