How mature is your organisation in driving career success? The best organisations attract talent by offering long-term, fulfilling careers (not just jobs!). But many organisations aren’t able to follow through on the lofty promises they make when they are recruiting. At The Careers Company we know what great organisations need to do to help create career success and happiness for their employees.
Do most of your employees have career development plans?
Fantastic! Having clear career development plans in place shows strong commitment to growth and retention. The next step is making sure those plans are regularly reviewed, supported by managers, and linked to future business needs.
If you’re not sure this could be an area where our Organisational Career Diagnostic might help you to understand how you are doing and target future actions
Thanks for your honesty. Many organisations are still building this capability. Introducing even lightweight development plans can help employees feel more engaged and supported, while also strengthening succession planning for the business.
Are career development conversations built into your annual people cycle?
Great to hear! Building career conversations into the rhythm of your people cycle helps normalise development and signals that growth is a priority. The real opportunity now is ensuring those conversations are high-quality and action-oriented, not just a tick-box exercise.
Career conversations might be happening but not in a structured or visible way. The Careers Company can advise you on ways that you can build opportunity and accountability into your annual cycles
Thanks for sharing. Without a formal place in the people cycle, career conversations often slip down the agenda. Introducing even a simple checkpoint can send a strong message about valuing employee growth and can boost engagement and retention.
Do you have internal programmes (such as mentoring, sponsorship, etc) that support career development for all employees?
Many organisations are still developing these kinds of programmes. Starting small—perhaps with a pilot mentoring scheme—can create real momentum and demonstrate visible commitment to employee growth. Speak to The Careers Company for ideas on how to get started
Excellent! Having structured programmes like mentoring and sponsorship in place shows real investment in career development. The next step is making sure they are inclusive, well-matched, and accessible to employees at all levels—not just a select few.
Sometimes informal arrangements can fill the void when formal programmes are inconsistent. Think about how you can ensure that career development programmes are well-managed and accessible to all. This is where The Careers Company can help.
Do you have systems in place to support the internal mobility of employees e.g. talent marketplace, vacancy boards?
Having formal systems to support mobility (especially in larger organisations) helps employees see real career opportunities within the organisation and can improve retention. The real differentiator is how easy these systems are to use, and how well they’re integrated into career conversations and manager support.
Without visible mobility systems, employees may look outside the organisation for their next step. Even simple tools like an internal vacancy board can make career paths more transparent and show commitment to growing talent from within.
The Careers Company can help you understand how internal mobility works in your organisation, and what might be some fit-for-purpose options to ensure that all employees have visibility of internal opportunities to help them grow their careers within the organisation.
Do you employ coaches/ career specialists to support your career development efforts?
Many organisations start on this by partnering with external coaches or piloting a small-scale programme. Even limited access to career specialists can send a strong signal of commitment to employee growth and development. The Careers Company has a wide network of careers coaches and we would be happy to discuss how you can get started on providing coaching support.
Sometimes careers coaching is available on request, but if employees are not aware of what support is available to them internally they may start to look elsewhere. An internal programme helps you manage the quality and consistency of specialist support.
Excellent! Access to coaches and career specialists can provide employees with tailored guidance and unlock potential that might otherwise go untapped. The next step is making sure this support is available equitably across the organisation, not just to a select group.
Are there resources in place to support line managers in facilitating the career development of their team members?
Good! Equipping line managers with the right resources is essential—since they’re often the first point of contact for career conversations. The next step is ensuring managers feel confident using those tools consistently, and that employees see the benefit.
Without structured support, line managers may feel unsure how to guide career conversations, which can limit employee growth. Even simple toolkits or training sessions can make a big difference in helping managers enable development effectively. The Careers Company has developed the ‘Career Conversations with your Team’ product specifically to help organisations such as yours plug this gap.
Resources may exist, but if managers don’t know about them—or employees don’t see them being used—the impact will be limited. The Careers Company can help you to develop a bank of resources so that managers feel confident having career conversations and supporting the career development of their team members.
Have you developed and clearly communicated career pathways in your organisation?
Excellent! Clear career pathways give employees confidence about their future and help organisations plan talent more effectively. The key now is making sure those pathways are regularly updated and that employees see them as realistic and achievable.
Many organisations are still developing formal career pathways. Even starting with a few visible examples can boost engagement and retention by showing employees that growth is possible within the organisation. The Careers Company can help you get started.
If career pathways are unclear or overly-rigid, then employees will feel unsure about how they can continue to grow their careers within your organisation. The Careers Company can support you in communicating career pathways effectively if there is a gap in awareness. The Organisational Career Diagnostic can help you pinpoint where issues lie in your career frwmeworks.
Does the organisation encourage employees to feel empowered to manage their own careers?
Fantastic! Empowering employees to take ownership of their careers builds engagement and long-term commitment. The next opportunity is to make sure employees also have the right tools, guidance, and support so their efforts translate into real progress.
Many organisations still rely heavily on managers or HR to drive careers. Creating simple self-service tools, resources, or learning opportunities can help employees feel more in control and invested in their future.
While you may put in the effort to empower employees to take charge of their own careers, there may be other aspects of your organisational culture that can get in the way of this. This would be a good opportunity to use the Organisational Careers Diagnostic to surface cultural issues that may need to be addressed.