Supporting employee career growth: A strategic guide for HR in 2025

Supporting employee career growth and progression is one of the most vital things you can do to ensure an engaged, committed and motivated workforce. But what can you and your HR team do to ensure employees feel supported in their career growth for the year ahead?

Let’s take a look at some practical, actionable tips for empowering your workforce to achieve their goals.

Why supporting employees career goals matters?

A recent study from Jobseeker.com showed that 85% of workers in the US had set personal career goals for 2024. However, by the end of the year, only 9% felt they had managed to achieve their goals completely. This disconnect can have profound implications for employers.

The global cost of a demotivated workforce is estimated by Gallup to be up to $8.9T annually which is around £7tn—that’s 9% of global GDP.

For companies, it can mean a loss of productivity, lower innovation and a higher turnover of staff. Conversely, a motivated and supported workforce can create a positive company culture, retain talent, boost innovation and customer satisfaction.

What are employees’ key career goals?

The key career goals of employees for 2025 differ according to age and seniority, but some of the major career goals across generations, according to Jobseeker’s study, include:

• Developing hard skills (52%)

• Improving work-life balance (48%)

• Improving soft skills (44%)

• Gaining a promotion (38%)

• Improving networking connections (35%)

While most employees set career objectives for the year ahead, the vast majority fail to complete them. The top three factors preventing employees from reaching their professional goals, according to the Jobseeker’s study, are:

• Job market competition (60%)

• Limited resources (60%)

• Work-life balance (54%)

How to support employee career growth in 2025?

Thankfully, HR leaders can take many actions to build a supportive company culture that helps employees reach their career goals. Here are five key steps you can take to support employee career growth in 2025:

Foster a continuous learning culture

Creating a culture of continuous learning is critical for keeping employees engaged and satisfied. It also helps organisations by improving employee skills, fostering innovation, building resilience to economic changes, and adapting to new technologies and market conditions.

Limited resources are cited by more than half of employees as a barrier to their career progression. So, setting plans for professional development could have a transformative effect on employee engagement. Consider introducing the following to encourage a spirit of continuous learning:

• Personalised development plans

• Access to courses and workshops

• Internal skills swaps

Embrace AI tools to enhance workflows

A lack of resources and manageable work-life balance holds back many employees from achieving their career goals. It’s perhaps time to embrace the potential of AI to enhance workflows. AI tools can remove the burden of time-consuming yet repetitive everyday tasks, freeing employees to develop new skills that would be valuable to both them, and the organisation.

Jobseeker’s survey found that nine out of 10 US employees are open to using AI to achieve their 2025 career goals. With a considered approach, AI tools can play a role in making companies more efficient, while allowing employees to focus more creative, innovative and strategic work.

Tailor strategies for a multi-generational workforce

To unlock your workforce’s potential requires a nuanced approach. You might need to consider their age and career stage. Jobseeker’s research indicates younger employees often seek promotions and career direction, while older workers prioritise work-life balance and mental health. Customising development plans to meet these needs can pay dividends in building empowered and motivated teams.

Implement structured career progression plans

Employees are far more likely to remain in a job if they feel they can achieve their career goals there. In a recent study, over a third of workers said they might leave a job if it lacks focus on learning and development.

Focusing on learning and development that rewards employees with clear career progression can be far more motivating for your workforce. Some simple steps towards developing structured career progression plans include:

• Introducing goal setting tools

• Creating clear pathways for promotion

• Setting objectives during annual appraisals, with achievable, measurable outcomes

5.    Promote a healthy work-life balance

More than half of workers feel a lack of work-life balance holds them back from achieving their career goals. Nearly half also see better work-life balance as a key goal for the year ahead. As such, the benefits of focusing on this as an organisation are clear.

Building flexible, dynamic workplaces that align with employee lifestyles and priorities is one of the ways to create a company that employees want to commit to. Some key steps to building a healthy working culture in your organisation include:

• Mental and physical wellness programmes

• Recognition of milestones and achievements

• The right to flexible working arrangements

• Positive, practical feedback that employees can build on

Empowering employee growth for a thriving workforce

Ultimately, supporting employee career growth is essential for creating a motivated and productive workforce. By fostering a culture of continuous learning, embracing AI tools, tailoring strategies for different generations, implementing structured career progression plans, and promoting a healthy work-life balance, HR professionals can empower employees to achieve their career goals. These efforts not only enhance employee satisfaction and retention but also drive innovation and overall company success. ​

With BrightHR software, you can achieve much of the above effortlessly. Our comprehensive HR solution offers data insights and a user-friendly experience to help you understand team needs and support their growth. ​Plus, enjoy additional services like employee perks, expert advice, health & safety, e-learning, wellbeing and counselling.

Originally written by Jobseeker, edited by BrightHR