The Essentials of Employee Development Planning

When it comes to developing a team, a company cannot just wing it. A strategic plan is essential to helping employees reach their full potential. The good news is that employee development planning is not as complicated as it seems.

Let's dig deeper into employee development planning in this article.

What Is Employee Development Planning?

Employee development planning is the process of creating actionable steps for employees to advance their skills and careers. There are various approaches to employee development planning:

• Skill assessments: Identify current capabilities and skill gaps that require addressing. It may include tests, surveys, interviews, or reviews of past work.
• Career pathing: Helps employees map out the steps to advance to more senior roles. This can include rotations through different jobs or teams, mentoring, and continuous learning.
• Learning and development: Focus on formal or informal training. This may include online courses, coaching, job shadowing, or tuition reimbursement for degree programs.
• Performance management: Provides ongoing feedback and reviews to help employees strengthen their skills and work towards career goals.

With the right development planning, companies and employees can work together to build a path to future success.

Benefits of Employee Development Planning

Employee development planning benefits both the company and the employees in the long run.

For the company, this ensures employees possess the needed skills to take on more tasks as the company grows. It also boosts employee retention since employees feel invested in and able to progress in their careers.

For employees, it provides a clear path for career growth and advancement. Employees can gain new skills and experience to open up more opportunities. It gives them motivation and helps them feel engaged in their work.

Examples of Employee Development Goals

Employees can pursue diverse types of development goals to advance their careers. Options include:

• Cross-training

Cross-training involves learning new skills outside of one's current role. For example, a software engineer may learn project management techniques, or a sales agent may learn marketing skills. Cross-training makes employees more versatile and valuable to the company.

• Mentoring

Mentoring programs pair junior employees with more experienced colleagues. The mentor shares knowledge and guidance to help the mentee advance their career. Mentoring benefits both parties and strengthens the company.

• Continuing education

Various employees pursue continuing education to strengthen existing skills or develop new ones. Options include attending online courses, certification programs, and formal degree programs. Continuing education shows an employee's commitment to growth.

• Leadership development

For employees aiming to take on leadership roles, specific leadership development goals are vital. These may include improving communication skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to motivate teams. Leadership development prepares employees to take on more responsibility.

• Lateral moves

Gaining new skills often involves making lateral moves to distinct roles or departments. Lateral moves expose employees to new areas of the business and new career opportunities. They allow employees to find the right role based on their strengths and interests.

Steps to Create an Employee Development Plan

To create an effective employee development plan, companies must follow these steps:

1. Meet with the employees to know their career goals. Find out their preferred career path. Assess their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
2. Set specific and measurable goals. Having concrete goals will make it easier to track their progress. Goals must be challenging but also achievable in a 6-12month period.
3. Determine the necessary learning and development activities to achieve the goals. This can include on-the-job training, online courses, mentoring, job rotation, or external classes. Consider the employee's learning preferences and needs.
4. Create a timeline for attaining the goals. Set deadlines and check-in points to review progress and make any necessary adjustments to the plan.
5. Provide opportunities for feedback and evaluate progress regularly. Meet with the employees to discuss what's working and not working, and make revisions as needed. Offer guidance, support, and recognition of their achievements and milestones along the way.
6. Review and revise the plan annually. Employee development planning is an ongoing process. Meet each year to set new goals and plan for continued growth and career progression.

With the proper steps taken, employee development planning can be useful for developing talent within the company. The key is keeping the lines of communication open, setting clear expectations, and providing continuous support and feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions about Employee Development Planning

Employee development planning leads to questions from both employees and managers. Here are the most frequently asked:

1. Do employees have to participate in development planning?

Participation in employee development planning is voluntary. While managers may encourage their team members to take part, creating a development plan is not mandatory. However, active participation shows initiative and a desire to grow within the company.

2. How often must employees review and update their development plan?

It is better for employees to revisit their development plan at least once a year. Priorities, interests, and opportunities change over time. Regular reviews allow employees to adjust, keep their plan relevant, and help ensure continued progress.

3. What if an employee's goals change or conflict with the company's needs?

Development plans must align with both the employee's interests and the company’s priorities. If goals change significantly or conflict arises, the employee must discuss concerns with their manager right away. Compromise and flexibility are key. The employee and the company can then revise the plan to better suit their needs.

4. Who ensures the implementation of the plan?

Employees are primarily responsible for implementing and following through on their plan. Managers must still provide support and guidance as needed to help employees achieve their goals. But employees must take initiative and be accountable for their own development.