How to create an employee development plan

Published: 13 March 2025 | by Brightmine | Reviewed by Robert Shore, HR Markets Insights Editor at Brightmine

If we rewind 20 or 30 years, staying in one job for an entire career was considered the norm. Job-hopping was frowned upon, and loyalty to a single employer was a badge of honour. Fast forward to today, and the labour market tells a completely different story.

Rarely do we see CVs with experience in a role for more than three years. In fact, if we look at the statistics, almost one quarter of UK employees are looking to quit their job in 2025. And according to a McKinsey study, one of the top reasons people quit is lack of career development plans.

Attracting and retaining talent has become a significant challenge for employers, which makes it all the more imperative that employers find a way to keep employees energized and engaged. A highly effective solution? A well-crafted employee development plan.

What is an employee development plan?

An employee development plan is a strategic framework designed to help team members gain new skills, enhance existing ones, and achieve their career aspirations. Essentially, it serves as a roadmap for personal and professional growth, aligning employee short- and long-term goals with the company’s objectives.

However, unlike traditional notions of career advancement, employee development isn’t limited to climbing the corporate ladder. It often includes horizontal moves across roles or teams, allowing employees to explore diverse opportunities that align with both their aspirations and the organisation’s needs.

It is also important to note that the creation of a professional development plan must be a collaborative process. This means that direct line managers and employees work together to identify both short- and long-term goals, and outline clear steps the employee can take in their day-to-day work to progress toward these objectives, detailing the tailored support and resources needed, such as training programs, mentoring, or project opportunities, to facilitate growth.

Most importantly, employee development plans are not static. They are dynamic tools designed to adapt and evolve over time, reflecting changes in employee interests, organisational priorities, and market conditions. Therefore, it is important that these are constantly reviewed, adapted and sometimes redirected completely to meet the employee and organisational goals.

The role of employee development in the employee lifecycle

When we look at the employee lifecycle, it’s clear that employee development is vital for fostering growth and driving employee experience success—both for individual employees and the organisation. Take for instance:

By addressing each stage of the employee lifecycle, career development plans create an environment where employees can thrive and businesses can grow. It’s about turning challenges into opportunities and ensuring that every step of the journey is a success.

What are the benefits of an employee development plan?

In the previous section we touched upon some of the benefits that an employee development can have during each phase of the employee life cycle. However, it is so much more than that.

How to create an employee development plan

Employee development plans can come in many shapes and forms. So, it’s important to implement an agile approach to learning and development that can be personalised to each employee, dependent on the current short term and long-term goals of the business.

Below we will outline the specific steps to take when conducting an employee development plan. However, in a nutshell. The components of an effective plan are:

• Challenge: A good development plan pushes employees to enhance their skill sets, deepen their knowledge, and build confidence in their roles.
• Support: Employees need access to resources that will help them succeed in their development goals, such as financial assistance for courses, mentorships, training programs, or project opportunities.
• Evaluation: Clear, measurable indicators of progress ensure employees and managers can track success. Setting deadlines, milestones, and deliverables keeps everyone aligned.

Step 1: Identify the business goals

Start by gathering your leadership team to discuss the company’s core business goals. Are you aiming to increase revenue, expand into global markets, or launch new products and services? Understanding these objectives will help you focus development efforts in areas that directly support organisational success.

It may even be worth taking a closer look at metrics like turnover rates, employee engagement scores, and performance KPIs. Dig deeper into specific teams, roles, or locations to identify patterns and potential areas for improvement.

It is also highly advised that you compare your company’s performance with industry benchmarks to uncover valuable insights on where you need to focus your effort.
But most importantly, by having these conversations with your leadership team and sharing the data from your research you will also strengthen your case for securing executive buy-in when it comes to gain budgets for learning and development initiatives.

Step 2: Conduct a skills gap analysis

Once you have a better idea of where the company is heading and where you should be focusing your efforts most, it’s time to start with a skills gap analysis. This process ensures that your efforts are targeted, effective, and aligned with both individual and business needs.

To do this effectively, we recommend using multiple methods:

• Employee Surveys: Gather input on employees’ perceived skills gaps and development interests. Use this feedback to align training programs with employee needs.
• Performance Reviews: Analyse areas where employees excel and where improvement is needed. Performance data provides objective insights into development priorities, helping managers tailor plans.
• Skills Assessments: Leverage structured skills assessments to identify specific skills gaps. Automated tools can streamline this process and provide actionable insights that align with business goals.

Step 3: Start speaking to employees

Now, it’s time to start speaking to employees. By this we mean individually. You as HR do not have to hold these conversations. You can be present, if your time permits, however, it is always best for the manager to conduct this, as it has been found that they are uniquely positioned to drive engagement and performance.

