Finding talent is a difficult task, but retaining talent is even harder. Therefore, an organisation should have an employee development plan. This plan fulfils two goals: keeping the employees and ensuring that the organisation has a new generation of managers.

Please follow these links to read Part 1 and Part 2 of the series. 

8. Training and developmental courses

If you are not sure about the efficiency of your employee, perhaps signing your staff for development programs will be a smart choice. Not every developmental program has to cost a lot of money as there are various of forms for these programs available today.

Read more: Development - This is not an event, it's a journey!

Most learners need to be involved to learn new skills or obtain more knowledge. Physical or online training classes are the more popular and affordable methods to help the team members to explore and strengthen their talents and potential. Here are some other types of developmental programs that should be considered as well:

• Coaching and mentoring in person
• Assigning experts for employees to work on the subject
• Giving them special exercises and projects
• Registering them for network groups, sending them to workshops

9. Pay attention to all stages of training

Once you have identified certain learning opportunities, make a plan with specific goals and timelines. It is difficult to evaluate an employee’s progress with unclear, too ambitious objectives, or without deadlines.

Read more: Three pitfalls to avoid in leadership development

Before starting training, you need to ensure your employees fully understand the reason why this new skill is required, what you expect them to learn, and how it brings benefits to the organisation as well as their career.

During the training, it’s necessary to spend time and money to help your employees improve their skills. To receive the most out of your investment, your employees need to be able to put new-learned skills into practice, not just absorbing a bunch of theories and do nothing. If they cannot apply the new knowledge, they will probably forget about it.

After the training, you should give them opportunities to use their new skills in the workplace. Set up some situations where your employees can quickly apply new skills to the job. Of course, you have to test the results and give feedback. This will help your employees to reinforce and refine their new skills.

Read more: Performance review - Which method is right for your enterprise?

10. Set out an example

An employee will find the value of the development process as they see their current leader continues to develop personally and professionally. By simulating this behaviour, leaders build the trust and confidence they need to encourage employees to participate in development activities.

Being an example shows employees that development is part of the organisation’s culture. It spreads out the message that everyone in the organisation is encouraged to take part in the continuous improvement process, and no one is an exception, even the top executives. If you want to build something huge, you need to be huge yourself first.

These tactics for employee’s development plans can be implemented in all organisations, no matter how big or small, and will work as effective drivers for the future leadership. Whether your organisation promotes some or all of the tactics listed here, it is important for the leader to be patient and consistent in their feedback/training, and the employees are willing to cooperate.

Looking for better ways to maximise your current talent management strategy? Talk to our experts by requesting a completely free demo today!