Story Highlights
- Only 49% of workers are very confident that they can reach their career goals
- Organizations have employees with untapped potential who want to grow
- Differences in confidence across race/ethnicity reveal disparities in growth
Most workers in America start their career journeys with the aim of reaching their full potential, only 9% report having already reached the highest level of position they wish to achieve. That means over 90% of workers have yet to achieve their desired position.
For organizations, this means employees have untapped potential that they feel motivated and driven to unlock themselves. Organizations are responsible for developing their employees to get the most out of their investment in human capital.
A survey of over 8,000 working Americans revealed that identifying employee potential starts by creating an environment in which workers feel supported, encouraged and inspired to grow -- giving employees the confidence to achieve their full potential. But many organizations are falling short.
Confidence Is Key
Less than half (49%) of employees currently working to build their career are “very confident” that they can reach the highest level of position they wish to reach at their current workplace.
More startling is that Black and Hispanic workers are even less confident than White workers. Fifty-two percent of White workers are very confident that they can reach the highest level they wish to reach, but only 45% Black and Hispanic employees say the same.
Black and Hispanic employees are also more likely to have doubts about their ability to reach their desired potential. Twenty percent of Black employees and 17% of Hispanic employees say they are “not too confident” or “not confident at all” versus 12% of White employees who said the same about reaching their potential.
These statistics are particularly alarming, especially considering the discrepancies in career attainment: Only 7% of Black and Hispanic employees reported having already reached their desired position, compared with 11% of White employees who said the same. This distinction is also apparent at the highest levels of organizations. A Stanford Corporate Governance Research Initiative study showed that only 16% of C-suite positions in Fortune 100 companies are held by racial minorities.
Inspiring Confidence
While some might assume that self-confidence comes from something internal or innate to employees, there is actually a lot that organizations can and should do to inspire it in employees. Gallup’s research suggests that focusing on the four actions below will help organizations prioritize working to enhance employees’ confidence.
1. Create a clear career path.
Give employees a distinct path forward so they can see how their hard work now paves the way for the future. Showing them the steps forward helps them envision their future more clearly and concretely and feel more confident about the way forward.
Workers who strongly agree that their organization provides a clear plan for their career development are nearly two times as likely to be very confident they can reach the highest level of position they wish to achieve in their career at their current workplace.
Managers should clarify career paths by having direct conversations with employees about the available options for employees’ futures and the steps to get there, while also inviting employees to ask questions and co-create their goals. End the conversation by making sure there is a clear answer to one simple question: What do I do next?
Development should be more than conversations: It should be a continuous forward momentum integrated into employees’ everyday work.
2. Incorporate development opportunities into daily work.
Development should be ongoing conversations. Employees who strongly agree that someone has talked to them about their progress in the past six months are 49% more likely to say they are very confident about reaching their career goals.
But development should also be more than conversations: It should be a continuous forward momentum integrated into employees’ everyday work. Managers can create that momentum by incorporating development into the day-to-day employee experience; helping employees access the opportunities, experiences, and responsibilities they need to move ahead; and having ongoing meaningful discussions about progress.
When employees are already working toward their goals each day, the future feels real and attainable. Employees who strongly agree they have adequate opportunities for development at their organization are nearly two times as likely to be very confident about their ability to reach their career aspirations.
This is why good managers make development routine. By gradually adding responsibilities to build management capabilities, assigning work that requires learning new skills or introducing employees to senior employees, managers or leaders help move employees toward their future milestones.
3. Provide guides and guidance.
Navigating a career isn’t always easy, but having a guide -- someone to learn the ropes from, ask for advice, and talk about goals and next steps with -- can go a long way. Make sure employees feel comfortable asking for development and advice by creating a culture of transparency about career progression.
Workers who strongly agree that they have someone at work who helps them reach their career goals are nearly twice as likely to be very confident they can reach the highest level of position that they wish to achieve in their career at their current workplace.
While intentionally creating mentorship relationships boosts development, choose mentors carefully to maximum effectiveness. Keep in mind not everyone has the temperament and social skills to be effective or -- ideally -- inspiring as a mentor. Ultimately, nothing beats a true role model: One of the best ways to help employees understand their potential is to connect them with more senior workers who already have those roles.
4. Ensure equity.
Remove barriers by creating an even playing field. Employees who strongly agree that they have the same opportunities for development as other employees are almost twice as likely to be very confident in reaching their career goals.
Managers who publicly recognize their employees’ achievements, milestones and advancement remove the mystery from career progression. When it is clear why and what employees are rewarded for, the added transparency dispels favoritism and allows everyone to use their own skills and abilities to achieve the outcomes that the organization values most.
Examine procedures for developing and advancing employees’ careers because when employees feel that internal career mobility is fair, they are far more confident in achieving their career goals. Employees who strongly agree that promotion decisions are fair are nearly two times as likely to be very confident.
Organizations are responsible for developing their employees to get the most out of their investment in human capital.
Outcomes
How organizations support their employees’ development can either inspire them to feel more confident in their ability to reach their goals or stifle them, ultimately affecting whether employees achieve their full potential at work or not.
When organizations do not inspire employees’ confidence in achieving their maximum potential at work, they risk missing what workers have to offer -- not only for the future but also right now.
Employees who are fully confident in reaching their goals are twice as likely to be engaged. They are also 27% less likely to struggle with burnout and 38% less likely to be looking or watching for job opportunities.
To unlock the potential of a diverse workforce for the future, organizations need to focus on opening doors, creating clear paths and guiding development -- all with an eye on equity. And they need to start now.
