3.Identifying Match and Mismatch
A mechanism for identifying congruence between individual current aspirations and organizational career system is developed to identify and compare specific areas of match and mismatch for different categories of employees. For this purpose, specific jobs are related to different career opportunities. Such matching helps to develop realistic career goals for both long-term and short term.
4.Formulating and Implementing Strategies
Alternative strategies and action plans for dealing with mismatch are formulated and implemented. Some of the these are mentioned below:
•Changes in the career system by creating new career paths, by providing opportunities for lateral movements through jobs redesign, etc.
•Changing employee needs and aspirations by helping them to scale down unrealistic goals and aspirations or by creating new aspirations.
•Seeking new basis of integration through problem-solving, negotiations and compromises, etc.
•Training and development of suitable people, so as to meet the needs of both the individuals and the organization.
5.Reviewing Career Plans
A periodic review of career plans is necessary to know whether the plans are contributing to effective utilization of human resources by matching employee objectives to job needs. Review will also indicate to employees in which direction the organization is moving, what changes are likely to take place and what skills are needed to adapt to the changing needs of the organization.
Merits of Career Planning
1.The employee has advance knowledge of career opportunities within the company. He knows where he stands, where he wants to go, who is ahead of him and how to climb the corporate ladder.
2.Career planning is a participative process and under it, job assignments are based on merit alone. This helps to improve employee morale and productivity.
3.Career planning helps employees in developing career goals and also in accomplishing those goals in a time bound manner.
4.Career planning anticipates the future vacancies that may arise due to retirement, resignation, death, etc. at managerial level. Therefore, it provides a fairly reliable guide for manpower forecasting. A forward career plan helps to avoid dislocation in managerial positions.
5.It provides an opportunity to the organization to identify the strengths and weaknesses of its workforce.
6.An organization with well designed career plans is able to have a better image in the employment market, and it will attract and retain competent people.
7.Being an integral part of the manpower planning and corporate planning, career planning contributes towards individual development as well as organizational development and effective achievement of corporate goals.
8.It helps organization in achieving enhanced job satisfaction, efficiency and commitment for its employees.
9. It reduces employee turnover by providing increased promotional avenues.
Limitations of Career Planning
1.For small units where there are very few opportunities for the vertical growth of employees, it is not suitable.
2.In a developing country like India, environmental factors such as Government policy, public sector development. growth of backward areas, laws of land etc. influence business and industry. Therefore, career plans for a period exceeding a decade may not be effective.
3.Career planning in not an effective technique for a large number of employees who work on the shop floor, particularly for illiterate and unskilled workers.
4.In family business houses in India, members of the family expect to progress faster m their career than their professional colleagues. This upsets the career planning process.
5.Systematic career planning might become difficult due to favouritism and nepotism in promotions, political intervention in appointments etc.
6.Career opportunities for certain categories reach the declining stage due to the influence of the technological or economic factors.