{"id":48126,"date":"2022-07-19T12:34:37","date_gmt":"2022-07-19T16:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/?p=48126"},"modified":"2025-05-29T06:51:48","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T10:51:48","slug":"employee-development-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/employee-development-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Steps to Create an Actionable Employee Development Plan [with Templates &#038; Examples]"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-59996 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/07\/employee-development-plan-blog-header.png\" alt=\"employee development plan blog header venngage\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" srcset=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/07\/employee-development-plan-blog-header.png 1024w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/07\/employee-development-plan-blog-header-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/07\/employee-development-plan-blog-header-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/07\/employee-development-plan-blog-header-730x411.png 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<p>Having a tough time keeping talented&nbsp;people on staff? Maybe you&#8217;ve&nbsp;considered giving them a raise or boosting their time off. While both are reasonable strategies, one of the best ways to engage workers is actually to invest in their development. And employee development plans are crucial tools to do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More than 90% of workers say they would be more likely to stick with their current employer if the organization was invested in helping them learn and develop new skill sets, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2019\/02\/27\/94percent-of-employees-would-stay-at-a-company-for-this-one-reason.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">LinkedIn survey<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For companies without mature training programs, creating simple but effective employee development plans does not have to come with a major investment of time or money. In fact, with Venngage, you can create an actionable employee development plan with just a few clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"toc\"><strong>Click to jump ahead:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#definition\">What is an employee development plan?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/wp-admin\/post.php?post=48126&amp;action=edit#templates\">6&nbsp;employee development plan templates<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#benefit\">Benefits of employee development plans<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#steps\">8&nbsp;steps to creating an actionable employee development plan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a style=\"font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, sans-serif;\" href=\"#faq\">FAQs about employee development plans<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"definition\"><strong>What is an employee development plan?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>An employee development plan describes the process needed to help an individual achieve their professional goals. It&nbsp;covers their career goals, the steps necessary to achieve those goals and the timeframe by which each goal should be met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This employee development plan template is a good example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/reports\/healthcare-individual-development-plan-worksheet-ed23271a-2002-402a-b979-c49b9572d3e3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/ed23271a-2002-402a-b979-c49b9572d3e3.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48172\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/reports\/healthcare-individual-development-plan-worksheet-ed23271a-2002-402a-b979-c49b9572d3e3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS REPORT TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Employee development plans usually include both short-term and long-term goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a content marketer may have a short-term development goal of mastering writing long-form content within six months, and a long-term goal of becoming a content marketing manager in five years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To create a professional development plan in this scenario, the content marketer will need to work with their manager to align their personal development goals with the company&#8217;s business goals, then discuss the steps and\/or tasks they need to complete to reach those goals. Some of these tasks could be: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Ideate, research and write four original blog posts per month, each ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 words <\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ideate, research and write one white paper per quarter, generating X to Y leads<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Report on blog post performance in terms of traffic, search result ranking, and conversion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Update blog posts if necessary, based on their performance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>They can also turn those smaller tasks into SMART goals to better keep track of them: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/mind-maps\/smart-goals-team-brainstorming-board-eb5e17cb-7a32-41f7-afa4-4d3e5a26d13f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-smart-goal.png\" alt=\"employee development plan smart goal example\" class=\"wp-image-59804\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\" srcset=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-smart-goal.png 1632w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-smart-goal-300x194.png 300w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-smart-goal-1024x663.png 1024w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-smart-goal-768x497.png 768w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-smart-goal-1536x994.png 1536w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-smart-goal-730x472.png 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1632px) 100vw, 1632px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/mind-maps\/smart-goals-team-brainstorming-board-eb5e17cb-7a32-41f7-afa4-4d3e5a26d13f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS MIND MAP TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Employee development plans are helpful not only for workers but for organizations as well, and there are many benefits for organizations to develop these strategies, both company-wide and for individual team members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/employee-development\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Employee Development: Definition, Benefits &amp; Visual Aids<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"#toc\">Return to Table of Contents<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"templates\"><strong>6&nbsp;employee development plan templates<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you start creating an employee development plan, let&#8217;s take a look at some templates you can use! These include both blank and filled-out <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/employee-development-plan-examples\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">employee development plan samples<\/a> that can help inspire you with <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/employee-development-ideas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">development plan ideas<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/healthcare-individual-development-plan-process-infographic-c88a097d-e12a-48f3-9b68-657958600fbf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/c88a097d-e12a-48f3-9b68-657958600fbf.