Is it possible, when choosing a company today, to see the development opportunities that may become available in a year, two years, or further ahead? International business group RedCore shared its approach to the development and long-term retention of its specialists.
A strong environment for growth is not a promise of a specific position. At RedCore, development is not limited to the traditional career ladder of junior — middle — senior — manager. The next step may be a new competency, work with a mentor, an internship in another area, or even the launch of a new product.
Learning today what will be needed tomorrow
The key principle is that internal learning at RedCore is built around real-life tasks. This allows specialists not simply to accumulate certificates from external courses, but to develop skills that are in demand here and now — and, most importantly, will be needed in the future.
“A new tool or approach should be put into practice as quickly as possible: a specialist learns it and understands where it can already be applied in their work today. That is why, when creating our programs, we always start with the real tasks of the teams and the needs of the business,” says Svitlana Khaikova, Head of Learning & Development at RedCore.
Over the past year alone, the L&D team has launched 39 new learning formats in six languages, including management, soft skills, hard skills, and product courses. In total, there are now more than 50 learning formats available within the system.
“The education market does not always keep pace with how quickly business needs are changing. Yes, strong hard skills programs can often be found externally, and in such cases there is no need to reinvent the wheel. But when it comes to our processes, management approaches, or specific areas of expertise, we create most of this training ourselves. Often together with internal experts,” explains Svitlana Khaikova.
The needed expertise can and should be developed internally
Not every new task needs to be addressed through a new hire. Sometimes, it is enough to give an existing specialist the opportunity to develop a different skill. This is the principle behind the mentoring program at RedCore. The Functional Manager identifies the required skill, selects a mentor, and together they develop a plan with an expected outcome.
“Often, a specific skill is what is needed. Not necessarily a new profession or a new level of seniority. We are a technology company, and sometimes unique technical skills are held by individual specialists. It is impossible to transfer this kind of expertise in a single sharing session. It requires more time and deeper immersion. This is exactly where mentoring becomes one of the tools that helps us develop the expertise we need internally,” says Svitlana Khaikova.
The experience and knowledge of one specialist can multiply significantly when shared with colleagues.
To support a culture of expertise and knowledge sharing, the L&D team launched a Knowledge Sharing Space on RedCore TEAM, the business group’s internal platform. Over the past year alone, KSS hosted 93 sessions with more than 2,500 participants. The format allows specialists to share knowledge gained through internal or external training, as well as their own practical expertise. The most successful cases become the basis for sessions for a broader audience and can later evolve into full-fledged courses.
One example is the Product Course developed by Oleksandr Oliinyk, Chief Product Officer at RedCore. It teaches not only how to work with a product through real-life examples and real-world tasks, but also helps develop product thinking — the ability to see the connection between metrics, decisions being made, and business outcomes.
“During the training, it is important for me to work with each participant individually. To see not only how well they have understood the material, but also how they think and approach problem-solving. As a result, a person develops an understanding of their strengths, specific areas for development, and where they can move next,” says Oleksandr Oliinyk, Chief Product Officer at RedCore.
A new role without taking a step into the unknown
Development does not always mean moving in a familiar direction. Sometimes, the next career breakthrough requires taking a step not forward, but slightly to the side.
And to make the journey not “Per aspera” but straight “ad astra,” RedCore launched the Swap&Work program, which allows specialists to complete an internship in another department and explore a new profession before making a decision about a full transition.
“At the same time, it is not only about the role itself. It is also about the team, the manager, the atmosphere, and the intensity of the work. Essentially, it is an opportunity for both sides to get to know each other in a safe environment,” explains Svitlana Khaikova.
The next step is an internal transfer. How this works from the perspective of the receiving team is demonstrated by the experience of RedCore’s Retention function.
“When it comes to internal transfers, we do not expect a person to know the new function 100% from day one. For me, it is more important to understand their potential: how independent and responsible they are, whether they are ready to learn and take on new tasks. Then we look at what expertise they are missing and help them develop it within the team. At the same time, an internal candidate has a major advantage: they already understand the business, processes, and culture of the business group, so they can get up to speed much faster,” says Rostislav Stavenko, Chief Retention Officer at RedCore.
The results fully justify this approach. Over the past year alone, more than 440 specialists applied for Swap&Work. And everyone who joined the Retention team through an internal transfer successfully completed the probationary period and established themselves in their new roles.
Initiative is not punished
At RedCore, the space for professional growth expands along with a specialist’s readiness to take on more responsibility.
“The most important thing is proactivity. I need not just executors, but people who are ready to think, explore, look for solutions independently, and offer something more. I don’t like micromanagement, and I don’t practice it when I see that a person is handling things well,” explains Rostislav Stavenko.
This well reflects the leadership principle at RedCore. Managers do not seek to keep all processes centered around themselves. Instead, they consistently create an environment for development, where specialists can take on more responsibility, show initiative, and move ideas forward.
“My task is to give people enough knowledge and context so that, over time, they can make decisions independently. The stronger a specialist becomes, the more space for autonomy they should be given,” says Oleksandr Oliinyk.
In this way, proactivity becomes another way to go beyond what seems possible and impossible. If an idea has potential, the company’s task is to give it an opportunity to move from proposal to implementation.
“Many of our B2B brands appeared thanks to this. Specialists were confident enough to say, ‘This is what the market needs. Let’s make it happen.’ And we, in turn, as a business group, provided all the resources needed to bring the idea to life. So, in our case, initiative and responsibility are not just words — they are part of the business,” notes Oksana Izmailova, CHRO at RedCore.
Opportunities for professional and personal development within the business group are among the top three advantages of RedCore, according to the latest eNPS survey. And this perhaps best demonstrates the result of a system that chose not to limit itself, but instead expanded its boundaries and created a strong environment where people want to work, develop, and stay for the long term.
After all, it is impossible to know in advance what a person’s career will look like several years from now. A specialist may join RedCore with one area of expertise, gradually develop a new one, try themselves in a different role, or grow far beyond it. That is why a career within the business group is an opportunity not to choose just one path for years ahead, not to move from company to company, but to find the next career step within the group.
Want to become part of RedCore? Check out the current job openings. https://redcore.group/career/