How Webflow Uses Lattice to Turn Managers Into Career Coaches

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The Challenge 

Navigating the criteria for promotion and providing effective support to employees in their career growth can be a daunting task, as Nicole Hopkins, Director of People Operations at Webflow, has experienced firsthand. She understands the challenges involved in offering guidance on assessing readiness for promotion. This lack of clarity around development is not unique to Hopkins.

Research reveals that nearly half of employees have left their jobs due to a lack of clear career progression. To address this issue, Webflow's People team, led by Hopkins, aimed to create a work environment where employees never feel professionally stagnant or frustrated.

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Career Clarity with Lattice Grow 

Recognizing the need to bridge the gap between holistic development thinking and practical implementation, Webflow turned to Lattice Grow. This powerful tool provides a comprehensive platform to define competencies and establish career ladders. In pursuit of optimal outcomes, Hopkins embarks on the task of identifying the essential competencies required for each level within every job family.

Hopkins advised starting the competency-building process by aligning leadership on their philosophy, not only in terms of which competencies they believe in but also those they actively embody and reinforce. By following this approach, Webflow was able to develop competencies unique to their organization. Lattice Grow also offers pre-built templates for companies to kickstart their competency framework.

Since implementing Lattice Grow, Webflow employees have gained clarity on how to advance their careers. They now have the tools to collaboratively set growth plans with their managers and regularly track their progress. Notably, these discussions seamlessly integrate into Webflow's existing one-on-one meetings, eliminating the need for separate development check-ins.

The impact of this system extends beyond individual growth. It has instilled confidence in employees regarding promotions, as they now have a clear understanding of the criteria and rationale behind advancement. For startups concerned about overcomplicating employee development, Hopkins encourages embracing a structured approach, as it provides invaluable insights into performance increases, promotions, and the associated reasoning.

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Empowering Managers in Lattice 

Even experienced managers can find it challenging to navigate development conversations, often resorting to seeking HR assistance or avoiding them altogether. However, Hopkins is transforming these interactions into welcomed and effective discussions.

Hopkins believes that Lattice Grow serves as the missing piece in holistic talent management, enabling managers to facilitate development plans aligned with career tracks. The tool empowers managers to problem-solve, lead development conversations, and engage their teams, even if they have limited experience in coaching.

By incorporating competencies, growth plans, and job leveling matrices into their regular one-on-one meetings, managers can demystify the career growth process. While HR remains available for support and guidance, development ownership is shared by both managers and individuals.

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Takeaways

1. Partnering with leadership led to the establishment of clear competencies that facilitate career growth.
2. Lattice empowers managers, including those with limited experience, to confidently guide their direct reports' professional development.
3. Integrating career development discussions into regular one-on-one meetings promotes a comfortable environment for discussing future aspirations.
4. Lattice Grow ensures that promotions are fair and transparent, avoiding any sense of arbitrariness in career progression.