At my organization there is a huge focus on talent development and management. We are encouraged to take control of our career paths through a variety of programs and benefits provided by the company.

At the most basic level our colleagues have access to an online program that gives access to countless training videos which the employee can chose a learning path to focus on. During the holidays our store colleagues have the opportunity to fill temporary leadership roles which prepare them for permanent leadership positions within the different departments. Not only does this program teach leadership skills but also introduces the employee to departments that they don't otherwise have experience working in.

There are also more elevated development opportunities like our partnership with Guild Education. This program "empowers forward-thinking employers to invest in their employees, unlocking life-changing opportunities for personal and professional growth through learning programs, career development and one-on-one coaching (Guild, 2022 p.1). The Guild program is the reason I am taking this course!

A couple other programs worth mentioning are People Leader specific. Mosiac is a program led by our Cheif Diversity Officer with a focus on leadership development in DEI. The other program focuses on developing first time People Leaders and the transition from leading tasks to leading teams.

Because of these programs I believe talent management is a strength within my company. More often then not, the leaders I meet within the company started as seasonal employees or part-time associates who have been developed into leaders. I am one of those success stories and I believe my journey is still just beginning, even after 8 years. The stories of such leaders encourage growth within others, employee retention, and profitability for the company. These stories of development, growth, and promotion, are not on accident, they are by design successfully executed by the organization.

What are your thoughts on this?