Driving workplace growth: Employee development plan examples

Today’s employees and job candidates are looking for opportunities to grow their skill sets and advance their careers. A clear development path can make or break their desire to stay with an organization, even if the rest of their experience has been positive. In fact, employees who feel they lack access to clear development opportunities are 41% more likely to leave their current company, according to research from Culture Amp’s people science team.

By creating a personalized, adaptable employee development plan, your organization can proactively boost engagement and retain top talent. In this article, we’ll explore what an employee development plan is, provide real-world examples, and highlight the best tools and strategies to help managers support their teams’ growth.

What is an employee development plan?

An employee development plan outlines a clear path for professional growth by specifying the specific steps an employee should take to build new skills, gain experience, or prepare for a lateral move or promotion. It provides employees with a focused roadmap for growth within their organization, breaking down ambitious development goals into manageable, actionable steps.

It’s important to note that development planning and career planning aren't synonymous. A development plan may focus on enhancing employees' skills for their current role, preparing them for future positions, or supporting personal interests and passions.

Career planning is a broader, long-term process that aligns an employee’s aspirations with potential career paths, helping them navigate opportunities for growth and advancement over time. While development plans can be career-growth-focused, they can also help employees learn new skills, explore their interests, and master specific aspects of their jobs.

Benefits of employee development plans

When employees see a clear path for growth, they become more engaged, motivated, and committed to their roles. Here’s how a strong development plan can make an impact:

• Help employees envision a future within your organization: Employee growth plans help employees see a long-term future with your company by demonstrating that your business is invested in their development. When employees can visualize a clear career trajectory within your organization, they’re more likely to stay engaged and committed. In fact, Culture Amp’s "Why employee development should be HR's top priority" report found that employees who don’t have access to learning and development are two times more likely to leave a company within 12 months.
• Boost employee motivation and loyalty: Employees are far more engaged when managers actively support their professional development. According to Culture Amp data, companies with supportive managers experience:
  • 15 percentage points higher likelihood of employees recommending their company
  • 21 percentage points increase in workplace motivation
  • 13 percentage points greater sense of pride in their organization
  • 15 percentage points lower likelihood of employees considering a job elsewhere

Investing in employee development fosters stronger commitment, higher engagement, and long-term retention.

• Drive personal fulfillment: A well-crafted growth plan helps employees develop new skills, explore their passions, and stay engaged in their work. Outlining clear steps and opportunities for growth breaks up the monotony of daily tasks and empowers employees to prioritize their interests and development. In fact, our data shows that employees who develop skills that are aligned with their interests are 46% more engaged.
• Enhance performance: A well-structured development plan keeps employees engaged, motivated, and equipped to perform at their best. In fact, employees using Culture Amp’s development plans see a 30% average performance rating increase.

The importance of employee development in the modern workplace

Learn the many ways professional development can benefit both your employees and your business.

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How to create an effective employee development plan

Effective employee development programs take time to build, but with the right strategies and tools, it’s easy to make personalized career development plans part of your processes. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help your workforce start building personalized employee development plans today:

Step 1: Identify employee strengths, skills gaps, and career goals

Start by helping employees envision their future within your company. Encourage them to reflect on their career aspirations, interests, and potential growth areas. Are there other roles or departments that excite them? What skills do they want to develop? Where do they see themselves in five years?

Have employees complete a self-reflection exercise to identify:

• Strengths: What they excel at and enjoy doing.
• Areas for growth: Skills they want to develop or improve.
• Long-term career aspirations: What they want to do and why it’s important to them.

Then, you can use these insights to shape each employee’s development plan.

Step 2: Create a structured employee growth plan with measurable milestones

When translating goals into next steps, the three E’s – experience, exposure, and education – are a useful starting point. This framework can help managers identify individual opportunities for their employees to connect with mentors, participate in relevant employee training, or even take on a stretch project that relates to their interests.

For an employee development plan to succeed, it must be actionable, targeted, and ongoing. We recommend prioritizing one growth area at a time and setting realistic, actionable goals that employees can achieve within a defined timeframe. Tools like Develop by Culture Amp prompt individuals to build out a personalized action plan step-by-step and provide ongoing checkpoints so that development stays manageable and motivating without falling by the wayside.

