Eight Steps to Develop or Revise Your Career Progression Framework.

An effective, well-defined career advancement model is essential in enabling employees to
know their potential growth prospects, acquisition of requisite skills, and be motivated as
well as organizations to maintain talents and fill resource-needed positions effectively.
1. Assess Your Existing Framework.
Check your job catalog; titles must be precise, duplication of roles should be avoided, and
each job must show the skills that employees require to develop.
2. Identify the Drivers
Know the reason why a new or revised framework is required, either a high turnover rate,
an inability to fill key positions, a lack of development opportunities, or a skill shortage to be
competitive.
3. Prioritize for Impact
Identify the positions that can be best served by structured career paths. Meet the
department heads to determine challenges and critical skills shortages, and future team
requirements.
4. Define Criteria for Growth
Determine whether to go by skills or behavioral pointers:
Skills-Based: Subjective and simple but high level evaluation of the required skills.
Behavioral Indicators: Objective measurable and observable behaviors at varying
levels of proficiency.
5. Structure Job Levels
Identify explicit job levels (e.g. junior, mid-level, senior, executive) as numbers or letters.
Make job titles standardized to ensure uniformity and openness.
6. Indicate Skills and Competencies.
Describe technical, leadership and soft skills at each level. Employee development and
advancement are directed by clear expectations and are objective.
7. Create Compensation Bands.
Standard rates of pay per job to be fair and clear and indicate how remuneration goes
laterally, and upwards.
8. Implement and Communicate
Implement the structure using an effective communication strategy:
Publicize in e-mails, town meetings, or meetings.
Educate train managers to lead employees.
Issue staff manuals and frequently asked questions, explaining promotion
opportunities.
Proper career advancement system does not only establish career development strategies
to employees but also enhances organizational capacity, performance, and sustainability.