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48169\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/healthcare-individual-development-plan-process-infographic-c88a097d-e12a-48f3-9b68-657958600fbf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS INFOGRAPHIC TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Customize this process with the steps you&#8217;ve developed to make sure your team members are fully briefed on what their responsibilities will be as they work through the employee development process.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/reports\/healthcare-individual-development-plan-8e28895f-e4c7-4214-918f-25a5e042d371\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/8e28895f-e4c7-4214-918f-25a5e042d371.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48164\" width=\"700\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/reports\/healthcare-individual-development-plan-8e28895f-e4c7-4214-918f-25a5e042d371\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS REPORT TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>This <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/individual-development-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">individual development plan<\/a> can be easily customized for your organization&#8217;s needs. It&#8217;s especially useful for organizations with new or nonexistent training and development programs, as it includes examples to help inspire workers and managers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/checklist\/leadership-skills-inventory-and-self-assessment-checklist-3b517466-400c-432a-af1f-f1188c2108a3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/3b517466-400c-432a-af1f-f1188c2108a3.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48162\" width=\"700\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/checklist\/leadership-skills-inventory-and-self-assessment-checklist-3b517466-400c-432a-af1f-f1188c2108a3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS CHECKLIST TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re considering a young or inexperienced team member for leadership positions, have them complete this self-assessment. Customize it to add tasks or competencies specific to the job for which you&#8217;re considering them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/diagrams\/healthcare-performance-training-development-venn-diagram-905e8437-ff8c-4bbb-be09-ed3116b95c81\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/905e8437-ff8c-4bbb-be09-ed3116b95c81.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48167\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/diagrams\/healthcare-performance-training-development-venn-diagram-905e8437-ff8c-4bbb-be09-ed3116b95c81\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br><button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS CHART TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p>Monitoring progress during any process is important, but professionals taking part in employee development are especially interested in knowing they&#8217;re on the right track. Modify this performance matrix every few weeks to keep them up to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/plan-to-career-change-process-infographic--beb621ed-b913-4985-870d-82a3152cad7b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/beb621ed-b913-4985-870d-82a3152cad7b.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48168\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/plan-to-career-change-process-infographic--beb621ed-b913-4985-870d-82a3152cad7b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS INFOGRAPHIC TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Though this infographic is focused on a <a href=\"https:\/\/climbhire.co\/career-development\/career-change-at-30\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">career change<\/a>, which you may not want to encourage, you can easily customize it to add the steps involved in the development plan you and your employee created together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#toc\"><strong>Return to Table of Contents<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"benefit\"><strong>Benefits of individual development plans<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Organizations that invest in employee development can realize many benefits, the least of which is potentially improving the company\u2019s bottom line through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.motivosity.com\/blog\/17-tips-to-build-a-community-at-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recognizing and rewarding employees<\/a> who show potential. Here\u2019s a look at the biggest benefits of employee development plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. <strong>Limiting turnover<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We already referenced <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2019\/02\/27\/94percent-of-employees-would-stay-at-a-company-for-this-one-reason.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this survey<\/a>, but it bears repeating here \u2014 94% of people said they&#8217;d stick with a job if the company helped them learn new skills and develop as a professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. <strong>Building skills<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Career development plans are often focused on adding tools to a team member&#8217;s skill set. In doing so, the company itself benefits from their newfound skills. A <a href=\"https:\/\/learning.linkedin.com\/content\/dam\/me\/business\/en-us\/amp\/learning-solutions\/images\/wlr21\/pdf\/LinkedIn-Learning_Workplace-Learning-Report-2021-EN-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2021 LinkedIn survey<\/a> found that 59% of corporate <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/learning-and-development\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">learning and development<\/a> programs were focused on upskilling and reskilling.