READ TIME – 5 MINUTES
One of the main attractions of modern employment is the promise of opportunities, growth and a career development plan.
Employees no longer want to remain in one position for the rest of their careers. They’re excited by opportunities to move up in a business and want to be rewarded for their efforts.
Many employees will be discouraged from joining a company that doesn’t invest in its people. Because of this, building a professional development plan for your employees is one of the most important things you can do.
But why?
Let AvA-V Explain the importance of creating a career development plan for your employees.
What is a Career Development Plan?
A professional development plan is a personal roadmap of somebody’s career ambitions, what they want to achieve in their career and the path they want to take to get there.
This roadmap consists of actionable and completable steps that will help staff achieve goals. Consisting of short-term and long-term goals, career development plans help both employer and employee visualise their path forward. The extent of an employee’s desired goals can vary from learning a new skill to receiving a promotion.
A strong development plan should consist of achievable targets that can be modified and expanded upon regularly.
The specific steps included in a professional development plan will vary depending on the wider goals of your company and the personal aspirations of your employee. Each program should be bespoke to your employees as everybody will have different things they want to achieve.
For example, a recent graduate with ambitions to become a Senior Team Leader will have an action plan that looks different to an employee who wishes to expand their skillset. Development plans should be tailored to the needs of your employees to see maximum results.
Why are Career Development Plans Important?
Staff development plans possess many benefits for employers and employees alike.
For Employees
For employees, one of the most important reasons for growth is the opportunity to progress, earn more money and develop new skills.
Growth opportunities are a must for your employers in 2023. A lack of career development is the number 1 reason why employees left their jobs between April 2021 and April 2022 (41%). Offering a career development plan shows your staff that you’re serious about their future and that you value the work that they do.
Professional development plans also help increase morale and motivation levels around the office. Providing your staff with personalised goals with big end rewards is a surefire way to engage them in work and raise productivity.
People will view their work as more than a job, which will increase business-wide employee engagement. If you invest in your people, your people will begin to invest in you too.
For Employers
Creating dedicated staff development plans provides you, as the employer, with several key benefits.
Firstly, staff development plans will aid employee retention. A reported 70% of employees would consider leaving their current company for a role in an organisation known for investing in employee development. This becomes a costly process as it’s much more expensive to replace an existing employee than it is to train them.
Providing them with the appropriate training will also increase their ability to work and handle trickier tasks. Having more skilled employees will add value to the company and the work it does in the long term. Future-proofing your business with motivated and talented staff will massively aid business growth. If done correctly, you should see exponentially increasing results.
How to Create a Career Development Plan for Your Employees
- Identify the People Who Want or Need One
There’s no point in wasting time creating a professional development plan for employees who won’t stick to it.
Ask your staff if they would benefit from having the plan to follow to hit their targets and achieve their goals. Identify who seems the most frustrated or stuck in their current role and offer them the support and guidance they require.
- Align Individual and Company Goals
Consider what skills each employee has and how they help exceed business targets.
Do your employees possess all of the required skills?
Are there any areas where they require improvement?
If there are performance areas where they need some extra help? If there is, why not enrol them on a Training course that will aid their development (such as the courses AvA-V offers!)
Not only will this provide your staff with the required tools, but it will also show them further that you care about them and their career development.
- Schedule Regular Check-ins
You mustn’t just create a career development plan for an employee and leave them to it. They need guidance from their leaders and experienced members of staff.
That’s you.
Help your people out by scheduling regular meetings with employees regarding staff development plans. Ask them about their successes, where they’ve struggled and how you can help them.
With this in mind, it is also important to remember that people will develop at different rates. You can’t expect your staff to develop all at the same rate, and some employees will require extra help in achieving their goals.
Give them the help that they deserve.
Support Your Team with a Career Development Plan
Career development plans can provide your people with the progression opportunities they want and need. If you allow them to develop, they will work harder in return and help your business get to where it should be.
Creating a career development plan requires thought, buy-in and a willingness to work hard. If you have the right people, you should already be on the right path to helping them achieve their goals.