Guidebook on How to Create Employee Development Plan

@ Geeta, have your company implemented individual development plan approach? Maybe you can also share your story here.....Thanks.

When implementing a training scorecard it is important to track, collect, compile, analyze, and report six different types of training data collected over different time periods. These types of data are indicators, reaction, learning, application, business impact, and return-on-investment.

Indicators. This is the traditional approach to reporting training data. Some examples of indicators are number of employees trained, total training hours, training hours per employee, training investment as a percentage of payroll, cost per participant. Although these measures are necessary, they do not reflect the results of the training program. There are many types of indicators, but it is most important to include in the scorecard the measures of interest to the organization's top managers.

Level 1: REACTION. At this level, participants reactions to and satisfaction with the training program are measured. Some recommended data to capture on Level 1 instruments are:
- relevance of training to job
- recommendation of training to others
- importance of information received
- intention to use skills/knowledge acquired
Those four items have predictive validity for projecting actual applications and should be compared from one program to another.

Level 2 : LEARNING. Learning can be measured informally with self-assessments, team assessments, or facilitator assessments, or formally with objective tests, performance testing, or simulations. Learning self-assessments may ask participants to rate the following items:
- understanding of the skills/knowledge acquired
- ability to use the skills/knowledge acquired
- confidence in the use of skills/knowledge acquired

Level 3 : BEHAVIOR APPLICATION. This level measures changes in on-the-job behavior while the training is applied or implemented. This in¬formation often is collected through a follow-up survey or questionnaire. Key questions asked concern :
- the importance of the skills/knowledge hack on the job
- the frequency of use of the new skills/knowledge
- the effectiveness of the skills/knowledge when applied on the job

Level 4 : BUSINESS IMPACT. At this level the actual business results of the training program are identified. A paper-based or automated follow-up questionnaire can be used to gather this data. Depending on the training programs' performance and business objectives, data may be gathered on the following:
- productivity level
- quality
- cost control
- sales revenue
- customer satisfaction

Level 5 : RETURN ON INVESTMENT. At this level the monetary benefits of the program are compared with the cost of the program. The costs of the program must be fully loaded. The methods used to convert data should be reported. The ROI calculation for a training program is identical to the ROI ratio for any other business investment:
ROI(%) = ((benefits - costs]/costs) x 100

A benefit-cost ratio may also be calculated by dividing costs into benefits.

The following eight steps will help you and your employees interact in ways that make you work more efficiently and effectively. These steps will help you help your employees feel more motivated on the job and build the connection between their own interests and the interests of the organization.

Step 1. Help Your Employees Stretch
Take your employees above and beyond the status quo of just doing the same job the same way. Make their work challenging, and help them to see the big picture—and their part in it!
Most people want to be better and more capable. But they may resist if they feel that higher expectations are being imposed on them. Make sure your employees know that you're simply trying to help them stretch and grow. You can do this by helping them set individual performance goals that exceed the existing requirements of their jobs. Further, if you explain how their work adds value to the organization and how what they do affects the work of others, they can figure out ways to improve.

Step 2. Set Clear Standards
What are the standards of performance for a particular job? Identify them and be specific about the outcomes that characterize outstanding performance and the outcomes that indicate unacceptable performance. Many people found it humorous when a legislator some years ago admitted that he couldn't define pornography, but claimed to be able to recognize it. How could he control something that he couldn't define? But that's the challenge you face as a manager: to improve performance, you've got to be able to define it.
Again, invite discussion on this matter and listen carefully to what the employee has to say. Encourage each employee to establish his or her own parameters for measuring performance based on what he or she considers to be realistic.

3. Define the Scope of Responsibility for Employees
Make sure everyone understands who is responsible for each job activity. When employees know their roles in relationship to those of others, this reduces confusion and gives them a better sense of how they might work with their fellow employees to meet their individual objectives.

Step 4. Help Your Employees Buy into Higher Performance Standards
Most employees want to have a role in raising their own performance expectations. The more input an employee can provide about the job he or she is expected to perform, the more likely the employee is to buy into the new standards.

Step 5. Document What You and Your Employees Agree On
Develop a written list of performance standards for meeting and for exceeding the expectations you've agreed upon with your employees. Remember: you want your employees to continue to stretch, yet you must be sure they can attain those goals.
Be specific about what it's going to take to reach the standards, In each area of job activities. Then, document those expectations. Give a copy of this document to each employee and keep one for yourself.

Step 6. Decide on a Course of Action
Once you've set standards, review the specific tasks of each person's job. Identify and discuss the areas in which each employee is skilled and qualified. Plan a course of delegation based on each employee's experience and competence.

Then—and this is very important—let each employee know that once he or she has started the project and gained more insight into the intricacies of the job, you're willing to revise these expectations as necessary. You'll still keep the goals challenging, but you'll make sure they're also realistic.
By doing this, you provide a safe environment so that each-employee can be open and honest with you about successes and struggles along the way. In other words, you're sending out a big message that says, "It's OK to be human!"

Step 7. Observe and Follow Up
Take time to observe how things are going along the way. Don't wait until the end of the project to check in with your employees. Depending on each person's expertise and the complexity of the task being performed, follow up and observe the job being performed while it's in progress.

Step 8. Be Clear about Rewards
Let employees know what to expect if they meet or exceed the standards you've developed. Be clear up front about potential rewards. Let employees know what's in it for them. And plan for them to succeed. Sure, it may be less expensive for the organization if employees fall slightly short of your expectations, because you can save on rewards. But the smart manager knows that success—even if it entails certain expenses at first—breeds success.

To conduct a good coaching session, you need to (1) establish a purpose, (2) establish ground rules, (3) keep focused, (4) avoid monologues, (5) speak clearly and simply, and (6) stay open to new ideas.

I think one of the best factors to retain great talent is ensuring that they always get world class development programs. Therefore, HR people should do their best to design, develop and implement innovative employee development programs.

Excellent link. Thanks Eric for sharing with us. Very useful.

Raj, hope you can deploy this guidebook to create a strong development plan for yourself and your peers. Goodluck

The world's best companies realize that no matter what business they're in, their real business is building leaders. This guidebook will enable you to build great leaders.

Employee development plan should be implemented systematically, and also be constantly monitored. Without good monitoring system, the implementation steps will be going nowhere.

Does every employee in your company has developed their a comprehensive learning plan? How do you do to ensure that all of them really execute their development plan?