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/social-media\/hr-development-trend-facebook-post-cf2f6119-6b97-47ac-a63a-86c820c9065c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-invest-employees.png\" alt=\"invest in employee and create employee development plans\" class=\"wp-image-59981\" width=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-invest-employees.png 1200w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-invest-employees-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-invest-employees-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-invest-employees-768x403.png 768w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-invest-employees-730x383.png 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/social-media\/hr-development-trend-facebook-post-cf2f6119-6b97-47ac-a63a-86c820c9065c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS SOCIAL MEDIA TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Boosting engagement &amp; retention<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Workers who feel they&#8217;re going nowhere in your organization are likely to find somewhere else to go. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.workvivo.com\/blog\/11-best-employee-engagement-platforms-ranked-rated\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Engaging team<\/a> members through training and development programs ensure the new role they find is within your organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Read more:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/employee-engagement\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Improve Employee Engagement with Visuals<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/social-media\/pillars-of-employee-engagement-linkedin-post-b35b7282-cd7a-4625-a726-17e6b9c96e2b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-pillars-employee-engagement.png\" alt=\"employee development plan list infographic on 8 pillars of employee engagement\" class=\"wp-image-59806\" width=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-pillars-employee-engagement.png 1200w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-pillars-employee-engagement-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-pillars-employee-engagement-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-pillars-employee-engagement-768x403.png 768w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-pillars-employee-engagement-730x383.png 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/social-media\/pillars-of-employee-engagement-linkedin-post-b35b7282-cd7a-4625-a726-17e6b9c96e2b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS SOCIAL MEDIA TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Improving company outlook<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For organizations that are looking to expand into new products or services, building the skills of existing employees is often the best way to achieve their goals. In this way, they end up with team members who have the new skills they need <em>and<\/em> the past institutional knowledge that makes them more efficient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Looking to create employee development programs and boost retention by as much as 80%? Venngage\u00a0can help you with that.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply create a free account and start designing infographics, presentations, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/microlearning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">microlearning<\/a>&nbsp;assets to build a strong&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/employee-training-and-development\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">employee training and development program<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s an example of a flyer&nbsp;outlining the benefits of using Venngage for your company&#8217;s learning and development program, but you can customize it for your own training program proposal:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/flyers\/company-product-marketing-business-flyer-41a899ca-e812-46b2-b1ae-480d9cedec2d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/41a899ca-e812-46b2-b1ae-480d9cedec2d.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48166\" width=\"700\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/flyers\/company-product-marketing-business-flyer-41a899ca-e812-46b2-b1ae-480d9cedec2d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS FLYER TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#toc\"><strong>Return to Table of Contents<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"steps\"><strong>5&nbsp;steps to creating an actionable employee development plan<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Organizations that lack established training and development programs likely don&#8217;t have much experience in creating actionable employee development plans. To set yourself up for success, follow these five simple steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"#1\">Establish executive support and determine organizational goals<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#2\">Examine skill gaps<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#3\">Identify employee goals and cross-check with organizational goals<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#4\">Determine ideal development methods and execute the plan<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#5\">Monitor progress and refine strategies<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1\"><strong>1. Establish executive support and determine organizational goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As with any new major initiative, having support from leadership is crucial. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Programs often sputter out because there&#8217;s no managerial-level sponsor or champion. In some cases, the company will need to invest in training, and this requires sign-off from executives and other leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve got support from <a href=\"https:\/\/flair.hr\/en\/blog\/types-of-managers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">management<\/a>, start thinking about the business&#8217;s goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At their core, employee development plans are focused on company goals, though the individual professional is the conduit for those goals. Still, understanding what the organization wants from employee development plans is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Organizational goals for individual workers will likely vary from person to person. Examples include <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.jostle.me\/blog\/employee-retention\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">improving employee retention<\/a>, succession planning, upskilling or reskilling \u2014 the options are limitless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2\"><strong>2. Examine skill gaps<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With your organizational goal and the team member in mind, what skills needed for achieving the goal does the worker lack? Do all workers lack these skills? Identify all the skills needed and determine what gaps exist across the organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s an example of a matrix describing the skills needed for different marketing roles. Customize this template to help your employees examine their skill gaps or look for what they&#8217;re interested in learning more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/roadmaps\/marketing-skills-training-matrix-roadmap-b7ec1432-8e65-477b-94a5-a8eb47949f20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Employee-Development-Plan-Marketing-Skill-Training-Matrix.