The Importance of Professional Development Plans
A research study on job satisfaction identified 18 unique conditions that must be present in the workplace for employees to feel engaged. Among these conditions, four of the lowest seven were employee training, professional development, and career path development.
Employee growth and development needs are not a typical priority in many workplaces, despite their importance. When employees identify the factors that need to be present for them to be happy at work, growth and career path development rank as one of the top five factors.
Employers must take this perspective into account if they want to attract and retain quality employees. A professional development program that offers individualized plans can help employees feel valued. It shows that the company is willing to assist them in growing both personally and professionally. It can also help align their career goals with the company’s mission or uncover differences in those goals.
Note: A professional development plan is a win-win for employers and employees. The plan focuses on the employee’s needs for growth and development and the assistance that can be provided by the organization, ensuring that the employee has the opportunity to develop their career path.
How to Create a Professional Development Plan with the Employee
There are many ways that can be effective in planning professional development. An external training course is not the only way to develop employees, and an internal program may be more effective and a source of greater employee satisfaction. You can create professional development plans with your employees in a few simple steps. Below is an overview of the process for such a meeting.
Before the Meeting
As you prepare for the meeting, engage your employee as an equal partner in the process. Let the employee know that you want to meet to discuss their career goals within the company. Ensure that the intentions of the meeting are clear and that it is a positive opportunity for both of you. Ask them to think ahead about their options for growth and development and how they envision their career path in your company.
It might be helpful to provide some questions in advance to guide the meeting and assist them in thinking and preparing. You might want to provide a printed sheet or a follow-up email with questions that will prompt their thinking. Here are some examples, but feel free to create your own questions.
What would you like to achieve this year? Are there any projects you would like to implement, expand, or join? Do you think any of your current duties could benefit from additional resources or training? What are your career goals or job growth aspirations that you hope to achieve in three years? What additional support could this organization provide to help you achieve those goals?
While preparing the employee for responses, you should also prepare recommendations on what they can do to ensure progress on their career path. Identify the types of resources and support that can be provided by the organization to help the employee achieve their professional goals and job growth.
During the Meeting
When sitting with the employee, use the questions as a guide to craft a plan with the involvement of the employee. Be flexible, as the employee may have other avenues they wish to discuss. As a manager, you should be aware of all the options available to the employee, such as job shadowing, mentoring, and specialized skills training.
Make sure you are informed and able to speak knowledgeably about all the training and development options available to your direct team members. Many employees do not consider development in any way other than taking a class, so it helps to share all additional options available for training.
Note: Many employers hold these meetings annually, and it can be beneficial for all parties to look back at the previous year’s goals to assess progress. Create a template outlining the employee’s plan, fill it in, and submit it to human resources for review, additional input, and classification.
After
The Meeting
Once the plan is in place, it’s time to take action. The best plans remain the responsibility of the employees for follow-up. Otherwise, if the employee doesn’t complete their development opportunities, they may choose to blame management, which is unproductive for everyone.
You can guide the employee in certain directions, but don’t do their work for them. For example, if the employee’s plan includes improving communication and public speaking skills, it should be the employee’s responsibility to look for classes or clubs that practice these skills, such as the local Toastmasters. HR and the manager can assist the employee in exploring their options, and these options may require approval or funding, but the employee is ultimately responsible for making the choice and following through.
Note: The HR team can be a great resource for helping to identify excellent suppliers and avoid low-quality development opportunities, but the employee should take on most of the work in finding them and selling the idea to the company.
Issues to Avoid in Career Development Planning
There are several issues that can hinder an effective career development plan, as well as some statements that should be avoided during the process.
Avoid Making Promises
Be sure not to guarantee a specific outcome or form a contract with the employee by promising the company will provide training or other benefits. The best you can do is say that you will help in any way possible, but the company’s growth and economic conditions, priorities, and goals will affect the developmental path desired by the employee, promotions, and their career goals. Nothing is guaranteed, and it’s best to leave room for flexibility.
Know the Law
You want to avoid statements that overcommit the company. For example, in a small manufacturing company, the HR department put up a “Job Opportunities” bulletin board in the lunchroom. The company attorney advised them that the board implied that employees were promised job opportunities and asked the HR department to label the board “Job Openings” instead. Be aware of the applicable labor laws at the state and federal levels in your area.
Leaving the Employee to Follow Up
Remember that the career development plan is the employee’s responsibility. You can facilitate follow-up, explore options with the employee, provide opportunities where possible, and encourage the employee to set goals for growth and expand their career path and skills, but you cannot do this for them. The employee must own their plan.
Setting Boundaries to Protect Your Time
No matter how dedicated you are to helping your employees grow, you have limited time to assist. Your primary role is still as their manager. For example, unless you are aware of a great class or resource, providing options for the employee to develop their skills is not your main responsibility. It can be rewarding to be a mentor to the employee, but make sure you are not committing your resources in a way that harms you.
Conclusion
As an employer, you have a significant responsibility toward your employees and your company. By utilizing career development plans, you can serve both by helping your employees grow in their careers, creating a better company culture, and a more valuable and skilled workforce.
Just remember that your role in the career development program is to provide guidance and support, not to help them directly. Use the meeting to set goals and timelines, and to communicate with your employees that they are in control of their futures.
Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/steps-to-create-a-career-development-plan-1917798
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