If your company isn’t offering meaningful professional development opportunities, it’s taking a strategic risk. In a highly competitive job market, the question is no longer “Should we invest in skills development?” but “Can we afford not to?”
Considering that 87% of HR leaders list talent retention as a top priority (Bonusly, 2022), every possible lever should be activated to keep your people on board.
Ongoing professional development is now one of the most powerful tools to motivate, engage, and retain your teams over the long term.
Here are 6 action levers you can activate now to boost engagement — and keep your top talent from walking out the door.
Training is a cornerstone of skills development. According to the 2024 Randstad Work Barometer, 30% of Swiss employees would turn down a job that lacks continuing education opportunities.
Offering relevant training aligned with both individual and business goals helps to:
Strengthen operational skills
Keep up with industry trends and technologies
Increase engagement and satisfaction
Boost productivity
Reduce turnover
Encourage creative thinking and innovation
Corporate language training is among the most in-demand formats — it improves both internal communication and external relationships with international clients and partners.
Assess needs through interviews, skills reviews, or internal surveys
Set aligned objectives — every program should serve a strategic goal
Offer diverse formats: e-learning, workshops, in-person sessions
Track progress and adapt over time
One-on-one coaching is a powerful way to support employees facing specific challenges: new roles, leadership development, stress management, communication, and more.
Coaching helps to:
Clarify professional goals
Build autonomy and confidence
Unblock complex situations
Foster leadership aligned with company values
Target key groups: high-potentials, new managers, individuals in transition or difficulty
Define clear goals — each coaching engagement should be tied to measurable outcomes
Choose certified coaches with real business experience (ICF or Swiss Federal Certificate recommended)
Set a clear and ethical framework: number of sessions, duration, feedback process
Communicate internally — many employees are unfamiliar with coaching, so promote its value and benefits
Measure impact via feedback from coachees and their managers
Reverse mentoring flips the script: younger employees guide more experienced colleagues — especially in areas like:
New technologies
Social media and digital culture
Emerging social and cultural trends
This approach:
Creates intergenerational learning
Recognizes and values junior talent
Fosters a culture of knowledge sharing
Identify junior team members with relevant expertise
Pair them with complementary senior profiles
Provide structure (training, expected deliverables, meeting frequency)
Highlight results and share feedback
Internal conferences are a simple, high-impact way to encourage continuous learning. Letting employees present their expertise creates momentum.
These events:
Showcase internal skills and knowledge
Develop public speaking and confidence
Promote cross-functional learning
Spark engagement and team pride
Co-create the program with your teams
Establish a regular cadence (monthly or quarterly)
Vary formats: pitches, panels, demos, etc.
Celebrate participants and highlight contributions
Informal learning moments — hosted by internal or external experts — are great for skill-sharing and discussion around focused topics.
They also:
Encourage cross-departmental collaboration
Stimulate curiosity and initiative
Strengthen relationships between colleagues
Reinforce a learning culture within the company
Plan a quarterly or semi-annual program
Vary topics: technical, soft skills, industry-specific…
Communicate in advance to drive interest
Make room for interaction (Q&A, discussion)
Inspired by design thinking, creative sprints are short, intense workshops where cross-functional teams tackle a concrete challenge together.
They’re ideal for:
Sparking creativity
Breaking routine thinking
Encouraging interdepartmental collaboration
Delivering tangible solutions quickly
Define a clear, achievable goal
Create multidisciplinary teams
Keep the format tight (1–3 days)
Set the stage for creativity (space, tools, tone)
Plan a wrap-up session with next steps
Neglecting ongoing professional development comes at a cost — sometimes a very high one:
Talent loss: Employees who feel stuck will eventually leave — often for employers who invest in growth
Loss of competitiveness: Without upskilling, your teams may struggle to adapt, innovate, or respond to evolving customer needs
Disengagement: Lack of prospects leads to demotivation, disengagement, and internal disorganization
Hidden costs: Turnover means higher recruiting and onboarding expenses, plus lost productivity
Offering professional development is no longer a “nice-to-have” — it’s a business necessity for attracting, engaging, and retaining talent.
Language training, coaching, reverse mentoring, internal conferences, creative sprints…
These initiatives are easy to launch and make a big difference in how your employees see their future with you.
Want to build a structured skill development plan?
Our team can help you integrate professional language training into your HR strategy.