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48639\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/roadmaps\/marketing-skills-training-matrix-roadmap-b7ec1432-8e65-477b-94a5-a8eb47949f20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS ROADMAP TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3\"><strong>3. Identify employee goals and cross-check with organizational goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Meet with the employee(s) who want a career development plan. Most of the time, you can meet with them in private \u2014 like in a one-on-one. You can also organize a team meeting where you all identify personal goals for each team member. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How often should you meet with your employees about professional development? This typically happens at least once per year, or whenever your reports request a meeting. Some companies have <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/performance-review-examples\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">performance reviews<\/a> every six months, so you can meet with your employee to discuss development goals then. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/reports\/quarterly-performance-review-template-846ec8d6-e209-4d0f-8f8e-675ba402d6b5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-performance-review.png\" alt=\"determine areas to develop based on performance review discussion\" class=\"wp-image-59983\" width=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-performance-review.png 960w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-performance-review-115x300.png 115w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-performance-review-393x1024.png 393w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-performance-review-768x2002.png 768w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-performance-review-589x1536.png 589w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-performance-review-785x2048.png 785w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-performance-review-730x1903.png 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/reports\/quarterly-performance-review-template-846ec8d6-e209-4d0f-8f8e-675ba402d6b5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS REPORT TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>In the meeting, ask them what they want to achieve in your organization, what skills they would want to develop and what their long-term and short-term goals are for their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider creating a worksheet or checklist like this one to help ensure employees are aware of what&#8217;s expected of them in this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/checklist\/healthcare-manager-and-employee-development-checklist-11e2e683-7275-4027-9532-dcaf2e4f71f8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/11e2e683-7275-4027-9532-dcaf2e4f71f8.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48165\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/checklist\/healthcare-manager-and-employee-development-checklist-11e2e683-7275-4027-9532-dcaf2e4f71f8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS CHECKLIST TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s important both you and your reports prepare for this meeting beforehand. Ask them to think of professional and personal growth areas, and take your own notes on this as well. There are <a href=\"https:\/\/fellow.app\/blog\/meetings\/meeting-minutes-example-and-best-practices\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">meeting minutes samples<\/a> that you can use for this, so you can record the conversation and revisit it when necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"development-area\"><strong>Examples of development areas<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Employee development plans should focus on what team members want to achieve and how they can go about doing that. The process involves <a href=\"https:\/\/www.coursesforsuccess.com\/blogs\/news\/what-are-soft-skills-and-why-are-they-important\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">identifying their existing skills<\/a> to see what they lack or where they could improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some employee development plans will focus on broad, soft skills like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Organization<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chanty.com\/blog\/interpersonal-communication\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Interpersonal communication<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Time management<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Listening<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Collaboration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conflict resolution<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adaptability<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/change-management-process\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Change management<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/decision-making-process\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Decision making<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Other employee development plans will focus on hard skills that are directly related to specific job tasks. That could include mastery of specific computer programs or broad digital fluency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/high-performance-model-cycle-infographic-f6c3c302-a1f8-4953-9d61-58333a2f57ce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-high-performance-model.png\" alt=\"areas of career development according to the high performance model cycle\" class=\"wp-image-59984\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\" srcset=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-high-performance-model.png 816w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-high-performance-model-232x300.png 232w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-high-performance-model-791x1024.png 791w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-high-performance-model-768x994.png 768w, https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2022\/07\/employee-development-plan-high-performance-model-730x945.png 730w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 816px) 100vw, 816px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/high-performance-model-cycle-infographic-f6c3c302-a1f8-4953-9d61-58333a2f57ce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS INFOGRAPHIC TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Examples of personal growth<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Employee development plans focus on making team members better workers, allowing them to grow as individuals through the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, <a href=\"https:\/\/learning.linkedin.com\/content\/dam\/me\/business\/en-us\/amp\/learning-solutions\/images\/wlr21\/pdf\/LinkedIn-Learning_Workplace-Learning-Report-2021-EN-1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according to LinkedIn<\/a>, about 73% of professionals want to learn about topics they&#8217;re personally interested in when taking part in workplace development programs.