7 Ways To Create An Employee Development Plan

Creating an employee development plan can help teams professionally, much fewer teams eliminate snags in their well-being and productivity.

And don’t worry – we’re not talking about the employee who has not been productive.

Instead, we want to focus on ways to help advance motivated people.

So let’s jump right in!

This blog will elevate people’s potential with these seven out-of-the-box workforce development and growth ideas.

From incorporating gamification to fostering a culture of continuous learning, this blog post will provide you with new and exciting ways to keep your employees engaged and motivated.

So, bid goodbye to traditional, monotonous methods, and say hello to a dynamic approach that will inspire your team to reach new heights.

Innovative Ways To Create An Employee Development Plan

1. Gamification

Gamification is an innovation that can help companies incorporate game-like elements such as points, badges, and leaderboards into training programs.

This approach makes the learning experience more engaging, increasing worker motivation and participation. For example, imagine training on a virtual reality platform where employees get reward points for completing tasks and quizzes, with leaderboards showing each participant’s progress.

It’s a win-win situation where everyone can have fun while actively engaging in their growth and development.

2. Virtual reality training

Virtual reality or VR training is like taking your employees on a wild ride through endless possibilities.

Instead of the traditional boring lectures, your team members get to put on VR headsets and fully immerse in interactive and instructional programs.

From construction sites to surgical procedures, virtual reality allows employees to experience simulations of real-world scenarios in a safe and controlled environment.

This allows hands-on learning and improves the retention of information.

3. Mentorship programs

Embracing the power of mentorship can truly empower your employees to soar to new heights in their careers and personal development.

By pairing experienced employees with newer team members, mentorship programs provide guidance, support, and the opportunity to learn from the very best.

Your members can pick the brains of the “Jedi masters” of the company, gaining valuable insights and knowledge they can apply to their professional growth.

This fosters a continuous learning and development culture and builds a sense of community and belonging within the organization.

4. Job rotation

A job rotation is a process where employees go through a schedule taking turns with various organizational roles.

Each team member gets to broaden their understanding of the business entity and develop new skills.

They experience new challenges and learn from different perspectives as they perform different functions.

Their skill sets become more diversified. Yet another essential advantage of job rotations is that they help enhance engagement with the other departments within the company.

So, spice up your employees’ growth and development with a taste of job rotations and watch them cook up a storm toward professional excellence.

5. Professional development allowance

Offering this creative solution is like giving your employees a blank canvas and a paintbrush and encouraging them to create their masterpieces.

They can choose which training modules or programs align with their goals and interests, like artists creating art.

Giving employees a budget to engage in professional development activities empowers them to take ownership of their career pathing.

Not only does it promote self-directed learning, but it also helps foster a culture of continuous learning and development within the organization.

6. Volunteer opportunities

Encouraging employees to volunteer for community service projects can develop their leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. By motivating them to commit their time and energy to worthwhile causes, you also help boost their collaboration and problem-solving skills.

It is also quite inspiring to witness team members working together to make a difference in the lives of others.

Not only does it give company members a sense of purpose and fulfillment, but it also helps them gain new skills and perspectives.

7. Employee-led development programs

Employee-led programs are like stages where employees can showcase their talents and passions, especially in an employee development plan.

By leading their development programs, they can have a sense of ownership and control over their future in the organization.

Also, these allow them to pick the training activities and modules that align with their career goals and interests.

At the same time, such programs organized and facilitated by team members also promote a culture of continuous learning.

So, let’s give our employees the microphone and let them lead the way in their growth and development. Then see how they will shine and excel in their careers.

Where To Begin?

So you have a new idea but don’t know where to begin to create an employee development plan.

May we suggest conducting a skills inventory where you can see what skills you have versus what you should reskill or upskill?

You can get a free skills inventory template from our Tools Page.

Take the template and then compare it to your occupation at Illuminate.

Completing the template will allow you to see what’s missing and give you an idea of where to begin.

Wrapping up

These different innovative approaches are surefire ways to help you create an employee development plan.

By incorporating these ideas into your organization, you can keep them engaged and motivated and help them reach their full potential.

Remember that employee learning and development is an ongoing process.

It’s essential to consistently develop new ideas and keep the creativity flowing to ensure they stay on the progressive track and look for more ways to improve your team members’ well-being.

Comment if you have another cool way for an employee development plan. We’d love to hear from you.

This post was written by Arleen Atienza, who became inspired by information from Heather LeGuilloux today!