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Career development
A Guide to Creating Individual Development Plans for Employee Growth
Nurturing employee growth is crucial for retaining and developing top talent within your organisation, and long gone are the days of a one-size fits all approach to learning. There is now a demand for personalised and targeted training which can be identified through Individual Development Plans (IDPs) and can demonstrate to an employee that you are invested in them.
In this article, we are going to discuss what IDPs can help your employees achieve, how to write an IDP and why using a personalised learning platform can help organisations create IDPs at scale.
9 minutes
Written by Bonnie van den Burgh
Understanding Individual Development Plans
Let’s firstly take a look at what individual development plans are.
An IDP is a personalised learning plan or roadmap which is specific to each individual to help them grow in a professional setting. It's essentially an action plan which assesses current job performance against the specific expectations of their role and outlines how they can progress.
An IDP requires collaboration between employers and employees in order to define goals that benefit the learner, the team and the company as a whole.
If an employee is looking develop their career they can use the IDP to measure their performance and create a clear path to meet their goals. By documenting the plan with timeframes and deliverables, it creates a template that can easily be referred back to.
Benefits of implementing individual development plans for organisations include:
- an uplift in productivity
- supporting professional development
- improving overall morale.
What is the difference between individual development plans and individual learning plans?
While the two are similar, learning plans and development plans differ in their focus.
Learning plans focus on increasing job-specific knowledge and skills, whereas development plans encompass personal and professional growth initiatives that prepare employees for future roles and responsibilities. In an individual learning and development plan, the two are combined to create a robust strategy which explores both what the employee needs to work on and how they can achieve these aims.
5 key components of an effective individual learning and development plan
Creating a strong individual learning and development plan requires an organised and detailed approach including actionable steps that align with both personal and professional goals. Let’s take a look at what is needed to carry this out successfully.
1. Defining goals and objectives
Identify what the employee wishes to achieve during their career within your organisation. By gaining insight into their ambitions and objectives, you establish a strong foundation for constructing an IDP that remains focused. Examples of goals and objectives include:
- moving into a more senior position
- taking on additional tasks
- expanding their knowledge base on relevant topics
2. Assessing current skills and competencies
Reviewing the employee’s current skillset is essential to help shape their individual learning and development plan. It is important to remain objective and discuss skills the employee excels at alongside where there may be room for improvement or where additional support is required for them to progress.
Utilising both their strengths and skills gaps ensures that a well-rounded plan is created.
3. Identifying measurable milestones and targets
Set clear and measurable milestones and targets that align with the employee's goals as determined during the assessment. This could include skills gaps or areas that they perform well in but want to progress further. These milestones act as checkpoints to track progress and ensure the employee learning and development plan stays on course.
4. Learning and training to undertake
Identifying the learning and development or training activities needed to help your employee bridge the gap between current skill levels and where they want to be gives them a clear path to reach their targets. Whether you have training opportunities in-house or need to outsource specific content, this ensures that the right training is undertaken by the right people.
5. Incorporating timelines and deadlines
Including reasonable and achievable deadlines will help to keep the IDP on track and ensures that progress is made in a suitable timeframe. It encourages the employee to stay accountable for their own development and provides a sense of purpose as they are working towards these agreed timelines.
Career development software can provide many benefits for employees and managers. Find out more.
How to create an IDP: What you need to know
Now we've established what components should be included, let’s look at how to create an IDP.
Developing a workplace learning plan for an individual requires a systematic approach which hinges on gathering specific information before you can begin writing the plan.
1. Gather input and feedback from employees and managers
Every employee is unique with their own set of strengths, weaknesses and career goals. Understanding how they view themselves within their role will offer key insight to help form their IDP.
Managers can also provide valuable insights into an employee's performance, potential, and areas needing improvement. This collaborative approach ensures that the IDP is tailored to the individual's specific needs.
2. Align development goals with organisational objectives
While an IDP is crucial for an individual’s development goals, it must also align with the strategic objectives of the organisation. An employee’s growth should enable positive change within your organisation, such as training them to take on a manager position or broaden their skillset. By using this approach, the IDP becomes a powerful tool for talent retention. Employees can see a direct connection between their personal growth and the vision of the organisation.
It also places them at the forefront of their own development as they will see how they can contribute to the vision in a meaningful way.
3. Balance short-term and long-term objectives
When setting goals, it’s important to consider both short and long-term objectives. Short-term objectives address immediate needs, such as acquiring specific skills to do well in their current role, while long-term objectives focus on career growth and advancement.
This balanced approach ensures an individual's development plan is both responsive to the present and aligned with future aspirations.
4. Address skill gaps and performance improvement areas
By pinpointing skills gaps, you can create a targeted IDP that directly addresses what needs to be actioned. This not only boosts an employee's competence in their current role but also positions them for future opportunities. Technical and soft skills should both be reviewed to ensure that a well-rounded approach is taken.
How to write an IDP: Essential content and framework
Let’s now look at how to write an IDP, focusing the content that should be included for the creation of a successful employee learning and development plan. Using this framework as a guide can result in both employee and organisation alignment.
