The Future of Employee Development: Fostering Developmental Relationships and Addressing Barriers

Abstract

Employees are key organizational stakeholders; the success of any organization depends in large part on employees’ continued development (Ferris et al., 1999). In today’s work environment, marked by rapid and profound change, employee development is becoming increasingly critical. Despite a recognition of the importance of employee development, research on what contributes to employee development is still nascent (Nielsen et al., 2017). This leaves organizations with little direction on how to foster employee development and maintain a competitive edge. In this symposium, we include four empirical papers that explore [1] developmental relationships at work and [2] potential barriers to employee development. Following the presentations, an eminent scholar on employee development and developmental relationships, Jennifer Chatman, will serve as a discussant. She will provide both theoretical and practical suggestions through an interactive discussion. Semantic Confusion about “Talent” and its Consequences Presenter: Daniel Southwick; Doctoral Student at the U. of Pennsylvania Presenter: Abigail Quirk; U. of Pennsylvania Presenter: Lyle Ungar; U. of Pennsylvania Presenter: Chia-Jung Tsay; U. College London Presenter: Angela Duckworth; U. of Pennsylvania Closeness in Mentoring Relationships: Improving Protégé Performance Through Self-Expansion Presenter: Grace Cormier; Harvard Business School Presenter: Paul Isaac Green; U. of Texas at Austin Presenter: Francesca Gino; Harvard U. Stuck in a “Follower” Role: The Self-Reinforcing Nature of Reluctance to Lead Presenter: Danielle Tussing; SUNY-Buffalo Fostering Perceptions of Authenticity via Sensitive Self-Disclosure Presenter: Li Jang; George Washington U. Presenter: Francesca Gino; Harvard U. Presenter: Reihane Boghrati; The Wharton School, U. of Pennsylvania Presenter: Leslie John; Harvard Business School