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/playful-blue-employee-engagement-company-list-infographic-d86b313b-c796-415c-8b6c-dab17f25b52e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/d86b313b-c796-415c-8b6c-dab17f25b52e.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48171\" width=\"700\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/playful-blue-employee-engagement-company-list-infographic-d86b313b-c796-415c-8b6c-dab17f25b52e\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS INFOGRAPHIC TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>Indeed, as this infographic illustrates, investing in people means also investing in their personal growth. Many of the soft skills listed above are as useful outside the workplace as inside, if not more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a workplace development plan focused on building skills for conflict resolution could pay dividends not only in relationships with coworkers but with family members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Identify areas where employee and organizational goals overlap<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>With those two sets of goals in mind, determine areas where organizational goals overlap employee goals or where they overlap if certain skills could be developed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider employees&#8217; potential and personality traits, and remember that training and development program should focus on building hard skills and soft skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4\"><strong>4. Determine ideal development methods and execute the plan<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve identified areas of development for your employees, start looking at the best methods to help them do so. Many employee development plans include several types of skills, so multiple methods may be necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><meta charset=\"utf-8\">How can you ensure career development plans are effective? Besides choosing the right methods (which we&#8217;ll touch on in a moment), consider the impact on the person&#8217;s existing job and the rest of the team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Will they need to take time off work to build these skills? Do you expect them to do this in their free time?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This infographic describes the process that HR teams can use to help employees break bad habits.&nbsp;An employee development plan&nbsp;won&#8217;t likely focus on just reducing bad habits unless the habit is seriously impacting the employee&#8217;s&nbsp;individual and team performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/fixing-bad-habits-process-infographic-4bd027ef-72ff-4ccb-843f-0a4acf5de8e7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Employee-Development-Plan-Breaking-Bad-Habits.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48640\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/fixing-bad-habits-process-infographic-4bd027ef-72ff-4ccb-843f-0a4acf5de8e7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS INFOGRAPHIC TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Employee development methods<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In most employee development plans, multiple methods will be used to achieve the desired outcome. Some goals are easier to achieve, while others will take more time, so organizations need to be agile enough to provide the tools employees need to build the necessary skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That includes but isn&#8217;t limited to the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Coaching<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mentoring<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cross-training<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Job shadowing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Job rotation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assessment centers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Online employee development<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Nearly 60% of learning and development professionals expect their companies to spend more on online learning, according to LinkedIn. Make the most of your company&#8217;s investment by creating a robust&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/elearning-infographics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">e-learning<\/a>&nbsp;course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/e-learning-course-curriculum-development-process-infographic-7f5b2219-7820-4221-9621-587cefc983fe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/7f5b2219-7820-4221-9621-587cefc983fe.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48163\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/infographics\/e-learning-course-curriculum-development-process-infographic-7f5b2219-7820-4221-9621-587cefc983fe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS INFOGRAPHIC TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5\"><strong>5. Monitor progress and refine development strategies based on results<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Set a series of milestones employees should achieve on the path toward meeting their goals and building their new skills. Check in with them regularly to ensure they have the support they need and that they remain engaged and interested in the learning they&#8217;re doing. An <a href=\"https:\/\/www.activtrak.com\/solutions\/employee-monitoring\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">employee monitoring program<\/a> should be used to track productivity and understand how the work is done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Constantly work to refine your strategies. What works for one person may not work for another, but chances are good that if one particular development method or technique was successful in building a new skill for one person, it will work for another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#toc\"><strong>Return to Table of Contents<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FAQs about employee development plans<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How far ahead should employees plan for?