This webpage provides definitions, tips, examples, etc. related to career paths, ladders, and lattices for health center employees. These materials will assist health centers in guiding employees through their career progression within the organization, developing professional skills in an environment of continuous learning. Providing these development opportunities will ultimately improve the ability of these centers to effectively recruit while increasing employee engagement and retention.

Career Pathing is when an organization and an employee map out that individual’s journey at the organization through various roles, functions, or departments in order to meet short- and long-term career goals, which may include employee self-assessment, development activities, lateral moves, promotions, etc.

Career Ladders are formal and structured vertical progressions from entry-level to senior positions within specific roles or disciplines, typically with defined steps in pay, skill, responsibility or authority. Career ladders provide a way to organize and measure career progression, offering a standardized method for employees to gain skills.

Career Lattices are more flexible approaches to employee development, allowing for lateral movement into other areas, encouraging employees to explore other roles, functions, and skill sets based on their unique interests.

Please click or scroll down for:
Definitions (the What and the Why)
Implementing Paths, Ladders, and Lattices
Examples

DEFINITIONS (THE WHAT AND THE WHY)

CGT Staffing
Career Ladders vs. Career Lattices

Chronus
Improve Employee Development with Career Pathing

Coursera Enterprise
Embracing the Career Lattice to Empower Your Employees

Deel
What Is a Career Ladder?

Fellow
Understanding Career Ladders (+ Examples)

Growthspace
What Is a Career Ladder?

HRSG
Career Lattices: A New Approach to an Old Challenge

Indeed for Employers
Career Ladders and Career Lattices: Developing Them at Your Company
Career Paths: Six Ways to Develop Employee Careers

LinkedIn
Career Pathing 101: What It Is and How to Get Started

Medium
How Career Ladders Provide Clarity, Focus, and Purpose

Society of Research Administrators International (SRA International)
A New Approach to Career Paths: Career Latticing – What Is It?

TestGorilla
Is the Career Ladder Still Relevant? Advantages, Limitations, and Applications

IMPLEMENTING PATHS, LADDERS, AND LATTICES

Academy to Innovate HR (AIHR)
Career Lattice: How to Shift from Traditional Career Ladders
How to Create a Great Career Progression Framework (+ Free Template)

Deel
How to Create a Career Path for Employees: The Complete Guide

Indeed for Employers
How to Develop Career Paths for Employees in 7 Steps

Locally Optimistic
How to Create a Career Ladder

Paycor
Developing Career Paths and Ladders for Your Team

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM – Member Login Required)
Developing Employee Career Paths and Ladders

TalentGuard
How to Develop a Career Advancement Track for Employees

WorkforceHub
The Importance of Creating a Career Path Program (with Six Steps to Make it Happen)

WorkRamp
How to Create Career Paths for Your Employees

EXAMPLES

Arkansas Community Health Worker Association (ARCHWA)
Sample Community Health Worker Career Ladder and Job Descriptions

Capital Workforce
Sample Nursing Career Ladder/Lattice (Long-Term Health Care)

Deel
12 Career Progression Examples: Inspiration for Your Pathways

Gradar
Examples of Career Paths and a Career Ladder in HR

National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Library of Medicine (NLM)
Career Ladders for Medical Assistants in Primary Care Clinics

Reforge
Explore Real Examples of Tech Career Ladders

STAR2 Center
Employee-Focused Career Pathways: Supporting the Full Scope of Talent in the Mental Health Workforce

Together
Real Growth Happens on a Career Lattice – Examples