Step 3: Create space to have development conversations

With a growth plan in place, it's time to engage in open, ongoing discussions. These conversations can happen in dedicated development meetings, as a natural follow-up to a performance review, during 1-on-1 conversations, or in a separately scheduled check-in.

Transparent, honest discussions about professional and career growth set the foundation for impactful development. Managers play a crucial role as connectors, helping employees:

• Identify key areas of the business the employee would benefit from exposure to
• Access tools, training, or mentorship opportunities to build critical skills
• Align their aspirations with current or future business needs

By fostering open dialogue, employees can gain clarity on moving forward, while managers can ensure growth plans remain personalized and business-driven.

Step 4: Continuously track progress and adapt development strategies

Employee development is an ongoing process that requires regular check-ins and adjustments. Use 1-on-1 meetings to discuss progress, address roadblocks, share feedback, and ensure your employee feels supported on their growth journey. In addition, set aside time for more structured development reviews where both you and your employees can reflect on progress, celebrate achievements, and refine growth goals as needed.

In your ongoing meetings, expect to evaluate and adjust each individual’s personalized development plan to keep pace with evolving employee aspirations, skill growth, and shifting business needs. A strong development plan is flexible and responsive, designed to support both immediate goals and long-term growth. Through open communication and regular check-ins, you create a development strategy that remains relevant, effective, and motivating.

Effective employee development plan examples

Now, let’s look at how to put a career development plan into action. Below, we’ve listed the key components of a successful plan, including specific examples, and explained how they work together to support employee growth.

Plan details

This section outlines high-level details, like who the plan is for (the employee), who’s supporting the plan’s execution (the manager), and the period it encompasses (start and end date). Including these simple elements ensures accountability and provides a structured timeline for development.

Objectives

Next, clearly define the “why” behind the plan, or what the employee is aiming to achieve. In this section, outline the employee's overarching goal. Are they looking to strengthen their leadership skills, gain expertise in a specific area, or make themselves a top candidate for a promotion in the next review cycle? Listing these objectives at the top of the document acts as a North Star, keeping the employee motivated and focused throughout the plan’s execution.

Development areas

Identify the key skills or competencies the employee will focus on developing. These could include technical skills (e.g., data analysis, coding, or marketing automation), interpersonal skills (e.g., leadership development, communication, or time management), or industry-specific knowledge. Choose areas that align with both the employee’s career goals and organizational needs.

Measures of success

Next, define how you’ll measure progress and success. Consider using a mix of qualitative and quantitative benchmarks, such as:

• Successfully obtaining a certification
• Incorporates feedback and best practices to enhance campaign planning and execution skills
• Receiving positive feedback from peers, managers, or clients
• Leading a project or initiative successfully

Aligning on these metrics fosters employee accountability while enabling managers to track progress effectively and provide targeted coaching.

Actions

Break down the specific steps the employee needs to take to develop the targeted skills. Examples include:

• Completing online courses, certifications, or workshops
• Attending industry conferences or networking events
• Taking on stretch assignments or cross-functional projects
• Participating in mentorship or coaching programs
• Shadowing senior team members to gain firsthand experience

Support needed

Then, list any resources, support, or conditions necessary for the plan’s success, such as:

• Ongoing feedback and coaching from the manager
• Access to company-sponsored employee training programs or tuition reimbursement
• Opportunities to apply new skills through special projects or stretch assignments
• Access to certain internal tools or platforms
• A supportive team environment that encourages learning and development

By identifying these dependencies upfront, you can ensure employees have the support, resources, and opportunities they’ll need to successfully execute their development plans and achieve their goals.

Review dates

Establish a regular check-in cadence to monitor progress, provide feedback, and refine the development plan as needed. Create a review timeline that lasts throughout the plan’s duration. These conversations may include:

• Semi-weekly, monthly, or quarterly manager meetings to track ongoing development
• Midpoint evaluations to assess progress and make any necessary adjustments
• End-of-plan reviews to evaluate outcomes and set new goals for continued growth

Outcome

Once the individual development plan is finalized, complete this final section. Managers can use it to evaluate progress, assess the employee’s growth, and determine the overall success of the plan. It also serves as a reference point for future development discussions.