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This depends on the goal and the line of work the employee current performs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a fairly junior employee aiming to become a team lead may have a one- or two-year career development goals. On the other hand, a manager aiming to become a company leader may have much longer-term goals, which should also align more with the organizational goals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, if you&#8217;re planning far into the future, you should also have smaller goals to keep track along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How can I help employees pursue a career I\u2019m unfamiliar with?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In this situation, make sure you offer your employees advice where you can while connecting them to different resources that align more with their career path. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Refer to the different <a href=\"#development-area\">development areas<\/a>: you may not be able to help your employees with technical skill development, but you can offer advice on personal development areas like negotiation skills, change management, project management etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"types\"><strong>What are the types of employee development plans?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Employee development plans generally come in two varieties, one focused on the <strong>employee<\/strong> and one focused on the <strong>organization<\/strong>, though both involve helping team members build needed skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Individual development plan<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>An individual development plan is an employee development plan specifically focused on creating a strategy for helping a&nbsp;professional achieve their career goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/reports\/healthcare-individual-development-plan-worksheet-ed23271a-2002-402a-b979-c49b9572d3e3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/ed23271a-2002-402a-b979-c49b9572d3e3.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48172\" width=\"700\" style=\"box-shadow: 0 1px 4px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 0 6px 0 rgb(0 0 0 \/ 10%), 0 2px 2px -2px rgb(0 0 0 \/ 15%);\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/reports\/healthcare-individual-development-plan-worksheet-ed23271a-2002-402a-b979-c49b9572d3e3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS REPORT TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>The above worksheet is a good example of an individual development <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/training-plan-template\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">training plan<\/a> that allows a team member and their manager to determine skills and tools the worker lacks as well as the goals they hope to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Succession planning<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Succession planning is a method of employee development that focuses more on filling internal needs and ensuring&nbsp;that talented workers have the skills they need to step into new roles within the company.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/checklist\/leadership-readiness-checklist-c0053309-787c-44fc-9147-aa44d6133173\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/venngage-wordpress.s3.amazonaws.com\/uploads\/2021\/06\/c0053309-787c-44fc-9147-aa44d6133173.png\" alt=\"employee development plan\" class=\"wp-image-48170\" width=\"700\"\/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/templates\/checklist\/leadership-readiness-checklist-c0053309-787c-44fc-9147-aa44d6133173\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>CREATE THIS CHECKLIST TEMPLATE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<p>This leadership readiness checklist is an excellent example of succession planning in employee development. A checklist like this can help an organization identify candidates for leadership roles and determine what skills they would need to adequately do those jobs.<br><br>Related: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/training-checklist\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">11 (Non-Boring) Training Checklist Templates to Keep Employees on Track<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#toc\"><strong>Return to Table of Contents<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>In summary:&nbsp;Employee development plans prove to your workers that you are invested in their future<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No employee wants to feel like a cog in a machine, and companies that treat their workers as expendable likely won&#8217;t have those workers on the payroll for long. Show your employees that you are invested in their future by creating employee development plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by registering for a free Venngage account. Customize our recommended templates and see for yourself how easy it is to design a professional employee development plan, even if you don&#8217;t have the necessary design skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can always upgrade to a Business plan to enjoy <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/business\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Business<\/a> exclusive features, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/venngage.com\/blog\/my-brand-kit\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">one-click branding<\/a> and real-time team collaboration \u2014 which is really helpful if you want to work on the development plan with your employees at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><a href=\"https:\/\/infograph.venngage.com\/register\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<button class=\"btn-cta\"><b>START CREATING FOR FREE<\/b><\/button><\/a><\/center>&nbsp;\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Having a tough time keeping talented&nbsp;people on staff? Maybe you&#8217;ve&nbsp;considered giving them a raise or boosting their time off. While both are reasonable strategies, one of the best ways to engage workers is actually to invest in their development. And employee development plans are crucial tools to do just that. More than 90% of workers [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106,"featured_media":59996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false},"categories":[189],"tags":[260,295],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v17.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You&#039;ll never go broke investing in your employees. 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