Develop a Becoming @ Work Culture
Oct 12, 2025
Have you ever had a high-performer say, “I just feel stuck in my role”?
Or maybe someone quit for less money at another company because they offer "better development opportunities"?
Your competitors harvest your best people with promises of development and advancement.
The truth is brutal: people rarely leave a company. They leave your growth-stunted culture.
Lack of Development Drives Departure
Think about how deeply the neglect of human growth and development infiltrates organizations:
- We hire for potential but manage for current capability.
- We say development matters while budgeting only for immediate needs.
- We promote based on tenure rather than investing in advancement preparation.
- We create job descriptions instead of growth descriptions.
This focus on current productivity over future capability tracks with quarterly thinking where immediate output matters more than long-term potential. Today's talent market rewards organizations that invest in who people are becoming, not just what they currently produce.
Shift from Utilization to Transformation
The traditional approach to human resources says, "Get the most from people while they're here."
Human development focus says, "Help people become their best selves through meaningful work."
Research from organizations with strong development cultures shows 15% higher engagement scores, 25% lower turnover rates, and 18% higher productivity levels. As Robert Garcia from the International Coaching Federation told me on our Work Positive Podcast, "Imagine everyone, from the executives to the front line employees, had a coach and was working on being better. You can't go wrong."
Development as Strategic Priority
What does human development focus look like in practice? As Michael Gilpin demonstrated at his FASTSIGNS franchise, it's about "coaching accountability" where, as he explained to me on the Work Positive Podcast, "every error becomes a learning opportunity and every conversation becomes potential growth."
In a development-focused culture:
- Growth conversations happen monthly, not just annually.
- Managers identify development opportunities in current work.
- Cross-training and job shadowing are standard practices.
- People see clear connections between today's work and tomorrow's opportunities.
Organizations prioritizing human development see 31% lower voluntary turnover rates, 23% increase in internal promotion rates, and 27% improvement in employee referral quality.
Eliminate Growth Inhibitors from Your Manager Messaging
One of the most destructive elements to creating a Becoming @ Work culture are the subtle messages that tell people their development isn't a priority:
- "Maybe next quarter when things slow down."
- "We need you focused on your current role right now."
- "Development is nice, but we have deadlines to meet."
Instead, message "development clarity."
When someone expresses interest in growth, respond with: "What would development look like for you in your current role? and follow with, “How can we start building that pathway?"
Your Human Development Challenge
Try these three growth and development actions this week:
- Ask the Development Question: In your next one-on-one, ask "What's one skill you'd like to develop in the next six months?"
- Find Hidden Learning: Identify one routine task and discuss how it could develop capabilities for future roles.
- Create One Growth Opportunity: Convert one current project into a development opportunity by adding mentoring or leadership responsibilities.
The Work Positive Bottom Line
The best organizations today don't just use people's current capabilities. They develop people's future potential.
Stop managing for now. Start developing for Becoming @ Work.
What's your question about building effective listening loops in your organization? Ask Dr. Joey here.
Taken from Dr. Joey's newest book, Becoming @ Work: How to T.H.R.I.V.E. in Today's Culture.
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