{"id":216388,"date":"2020-07-16T07:00:15","date_gmt":"2020-07-16T11:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virtualvocations.com\/blog\/?p=216388"},"modified":"2024-10-07T19:23:43","modified_gmt":"2024-10-07T23:23:43","slug":"fun-professional-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virtualvocations.com\/blog\/telecommuting-survival\/fun-professional-development\/","title":{"rendered":"Professional Development Ideas That Are Actually Fun!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Updated October 2024<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional development entails engaging in learning activities that can help the participant earn professional degrees or certifications. It emphasizes the acquisition of new skills and experience that will enhance a career professional\u2019s current or future role. Professional and personal development go hand in hand, because to excel career-wise, a working professional must develop personally or grow as an individual first. Though many people may find professional development synonymous with boredom, fun professional development is a realistic endeavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A career is meant to be tended to and nurtured. Left unattended, it can wither and die. But regardless of your career path or aspirations, professional development doesn’t have to be monotonous. Use these tips to turn professional development into an exciting stepping stone to the next level of your career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Is Fun Professional Development a Reality?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Working professionals who want to grow must develop their skills and make tactical decisions to help them climb the career ladder. Professional development also allows companies to hang on to their employees for a longer period. In fact, 93% of workers surveyed<\/a> would remain with a company longer if the employer invested in their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, some workers find professional or career development to be a necessary evil. This is especially true if the development is irrelevant, antiquated, uninteresting, or dull. Worse, because many sessions provide impractical or outdated information, others may consider it a waste of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it doesn\u2019t have to be that way. Creating fun professional development activities starts with understanding how adult professionals learn and striving to increase engagement. Moreover, people are more likely to finish a professional development session if it’s entertaining and memorable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Gartner Research, gamification is one of the best ways to increase learner engagement<\/a>, and studies show it can increase engagement by up to 60%. It also stimulates competitiveness by gamifying an activity. If participants can track their progress and earn rewards or bragging rights after completing a session, even better.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Actionable Item<\/em>:<\/strong> Employers should consider gamifying career development activities. Making learning activities fun helps improve information retention, maintains participant engagement, enhances curiosity, and also encourages learners to try new things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Side hustles are not only a source of supplemental income, but also a good chance to hone your hard skills<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
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Is Fun Professional Development Available to Remote Workers?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If onsite workers struggle to find engaging and fun professional development, does this mean that remote workers are out of luck? Not exactly. The opportunity for incorporating fun professional development activities into a career path has grown. Thanks to the advancement of online communication, learning, and video technologies, options that may have been unavailable just a few years ago are now accessible to remote workers. In fact, the availability of online access has undoubtedly had an effect on employers. One study shows that 59% of organizations<\/a> spend more of their budget on online learning, instead of more expensive in-person workshops and training sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Employer-Led Professional Development Ideas for Remote Workers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For some inspiration, here are some examples of fun professional development activities for remote workers:<\/p>\n\n\n