Career development rarely succeeds because of one standalone programme. It makes the biggest difference when that programme is reinforced by the wider employee experience.
Organisations invest in career development because they want their employees to build confidence, develop new skills and make better career decisions. Yet even the most well-designed programmes can struggle to create meaningful, lasting change if they’re acting in isolation from everyday working life.
This became a key theme during our recent webinar, where Lindsay Hickey, Global Head of Talent and Careers at BSI, shared how they’ve embedded our Be Bold in your career programme within their broader career ecosystem.
Be Bold in your career is our 10-week, coach-led career development programme, designed to help employees improve their career confidence, take more ownership of their careers and make the most of internal opportunities.
Instead of relying on a single programme to change behaviour, BSI has linked it closely to manager conversations, career resources, shared expectations and ongoing support. Ultimately, this has helped career development become part of the rhythm of work, as opposed to an occasional event.
Why is that so important?
Because a career development programme can help people reflect, build confidence and identify practical next steps. Lasting behaviour change is reinforced when employees return to an environment that actually encourages them to apply what they have learned. One where managers continue career conversations, resources remain fully accessible and opportunities are clearly visible. This reinforces the message that career development is something people participate in each and every day.
BSI’s approach demonstrates how each part of that ecosystem reinforces the others. Through its Career Deal, the organisation commits to providing resources, visibility, support and transparency. Managers create space for meaningful career conversations and help colleagues apply what they are learning, while employees are encouraged to have ownership of their own growth and development. This way, career development becomes a shared responsibility instead of something solely owned by HR, managers or individuals.
Lindsay also explained that Be Bold, too, works best when it is part of a broader career ecosystem. The programme provides the structure, coaching and practical action, whilst the surrounding environment helps people sustain that learning, build new and better habits, and turn it into long-term career ownership.
This joined-up way of thinking about careers is becoming ever more relevant as AI reshapes the workplace. Organisations need people who can learn, adapt and recognise new opportunities throughout their careers. Our CEO, Jonathan Matthews, summarised this well by explaining that organisations cannot just ask employees to take ownership of their careers, without giving them the tools, confidence and skills to do so.
That’s also where we at The Career Innovation Company believe that the Human Advantage comes in. It helps organisations adapt to AI and creates the confidence, capability and conditions that enable people to continue growing as their work evolves.
For organisations that are looking to build those qualities at scale, our next Be Bold in your career programme begins in September. If you’re looking to embed career development into the wider employee experience and build more career confidence in your organisations, find out more and register here.
