Employee Development Plan: Examples + How to Put One Together

 An employee development plan is more than just a procedural tool—it's a strategic blueprint that guides each employee's professional journey within your organisation.

If you’re responsible for HR within your company, then you’ll probably know this can be one of the most fulfilling aspects of your role: watching employees grow, evolve and develop. 

This guide provides a clear framework on how to craft development plans for UK staff while offering some practical examples of development plans that meet diverse career aspirations and organisational needs.

​​Employee development plans defined

An employee development plan, also called an employee growth plan or training and development plan, is a customised action plan that helps employees improve their skills and advance their careers in alignment with company goals. It's a collaborative effort between the employer and the employee to identify career goals, the skills needed to achieve these, and the steps it will take to get there. 

Altogether, it sets out a pathway for an individual to reach their personal and professional goals while keeping in mind the greater organisation’s mission. More practically, this looks like a plan that sets out learning milestones and supports skill honing and development. 

A development plan for employees can fit within that employee’s overall performance management plan, which managers can review with employees during their performance reviews or appraisals. 

Why are development plans important in the UK?

As we’ve started to touch on, these plans are an essential part of the overall employee performance management process. They’re key for aligning individual employee growth with the strategic needs of your organisation, thereby improving job satisfaction, reducing turnover, and boosting overall productivity. They communicate to employees that the company is invested in their long-term success, fostering loyalty and dedication.

Some other ways employee development plans can impact your organisation are: 

• By increasing staff productivity and effectiveness - as workers focus on improving their skills, they can get quicker and more efficient at their job

• Improving attraction and retention rates - because employees feel healthily challenged and engaged by their work

• Enhancing company culture - feeding a culture of curiosity, learning and self-improvement that inspires employees and keeps them for becoming bored

• Reducing employee churn - and consequently recruiting, hiring and onboarding costs to fill empty seats. 

• Improved internal succession and mobility - creating opportunities for employees to move around and up as their career develops instead of remaining stuck and stagnant.

How to create an effective employee development plan

Creating an impactful development plan involves several key steps:

1. Set clear objectives

Collaborate with the employee to define clear, measurable, and attainable goals that support both their career ambitions and the company's strategic direction.

2. Assess skills gaps

Determine the skills the employee currently possesses versus those they need to develop to achieve their goals. This can be done through self-assessments or feedback from managers and peers.

3. Outline actionable steps

As part of your employee development plan, you’ll want to detail the specific activities that will help the employee develop the necessary skills, such as training programs, assignments, or mentoring.

4. Allocate resources

Identify the resources required, including time, budget, and tools, to support the employee’s development activities.

5. Establish a timeline

Set a realistic timeline for achieving the goals, with milestones for gauging progress, and, of course, measuring performance.

6. Monitor and adjust

Regularly review the plan with the employee to assess progress, celebrate achievements, and make adjustments as needed.

Employee development plan examples 

Sometimes, it’s helpful to review an illustration of what a plan could look like.  

Here are several examples of staff development plans that are common in the UK, outlining the different types of development plans you can put forward to employees based on their different career aspirations and goals and practical organisational needs.

Example 1: Leadership development for high-potential employees

Leadership development plans are essential for preparing high-potential employees for future leadership roles. These plans focus on enhancing strategic decision-making skills, leadership abilities, and team management capabilities, providing employees with the tools they need to take on managerial positions within the company.

Goal: Prepare for leadership roles within the company.

Skills Gap: Leadership, strategic decision-making, and team management.

Actions: Enroll in a leadership development program; undertake a series of rotational assignments across different departments; receive coaching from a senior leader.

Example 2: Technical skills enhancement for IT professionals

Technical development plans aim to keep IT professionals abreast of the latest technologies and methodologies that are critical to the company’s operations. These plans help employees master new tools and platforms, ensuring they can contribute to the company’s technological advancements and project needs.

Goal: Master advanced technologies relevant to the company's future projects.

Skills Gap: Specific programming languages or technology platforms.

Actions: Complete certifications in desired technologies; participate in relevant workshops and seminars; apply skills in real-world projects under the guidance of a mentor.

Example 3: Sales performance improvement

Sales development plans are a type of employee development plan designed to boost the effectiveness of sales personnel through advanced training in negotiation and customer engagement techniques. These plans help sales employees enhance their ability to close deals and build better relationships with clients, directly impacting the company's bottom line.

Goal: Increase sales figures by enhancing negotiation and customer engagement techniques.

Skills Gap: Advanced sales strategies and customer relationship management.

Actions: Attend a specialised sales training workshop; pair with a top-performing sales mentor; implement new strategies in daily work.

Example 4: Career transition within a company

Career transition plans support employees who wish to move into new roles within the organisation, such as transitioning from technical positions to product management. These plans provide the training and experiences necessary to bridge skill gaps and help employees make a smooth transition into their new roles.

Goal: Transition from a technical role to a product management role.

Skills Gap: Product lifecycle management, market analysis, and cross-functional leadership.

Actions: Shadow a current product manager; attend a series of product strategy sessions; lead a small-scale project team.

Example 5: Development for administrative staff

Development plans for administrative staff focus on enhancing organisational and communication skills to support higher-level management. These plans are tailored to help administrative professionals manage more complex tasks and provide higher levels of support to executives and teams.

Goal: Enhance organisational and communication skills to support higher-level management.

Skills Gap: Advanced administrative skills, professional communication, and project coordination.

Actions: Participate in advanced administrative training; take on temporary project coordination roles; receive regular feedback from supervisors.

Example 6: Customer support to customer success transition

Customer success development plans are designed for customer support staff looking to move into customer success roles. These employee development plans equip employees with the strategies and skills needed to manage customer relationships and ensure client satisfaction, fostering long-term business success.

Goal: Move from customer support roles to customer success management.

Skills Gap: Customer success strategies, account management, analytical skills.

Actions: Undergo training in customer success management; manage a portfolio of small accounts under supervision; participate in cross-functional meetings with sales and marketing teams.

Improving growth with employee development plans

We hope you found these employee development plan mini-templates useful. ​ These examples illustrate how varied and flexible employee development plans can be, providing clear pathways for individual growth and organisational success. By investing time in creating thoughtful, personalised development plans, you contribute significantly to your employees' career trajectories and to the overall health and success of your organisation.