Turning Employee Feedback Into Career Growth at SCM
When results from the 2025 Employee Experience Survey identified career development as an opportunity for growth within UC Davis Supply Chain Management (SCM), department leadership saw an opportunity to listen, respond and invest in employees.
SCM performed well overall, but the career development results stood out as an area where the department could make a meaningful difference. The feedback gave leadership a clearer understanding of employees’ interest in additional guidance, resources and opportunities for professional growth. Rather than simply acknowledging the results, SCM used them to shape a focused response that encouraged employees to explore their goals and take practical steps forward.
Turning Feedback Into Opportunity
With support from senior leadership, Vartan Vartkessian, director of Business and Financial Services within Supply Chain Management, developed a four-month Career Development Workshop series designed to give employees practical tools, new perspectives and opportunities to think intentionally about their professional growth.
The series brought employees together in person once a month for four two-hour sessions. Through conversations with guest speakers, experienced leaders and colleagues, participants explored career development beyond simply moving from one position to the next.
Throughout the series, several themes emerged: careers aren't always linear, growth can mean more than a promotion, visibility can create opportunities, relationships matter, feedback can accelerate development and even small actions can build momentum over time.
The workshops also gave employees an opportunity to hear personal career journeys from experienced leaders, learn about available campus resources and discuss their own experiences in a collaborative environment.
From Conversation to Action
Post-workshop feedback showed that 89% of respondents agreed the series was an effective use of their time, while 100% agreed they gained practical tools and strategies to support their career development.
Most notably, 100% of respondents agreed they identified at least one actionable step they could take following the workshop series, with 78% strongly agreeing.
Participants consistently highlighted the value of hearing from guest speakers with different perspectives, receiving practical career-development tools and learning strategies they could immediately apply. They also valued the collaborative environment and the opportunity to learn about campus resources while hearing the personal career journeys of experienced leaders.
The goal wasn't simply to talk about career development. It was to help employees leave with something they could use" - Vartan Vartkessian, assistant director of Business and Financial Services.
Listening, Learning and Moving Forward
The Career Development Workshop series shows the value of creating space for employees to explore what professional growth can look like for them.
For SCM, the series provided more than a set of workshops. It created an opportunity for employees to connect with colleagues and leaders, consider different career paths and identify steps they can carry forward in their own professional journeys.
As SCM looks ahead, the experience provides a foundation for continuing to support employees as they build skills, strengthen connections and pursue their career goals.