Performance Review and Appraisals

Why do we need career development plans?

Career growth and development is a key factor of employee engagement and a well-thought-out employee development plan provides opportunity and clear direction so individuals know how to increase their skills and further their careers.

It’s a win win for both parties though, if you are upskilling your workforce you will benefit from their increased skill set, adding value to your business.

But how do you create a career development plan?

1. Consider your business goals

There is no point promising a development plan if it doesn’t benefit your business so make sure that employee development plans are aligned with your company’s business needs.

2. Identify the skills you need

Once you know what your future business needs, you can identify the skills, knowledge and competencies that support the development goals.

This may be a particular technical competence or leadership skills. Whatever the requirement, you need to map out the gaps and what is needed to fill them.

3. Communicate

Don’t second guess what it is that your employees are looking for from personal and career development.

Talk to them to find out what their aspirations and goals are.

It may be that these fit exactly with what you had in mind or if not there could be further ideas or compromise solutions.

Regular 1-2-1’s and performance reviews provide opportunity for career development conversations and allow you to work together to figure out what role your business can play in their plans as well as what opportunities you can offer them.

4. Recognise willing

It’s important to recognise that there is a difference between potential and being ready at that time to take on the challenge.

Career development requires commitment and inclination and it’s got to be right for that person at that time.

They need to be in the right place personally, professionally and with the required skills and ability to undertake the role.

5. Consider all types of training and development

Developing new skills can be done in a variety of ways.

It doesn’t have to be formal and expensive training.

Staff often learn better with exposure to different assignments and projects, working with a mentor or taking on small aspects of new responsibility in order to slowly grow into a field.

On the job learning and development is critical to succession planning, giving less experienced employees the chance to learn and grow from within.

6. Create a plan and timelines

Write down the learning opportunities and identify specific and timely goals along with responsibility for action and evaluation along the way.

Clarity is critical to success so make sure your employees understand the expectations and the end goal.

Finally, make sure they own the plan – this is their development and whilst it aims to benefit your business, responsibility for the return on investment sits with them.

You want to see outcomes, successes and the development and refining of new skills.

The benefit

By investing in your employees you will create a more skilled and valuable workforce which in turn will increase motivation and employee satisfaction.

Good performance reviews are a continuous two-way process which helps your employees focus on their part in delivering your business goals.

Too often the annual appraisal can be viewed with trepidation, as a paper-based exercise offering little value to either party.

As a business owner, understanding how to make the most of performance reviews is vital if you are to achieve your business objectives.

With this in mind, Solutions for HR can help you develop and implement systems so you can harness the power of your people.

The intention isn’t to be onerous.

We will work with you to identify what options work best for your business, from weekly 1-2-1s to annual appraisals.

Need help with appraisal development or implementation?

Read how we helped a branding agency by clicking appraisal and development case study