Provide feedback

As we navigate through meetings, projects, and tasks, it can be difficult to find the time to celebrate a job well done and pause for reflection. However, making time to reflect will help solidify the learning and growth that your employee has experienced.

Particularly when your employee has learned new skills or information, being able to articulate that information to others will help it stick. Help your employee explore what they have learned and create opportunities for them to test out new expertise by sharing it with others.

Reflect

• What did you accomplish? What are your initial reactions to it?
• How did it make you feel? What influenced the situation?
• Was the experience what you expected it would be? Why or why not?
• How did this experience relate to things you already knew?
• How might you experiment with the knowledge, skills, or abilities you've gained in your daily or project work?

Celebrate

At a public institution of higher education, we don't always have monetary resources to award bonuses or hold celebrations for a job well done. However, celebrating milestones has proven to improve employee engagement. Acknolwedge even small details when you have opportunity.

Ask your employee: How do they like to be recognized?

Some employees appreciate a private email or handwritten card. Others may appreciate a shout-out in your next staff meeting.

Next actions

If your employee submitted a professional development request (PDR), they likely checked the box indicating their willingness to share with others. Encourage them to teach others as a way to solidify their learning. They might share in a staff meeting, in a one-on-one setting with a peer who has similar interests, or in a more visible way such as through Tech Tuesdays or our Project Management series.

Ask the employee: Is this an area where you would like to continue to grow? Why or why not?

Ask yourself: Do I know of anyone who has similar interests to this employee? How might I connect them?