Friday Challenge: The One-Growth Conversation
It's Friday!
So you know what that means.
I've got homework for you.
This week's challenge isn't about your customers, your dashboard, or your processes.
It's about the people who make all three work.
Find One Employee Who Wants to Learn
Maybe they're pursuing a certification.
Taking an online course.
Learning new technology.
Working toward a degree.
Or simply trying to become better at the job they already have.
Ask them one question:
“What's one thing you'd like to learn that would make you better at your job?”
Then listen.
Because their answer may tell you something important about their future—and yours.
When Employees Grow, Companies Can Grow With Them
Continued education isn't simply something employees add to their résumés.
When the education is relevant and employees can apply it at work, the company gains new skills without necessarily having to recruit them from somewhere else.
That's becoming increasingly important.
In 2024, only 45% of U.S. employees participated in training or education to develop new skills for their current job, according to Gallup. Yet Gallup estimates that substantially expanding employees' opportunities to learn and grow could correspond with 14% greater productivity and 18% greater profitability.
LinkedIn has found a similar pattern. Companies with strong learning cultures experienced 57% higher retention and 23% more internal mobility than organizations with less commitment to learning.
That's not just employee development.
That's business development.
Employer Support Changes the Equation
Now consider the employee who's doing all of this learning on their own.
They're paying for the certification.
Studying after work.
Taking classes at night.
Using their weekends to improve skills that may ultimately benefit their employer.
What happens when the company notices?
Maybe you reimburse a certification.
Pay for a course.
Provide study time.
Offer tuition assistance.
Create a path toward promotion.
Or simply say:
“We see what you're doing, and we want to help you grow here.”
That message matters.
SHRM reports that 82% of employers offer formal training or education to keep employees' skills current, 79% offer upskilling or reskilling opportunities, and 78% cover certification or recertification fees.
And employees appear to notice the difference. LinkedIn reports that 84% of employees say learning adds purpose to their work, while learning opportunities remain organizations' No. 1 strategy for improving retention.
Don't Train Just to Train
There's one important distinction.
A certificate sitting in someone's personnel file isn't automatically valuable.
Ask:
What did they learn?
Where can we apply it?
Has their performance changed?
Can they teach something to the rest of the team?
Are we giving them opportunities that match their new capabilities?
That's where analytics enters the conversation.
Track performance before and after development. Look at productivity, quality, retention, promotions, internal mobility and business outcomes.
Because the real question isn't:
“How many employees completed training?”
It's:
“What changed because they did?”
Your Friday Challenge
Before you leave this week, find one employee and have the growth conversation.
Ask what they want to learn.
Find out why.
Then identify one way your organization can support them.
It could be money.
It could be time.
It could be mentorship.
It could be an opportunity to use the skills they're developing.
One employee.
One conversation.
One investment in growth.
Because sometimes the employee working hardest to prepare for your company's future is already working for you.
Champions don't guess. Neither should your business.
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