Career Development Is Out, Learning Is In

Why Q2 of the Stay Interview SI 5 May Be Better Than Any Career Plan

How can something as well-meaning as “career development” actually hurt your retention strategy?

Let’s start with what we’ve learned from the field. Every day, we train frontline supervisors and mid-level leaders to conduct Stay Interviews – just five questions, asked one-on-one, to uncover what keeps each employee and what might cause them to leave. And the second question in our lineup – “What are you learning here?” – is one of the most powerful tools we have for cutting turnover.

Why Learning Is a Better Retention Tool Than Career Plans

Helping employees learn doesn’t just develop skills – it builds trust. And that trust is your retention currency. In my book HR’s Greatest Challenge, I cite 25 research studies confirming the #1 reason employees stay, leave, engage, or disengage is how much they trust their immediate supervisor. Stay Interviews build that trust one conversation at a time.

Q2“What are you learning here?”works because it taps into curiosity, not ambition. It invites employees to reflect on whether they feel challenged, valued, and invested in. And most importantly, it gives leaders a clear path to help each employee grow on terms that work for them.

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Further Reading: Why Stay Interviews Q2 is Deceptively Simple – and Powerful

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What’s Wrong with Career Development?

Career development sounds noble – who could argue with helping people advance? But the way it’s often implemented makes things worse, not better. Here’s why.

1. Not every employee wants a career.
We work with hospitals, call centers, manufacturers – you name it. And in every setting, we hear the same thing: many employees don’t want to supervise others or move into higher roles. They want to do their jobs well, get paid fairly, and go home. That’s not laziness. That’s clarity.

2. Not every employee is going to move up.
When companies mandate “career development conversations,” they imply that advancement is possible for all. But that’s rarely true. There aren’t enough promotions to go around, and not everyone is qualified or interested. So those conversations can backfire, creating expectations that can’t be fulfilled.

3. Not every manager is equipped to develop careers.
Career planning is hard to do well. Most managers aren’t trained for it, and fewer still are good at it. And if career development was the solution, then engagement wouldn’t be flat and turnover wouldn’t still be sky-high.

Let’s Redefine What Development Looks Like

We ask our training groups: “How many of you have high-performing employees who don’t want to get promoted?” Every time, more than half raise their hands.

That’s why Stay Interviews work – because they force leaders to ask, not assume. They don’t lead with ambition; they lead with learning.

And learning matters to everyone, regardless of their career goals.

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Further Reading: Why Stay Interviews Q3 is  “Why Do You Stay Here?”

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The Better Approach: Build Learning Plans, Not Career Plans

Here’s what we teach leaders to do instead:

• Start with Q2: Ask “What are you learning here?” If the answer is “nothing,” that’s a clue – and an opportunity.
• If they want to learn, help them get specific. Ask what they’d like to learn more about. If they don’t know, offer ideas to spark thinking – but don’t push. If they can’t name a learning goal, they’re unlikely to pursue one.
• Tap into your internal network. Ask peers or other departments who might be willing to coach or mentor.
• Encourage self-directed learning. Have the employee build their own plan using YouTube, books, online forums, or even podcasts. Help them get started, then let them lead.
• Use formal learning only if it fits. Tuition reimbursement, classes, and conferences are great – but only if they’re aligned to the person’s interests and the company’s needs.
• Follow up. Ask what they’ve learned and how they can use it. Help them apply it to their current job – or even a new one, if that’s realistic.

A True Career Conversation Starts with Learning

Learning is a test of energy, ambition, and initiative. If someone is genuinely excited to grow, they’ll show it. That’s when a career conversation becomes real – and useful.

But trying to force every employee into a career planning process when they may not want or qualify for advancement? That’s not development. That’s theater.

Instead, build your supervisors’ ability to coach learning. It’s easier to do, creates more visible wins, and builds a skill your managers will use again and again. And it’s the kind of achievement that motivates employees to stay.

Bottom Line: Stay Interviews and Q2 Deliver What Career Plans Can’t

Helping employees learn is current. It’s energizing. And it works. That’s why Q2 of the SI 5 is fast becoming one of our favorite retention strategies. It starts with trust and ends with a more engaged, more loyal workforce.

Want to see what’s working for other companies right now?
Schedule a time to talk with me at DFinnegan@C-SuiteAnalytics.com. I’ll share how our clients are cutting turnover by 30% and more – even now – and how you can start with just five questions.

Let’s get your team learning – and staying.