Professional goals and aspirations
Setting out personal goals will give the IDP a strong framework that the employee can refer back to. These should be relevant to the employee’s job role but also outline their aspirations. Having specific career goals will help with linking the employee up with opportunities for development and an action plan for success.
Strengths and areas for development
Write up what has been discussed to confirm where your employee’s strengths and competencies lie. Outline where the employee is currently doing well alongside where they made need additional support in order to succeed or progress.
Opportunities for development
Here is where you can detail the learning resources and tools available within your organisation to present a clear path for your employee to progress and grow. These could encompass a wide range of formats, such as webinars, podcasts, or courses. Based on the personalised learning strategies identified to understand their specific learning styles, you can tailor it to how they best learn and engage.
Action plan
Document a framework for ongoing progress monitoring, feedback, and regular check-ins to ensure that the IDP continues to align with the employee's evolving needs and goals.
Include a timeline to provide both structure and accountability.
This can help your employee remain focused on their personal and professional growth. Short-term and long-term goals should include specific deadlines or checkpoints.
Example of an Individual Learning Plan
Now we have discussed how to create an IDP and what's involved in the process, let’s look at some IDP examples for employees.
We will look at the role of marketing coordinator and sales executive and with suggested goals that can help them progress within their roles.
This will provide IDP ideas for employees looking to enhance their professional growth and align their development with specific job roles.
Sample IDP for Marketing Coordinator
Individual Development Plan for [Employee Name Here]
Date: October 2023
Growth Period: October – December 2023
Role: Marketing Coordinator
Current performance:
[Employee] currently holds the position of Marketing Coordinator and wants to advance their career within the marketing field. In the recent performance evaluations, [Employee] consistently met expectations and demonstrated notable achievements in managing online campaigns. However, there is an opportunity for growth in the area of digital marketing expertise.
Goals:
[Employee] will concentrate on improving their digital marketing skills and expanding their online campaign management capabilities. The following objectives will guide our efforts over the next quarter:
- Enhance Digital Marketing Skills: [Employee] will embark on an online course in Advanced Social Media Marketing, extending their knowledge in digital marketing strategies.
- Google Analytics Proficiency: [Employee] will obtain Google Analytics certification, acquiring valuable data analytics skills.
- Content Marketing: [Employee] will participate in a two-day Content Marketing workshop, developing their content creation and strategy development abilities.
- Mentorship: [Employee] will seek mentorship within the marketing team to gain insights and guidance from experienced colleagues.
Comments:
These goals will not only help with [Employee]'s personal growth but will also align with their aspirations to excel in digital marketing. This IDP will be regularly reviewed to monitor progress and make any necessary adjustments, ensuring that [Employee] continues to thrive within the marketing department.
Sample IDP for Sales Executive
Date: October 2023
Growth Period: October – December 2023
Role: Sales Executive
Current performance:
[Employee] holds the position of Sales Executive and aims to develop their leadership skills within the sales department. Over recent performance evaluations, [Employee] consistently exceeded sales targets and demonstrated strong client relationship management. However, there is room for growth in leadership and strategic skills.
Goals:
[Employee] will focus on increasing their leadership abilities. The following objectives will shape our efforts over the next quarter:
- Leadership Development: [Employee] will engage in Leadership and Team Management training programme to strengthen their leadership and team-building skills.
- Mentorship: [Employee] will actively seek mentorship opportunities within the organization, connecting with experienced leaders to gain insights and guidance.
- Project Leadership: [Employee] will actively seek out leadership roles in key sales projects to apply and refine leadership skills in a practical setting.
- Team Empowerment: [Employee] will work on empowering their sales team members through coaching and collaboration, promoting a culture of growth and teamwork.
Comments
These objectives will not only contribute to [Employee]'s professional growth but also align with their aspiration to excel in leadership and strategic sales within the sales department. This IDP will undergo regular reviews to track progress and make necessary adjustments, ensuring [Employee]'s continued success and growth within the organisation.
Leveraging a personalised learning platform
A personalised learning platform is a unique space where employees can see and track their progress towards specific goals. From an organisation’s perspective, a holistic overview of the training and support needed to provide the most appropriate resources across the workforce is gained.
When there is a large workforce with an array of different departments, there is undoubtedly a lot of work in creating plans that are tailored to each individual. Utilising personalised career development software solutions ensures that the required level of detail and care is taken when producing IPD’s at scale.
By using advanced technologies to assess skills and map out suitable learning methods for development, individual development plans can be created for all employees, no matter their role or seniority. This inclusivity is crucial, as it ensures that every member of the organisation, regardless of their role, can receive the guidance and resources they need to thrive. Having the technology to assist in this task will streamline the process and ensure the right information is tracked and made available when needed.
Find out more about personalised learning and how it can take development to the next level.
Final thoughts
In a world where talent development is crucial, Individual Development Plans are the key to creating a tailored approach to learning, utilising the full potential of employees and organisations alike. By using personalised learning solutions, like Access Career Development, you can empower your employees and create robust plans at scale, meaning that no matter the size of your organisation, every employee’s career goals and aspirations can be nurtured.
