How to Create a Career Development Program for Your Organization

The pace of change is faster than ever, and organizations sometimes struggle to keep up. So do employees: according to the 2024 SEI Consumer Survey, half of U.S. workers are worried about gaining the skills needed to advance their career.  

The best way to stay competitive is to invest in your people—not only through benefits and compensation, but through skills and knowledge too. In the survey mentioned above, 91% of employees believe employers should be investing in their continued education.  To keep your workforce at the forefront, it’s crucial to have an effective employee development program by creating career growth opportunities for employees. There are different ways of approaching it and many career development programs examples.

What is an employee development program?

An employee development program is a structured approach to help employees progress in their careers. It’s about creating an environment where employees can build the skills to meet the evolving needs of their roles and the organization.  

Objectives of employee development.
For employees, career development can bring advancement and potential financial gain. But employers can also realize benefits in key areas:  

• Recruitment. Employee development programs can make your organization more attractive to job candidates. 
• Retention. Employees are more likely to stay if their employer is invested in their development. 
• Job performance. Learning and growth make employees more capable and competent. 
• Organizational performance. By raising the overall level of skill, you can gain a competitive advantage.  
• Talent for the future. Investing in development can help secure the talent you need today and tomorrow. 

93% of U.S. based full-time employees say learning new skills keeps them motivated at work.*

*2024 SEI Consumer Survey

What is included in an employee development program?

An effective employee development program includes training and education, but also supports growth in other ways. Here are important components for success: 

• Personalized paths. A good program meets employees where they are and helps them chart a course toward their individual goals. 
• Measurement and feedback. Without mechanisms to track progress, you’ll never know how your employees are progressing. 
• Training. Internal or external learning opportunities focused on specific skills. 
• Education. External learning, including advanced degrees or certificates, designed to help employees develop deeper knowledge and transferrable skills.  
• Soft skills. It’s easy to focus on clearly defined technical skills, but soft skills such as leadership, teamwork, time management, and problem solving are crucial too.   
• Mentorship. By connecting with experienced colleagues, junior employees can gain insight and support in navigating their career path. 
• Job rotation and stretch assignments. When employees explore new roles, they can broaden their skills and perspectives. 

What are examples of development plans?

All types of employee development programs offer broad support to help employees grow. But development really comes to life with individualized plans that align employee and organizational needs. Here are some examples of development plans: 

• Skill development plan. Builds job-relevant skills to help employees in their current role. This may include training and development programs examples such as technical courses, higher education, or technological certifications. 
• Performance plan. Focuses on skill, knowledge, or behavior issues with the goal of enabling the employee to meet or exceed performance standards.  
• Career path plan. Creates a career roadmap within the organization and offers support and learning at appropriate moments along the way. 
• Leadership development plan. Prepares individual contributors for leadership or helps mid-level leaders refine their skills for senior levels.  
• Personal development plan. These plans are about overall personal and professional growth and may involve time management, collaboration, and critical thinking skills.  

How do you create an employee development program?

Building a strong and effective career development program takes planning, collaboration, and investment. Companies with the best training and development programs typically follow these important steps:

1. Identify organizational goals. Define what you want to your program to achieve. Identify the competencies your organization needs now and in the future. 
   
2. Assess your workforce. Where are you starting from? What skill gaps exist with your current employees? What strengths can you build upon? 
3. Get stakeholder input. Gather insights from multiple departments. And don’t forget employees: according to the 2024 SEI Consumer Survey, 85% of U.S.-based full-time employees know what skills are needed to advance in their current job. 
4. Design the program structure. Construct a program that fits your goals and needs—and assign the right people to be accountable for its success.  
5. Select learning modalities. Choose what type of learning fits your organization best. You might develop in-house training content or partner with external vendors.  
6. Implement the program. Launch the program with a clear communication plan, so employees know how and why to participate. Ensure that leaders across the organization are on board.    
7. Measure and adjust. Track performance indicators such as employee satisfaction and retention rates frequently. Adjust your program as needed.  

Find a partner for your career development plan

Building an effective career development program is no small task. But the right partner can make all the difference. Workforce Edge is here with innovative and affordable solutions for employee upskilling, learning, and education.  

Let’s start a conversation.