A career plateau refers to a point in one’s career where they feel they have reached a level of maximum growth and advancement. While reaching a level of professional stability is a normal part of career development, hitting a career plateau can be frustrating and demotivating for employees. In this article, we will explore the causes, symptoms, and solutions for overcoming career plateaus.
Causes of Career Plateaus
Career plateau can occur for several reasons, including:
- Repetitive work and responsibilities: Doing the same tasks over and over again can lead to boredom and a lack of motivation. This can result in a career plateau.
- Lack of opportunities for lateral mobility: When there are no opportunities for growth within the current role, employees may feel stuck and unable to progress in their careers.
- Lack of development training: Without access to training and development opportunities, employees may not have the skills and knowledge necessary to advance in their careers.
- Reaching the highest level in the current role: When an employee has reached the highest level in their current role, there may be no room for further advancement, leading to a career plateau.
- Internal factors such as burnout, boredom, and lack of motivation: Sometimes, a career plateau may be caused by internal reason for career, such as burnout, boredom, or a lack of motivation.
Three Types of Career Plateaus
Internal reasons such as burnout or boredom can lead to a feeling of reaching a vertical promotion plateau, but participating in meaningful and engaging career development opportunities can help overcome these barriers. Career plateaus can be broadly categorised into three types:
- Vertical plateau: When an employee has reached the highest level in their current role, they may feel stuck with no room for further advancement. This is known as a vertical plateau.
- Horizontal plateau: When an employee is no longer learning or growing in their current role, they may experience a horizontal plateau.
- Stagnation plateau: In some cases, employees may experience complete lack of growth and development, resulting in a stagnation plateau.
Identifying Symptoms of Career Plateaus
The warning signs of a career plateau can be unique to each individual, however, some common symptoms to watch out for include feeling stuck, bored, and lacking motivation. When an employee is facing a career plateau, they may feel uninterested in their work and have decreased job satisfaction. Addressing these symptoms early on is crucial as they can have a detrimental effect on both an employee’s personal and professional life. Here are a few career plateau examples:
- An administrative assistant who has reached the highest level in their current role, with no room for advancement or growth within the company.
- A marketing manager who feels bored and unchallenged in their current position, leading to a lack of motivation and job satisfaction.
- A software engineer who has stopped learning and growing in their current role, causing a horizontal plateau.
- A salesperson who has reached their maximum earning potential and feels stagnant in their current role, with no opportunities for growth.
- An accountant who experiences burnout due to repetitive work and a lack of training and development opportunities, leading to a career plateau.
How to Overcome Career Plateau
Both employers and employees play a critical role in overcoming career plateaus. Employers are responsible to provide employees with growth and development opportunities to help them reach higher levels in their careers, and by doing so, help prevent employees from feeling stagnant in their role. If an employee feels like they have reached a plateau in their career, it is important for their employer to provide them with opportunities for growth and advancement. To help employees avoid stagnancy and continue growing in their careers, employers can offer:
- Growth and development opportunities: Offer training and development programs to help employees enhance their skills and knowledge.
- Lateral mobility options: Provide opportunities for lateral movements to allow employees to grow and advance, even if they have reached the highest level in their current role.
- New challenges and responsibilities: Give employees new challenges and responsibilities to combat boredom and reignite their passion for work.
Employees are responsible to provide opportunities in overcoming career plateaus. They can actively participate in their own career development by seeking out training and development opportunities, obtaining additional education or training, networking with industry professionals, and communicating their career goals with their employer. By taking proactive steps to enhance their skills, gain new experiences, and increase their earning potential, employees can overcome feelings of stagnancy and continue to grow and advance in their careers. Employees, on the other hand, can take the following steps to overcome career plateaus:
- Actively participate in career development: Seek out training and development opportunities, and embrace new challenges and responsibilities.
- Obtain additional education or training: Enhance skills and knowledge through additional education or training.
- Network with industry professionals: Networking can help employees stay current with industry trends and provide new growth opportunities.
- Communicate career goals: Share career aspirations with their employer to receive support in achieving their career goals.
- Explore opportunities within the organization: Seek out growth and advancement opportunities to continually develop skills, gain new experiences, and increase earning potential.
Career plateaus are a normal part of career development, but they can be frustrating and demotivating. By understanding the causes, symptoms, and solutions for career plateaus, you can take proactive steps to overcome them and continue to grow and advance in your career. Whether it’s through seeking development training, looking for lateral opportunities, or changing your career path, there are many ways to break through a career plateau and reach new heights in your professional life.
EmployeeConnect empowers employees to take control of their career growth and development. Our HR software offers tools to identify advancement opportunities, access to training and development, and performance tracking. With EmployConnect, employees can overcome career plateaus and continuously grow professionally. Stay engaged and motivated in your career with our comprehensive solution.