HUNEETY RESOURCES
Get started with IDPs
According to LinkedIn Learning Report, a whopping 93% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their career path. A later study from Gallup highlights that Learning new skills ranks as the third most important perk when evaluating job opportunities. In conclusion, Learning and Development is no longer an optional perk or only reserved to key positions.
This is where Individual Development Plans (IDPs) come into play. In this article, we will study what an IDP is and the key role they play in the retention of the workforce.
To put it simply, an Individual Development Plan (IDP) is an action plan that supports competency development. The ultimate objective of an IDP is to assist employees in achieving their career objectives on time.
An IDP does not just point out “what has to be done” to reach career development objectives. Instead, it details “how” to reach development objectives with a succession of learning activities.
An IDP is a comprehensive roadmap that takes into account :
An IDP must be defined in time, to make sure that talents are reaching the expected career path on time.
As business operations cannot be disrupted because of talent shortage, top management needs to be reassured that the business can survive short-term departures or long-term succession priorities.To achieve this, a talent process must be in place to ensure that a talent can jump on the role in case of resignation, termination, or retirement.
The HR department is accountable for the talent management process. This process aims to make sure that the business has the right talent, at the right place, at the right time.
To do so, large organizations are rolling out time-bound action plans to close gaps between current position requirements, and future career paths positions -to make sure the business has the right supply of talent.
A common case of closing gaps between a current position VS career path is the promotion of an employee to a position of management :
If this employee has never been prepared to managing a team, he/she must become familiar with Performance Management concepts: how to recruit, develop, train and coach others, how to give and receive feedback etc. Therefore, an IDP must be drafted ahead of time (with on the job assignments and learning opportunities) so that the employee can jump into a new role with an operational skillset on time.
An effective Individual Development Plan (IDP) aligns with the 70:20:10 framework, which suggests that learning is derived from three primary sources:
This model emphasizes that the majority of learning occurs through practical, hands-on experiences. However, it's crucial to recognize that individuals have diverse learning preferences. Some may excel through repetition, others through visual aids, and some through hands-on trial and error. By incorporating a mix of these learning methods, an IDP can cater to various learning styles, facilitating more effective competency development.
Stretch Assignments (70%)
- The majority of learning comes from stretch assignments.
- Involves practical, on-the-job tasks aligned with employees' career objectives.
- Helps employees develop competencies through real-world experience.
Social Learning or Learning Through Others (20%)
- Social learning occurs through feedback, coaching, or mentoring to facilitate growth.
- Feedback sources include direct managers, peers, subordinates, experts, and external stakeholders (e.g., suppliers and customers).
Active Learning (10%)
- Includes resources like e-learning courses, podcasts, books, and workshops.
- Provides foundational knowledge, concepts, and inspiration, although it cannot replace on-the-job experience.
- The key is to link active learning with practical assignments for optimal development.
EmployeeBuy-in over career path : An IDP would not beeffective if it is not acknowledged by the employee. To be effective, clearexplanation must be provided about the targeted career paths milestones, as well as the priority skills to be developed (skills gaps).
💡 Tip : Share career path objectives transparently during one-on-one. Agree on timelines, competencies development priorities, and the action plan.
Manager commitment: the manager must ensure he/she isallocating time for monitoring, and that assignments provided are really aligned with the development objectives. More often than not, managers need HR support to craft an IDP and needs reminders to follow up on the action plans.
💡Tip:
- Train managers about the how to draft IDPs
- Install a one-on-one process dedicated to IDP follow up at least once per quarter. Once per month is better.
IDP monitoring outside of the performance management system : IDPs are too frequently created andmonitored separately from the current performance management system in place.
There is a way to combine development plans and goal-setting into a single process so that performance supports both thecompany’s objectives, AND the employee career path’s objectives.
💡Tip :
- Include competencies as a key component of the performance management system.
- Integrate the action plan into the employee performance objectives
- Set smart objectives and KPIs to measure performance outputs.
Every company has their own way of creating IDPs. Here are the main steps:
The foundations. Defining the employee’s position (usually part of the job description), as well as its individual goals (annual performance goals). The company must perform a mapping of each competency required to perform the job, using their own competency framework orby using AI and skills data.
Identify and focus on skill gaps. Assessing that current skills and knowledge that the employee possesses. This can be done by performing a competency review. More skills-driven companies may prefer using a 360 assessment (unbiased evaluation) that may include the employee (self-assessment), its supervisor, peers/experts.
Craft the plan. Outline and identify the plans to reach the employee’s career path objectives on time. We recommend balancing the plan activities according to the 70-20-10 framework.
Smooth execution. Implementing the aforementioned plans by training and development. Many organizations tend to rely solely on HR to monitor and execute. That is a mistake. Managers MUST be involved during the year to make sure all components of the IDP of their team is on track.
Evaluate the result and iterate! Performance reviews usually allow to measure if skills gaps are being addressed as intended. To get an accurate feedback on competency development plans and gaps to be addressed, it is recommended to perform 360 degree assessments at regular intervals to keep track of the results.
Individual Development Plans (IDPs) are essential for supporting employee growth and strengthening your organization.
Here’s how IDPs benefit both employees and employers:
The impact of IDPs goes beyond individual growth:
Are you looking to implement Individual Development Plans (IDPs) in your organization? Contact us to get started.