During the meeting, employees should be asked questions about their career goals, their anticipated future with the company or skills they feel would be useful in their current and future roles. For guidance, here are some recommended questions:

• What are your long-term career goals?
• Where do you see yourself within the company in the next three to five years?
• Are there specific skills you’d like to develop to enhance your role or prepare for future opportunities?
• What challenges are you currently facing that additional training or resources could help resolve?
• Are there projects or tasks you’d like to take on to broaden your experience?

These questions not only uncover valuable insights but also show employees that their growth and contributions are valued. When preparing your managers for these discussions, remind them that the aim is to listen more than they speak, following the principle of “two ears, one mouth”. This ensures the conversation remains employee-centered and fosters a collaborative approach to development planning.

Step 4: Discuss various development practices

Once you know what employees need and want and have set their goals, discuss the various ways you can help them work toward their staff development plan goals.

Here, it’s best if the manager has a list of resources ready to offer during the meeting. That way, the manager and employee can collaborate on a budget realistic plan right away, instead of having to schedule another meeting or set employee expectations too high, to then let them down. These can be in the form of:

• Mentorship programs.
• Training and workshops.
• Job rotation assignments.
• Peer learning opportunities.

Step 5: Create SMART goals

Employees are busy, and sometimes they need a clear direction to stay focused on their set goals. Some of these goals may be to complete certain learning modules by a specific time. Or it could be to complete a certain amount of projects within a given amount of time.

Nevertheless, the goals set for employees will really depend on the individual and their unique employee development plan. This is where setting actionable objectives using the SMART framework (Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) ensures that employees can prioritise effectively while staying motivated.

• Specific: Goals should clearly define what needs to be accomplished. For example, instead of saying, “improve project management skills,” a specific goal would be “complete a certification in project management.” Clarity helps employees know exactly what they are working towards.
• Measurable: Include metrics to track progress. Measurable goals might involve completing five training modules or presenting findings in a team meeting. Having quantifiable indicators allows both employees and managers to evaluate success effectively.
• Achievable: Goals should stretch employees but remain realistic given their current workload and resources. For instance, mastering a new tool over three months is more achievable than becoming an expert in multiple tools within the same period.
• Relevant: Align the goal with the employee’s role (or role they will be transitioning to) as well as the company’s broader objectives. If leadership development is a company priority, a relevant goal could be “participate in a leadership workshop and apply leadership skills learnings to a team project.” This alignment ensures the goal has purpose and impact.
• Time-bound: Setting a deadline creates urgency and helps employees manage their time effectively. For example, “complete this task by the end of the quarter” gives a clear timeline for achievement.

By incorporating these elements into goal setting, employees are not only more likely to succeed but also feel a sense of accomplishment and direction. Meanwhile, managers gain a straightforward framework to track progress, provide support, and adjust plans as needed, making the development process seamless and effective.

Step 6: Track results and revise strategies

Realistically, not everything that was set out in the initial plan will work. So make sure that employees and managers loop together to discuss progress, celebrate milestones and make any necessary amendments (at least every quarter).

However, measurement should not be confined at an individual level. Track this on an organisational level as well.

• Is employee engagement increasing?
• Are you seeing a boost in performance?
• Perhaps voluntary turnover or absence has reduced too?

These metrics can reveal the broader impact of your development initiatives and guide future strategies by offering valuable insights into what’s working and what needs adjustment.

For example, if engagement scores show steady improvement, it’s a clear sign that your efforts are resonating with employees. Conversely, if turnover rates remain unchanged, it maybe you need to dig deeper into the reasons behind these retention rates and to revisit the type of learning or development opportunities being offered if that is the reason behind the retention issue.

Employee development plan examples

A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work when it comes to fostering growth and driving meaningful change. Instead, effective professional development plans provide targeted support based on where the employee is in their journey.

Whether they’re striving to improve their current performance, preparing for a leadership role, or acquiring new skills to stay ahead in an evolving industry, below are some of the various types of employee development plans you tend to see in the workplace:

The HR & Compliance Centre can improve your employee development planning

Creating and maintaining effective employee development plans requires the right tools, resources, and insights—and Brightmine’s HR & Compliance Centre is here to help.

• Employment law updates: Stay up to date with the latest legal and regulatory requirements, reducing risks while supporting growth initiatives.
• HR policy templates: Access pre-built templates for crafting employee policies, contracts, and guidelines, including those tailored for new roles or promotions.
• Benchmark HR metrics: Know where you stand against industry standards to measure the impact of your development strategies.

With the Brightmine HR & Compliance Centre, you’ll have everything you need to support employees’ growth while maintaining operational excellence. Explore the HR & Compliance Centre today to discover how it can elevate your employee development strategies and help your organisation thrive.