Now, let’s see it all in action.

Example employee development plan

Here’s an employee growth plan example for Taylor, a marketing specialist looking to get a promotion during the next performance review cycle. Taylor worked with their manager, John, to create a structured plan to achieve this goal.

Employee: Taylor Smith, Marketing Specialist

Manager: John Doe, Senior Marketing Manager

Plan Duration: Six months (April 1 – September 30)

Objectives

• Build the leadership and analytical capabilities needed to step into a senior marketing role.

Development areas

• Leadership and project ownership
• Analytical thinking and data

Success metrics

• Leadership and project ownership
  • Demonstrates increased confidence and clarity when leading meetings or coordinating across teams.
  • Reflects on leadership decisions and outcomes, incorporating lessons into future initiatives.
  • Receives feedback indicating growth in communication, initiative-taking, or team coordination.
• Analytical thinking
  • Shows greater ease interpreting campaign data and identifying actionable insights.
  • Applies a new analytical approach or framework when reviewing campaign performance.
  • Shares learnings from data analysis that contribute to team understanding or decision-making.

Actions

• Leadership and Project Ownership:
  • Lead a cross-functional campaign from strategy through execution, including owning timelines and collaboration. (Experience)
  • Shadow a senior marketing leader during key stakeholder engagements or planning sessions. (Exposure)
  • Complete a leadership development course focused on influencing skills and decision-making in marketing environments. (Education)
• Analytical Thinking:
  • Own reporting for at least two marketing campaigns, including analysis, insight generation, and presentation. (Experience)
  • Partner with a data analyst to review one campaign cycle and debrief the approach. (Exposure)
  • Complete a course in advanced Google Analytics or marketing data visualisation. (Education)

Support needed

• Regular feedback and coaching from John
• Access to relevant learning resources (analytics and leadership development)
• Opportunities to lead cross-functional initiatives
• Support connecting with analysts or senior marketers for shadowing

Review dates

• Monthly check-ins with John to discuss progress and challenges
• Midpoint evaluation (July) to assess development areas and adjust the plan as needed
• Final review (September) to evaluate outcomes and determine next steps

With this development plan in place, Taylor and their manager have a clear roadmap for their growth over the next six months. Taylor knows exactly what skills to focus on, what actions to take, and how their progress will be measured. Plus, regular check-ins and structured milestones will keep them on track, ensuring they gain the skills needed to take the next step in their career.

Best tools and strategies to implement an employee development program

Many traditional employee development processes lack the structural guardrails to support productive growth conversations. Without clear frameworks, employees often have to initiate discussions about professional development, career growth, and promotion opportunities. At the same time, many managers—already stretched thin—struggle to support their employees in creating personalised, meaningful development plans. This lack of structure can leave employees feeling unsupported and uncertain about their growth paths.

To address these common employee development challenges, many organizations turn to development software. These platforms provide a structured approach to creating and tracking skill development plans, making it easier to request and share feedback, map out career paths, and provide training opportunities – all while ensuring employees and managers stay engaged.

Culture Amp’s approach to employee development

Take Culture Amp, for example. Our people experience platform streamlines employee development by offering:

• Career paths and competencies: Equip employees for success by clearly defining role expectations, competencies, and potential career trajectories so they know where they stand and what they need to do to achieve to reach the next level of their careers.
• Feedback: Continuous feedback tools make it simple for employees to request high-quality feedback from their peers, cross-functional colleagues, and managers.
• Personalized growth plans: Culture Amp enables managers and employees to collaboratively create tailored skill development plans that align with business objectives. The platform helps track progress, set clear goals, and ensure that development remains a top priority for both managers and employees.
• Develop by Culture Amp helps HR teams grow and retain their people at scale, upskill managers to drive continuous growth conversations, and measure the business impact of an effective learning and development strategy.
• Perform: Integrating Develop with Culture Amp’s performance management tools allows your organization to track development and performance data in one system, creating a seamless link between employee growth and business success.

Say goodbye to scattered Google Docs and missed opportunities to address development during 1-on-1s. These employee development tools empower your managers and employees to set aside time for development, commit to ongoing growth, and consistently follow up on progress. By fostering a culture of accountability, they enable proactive discussions around career advancement, ensuring that development goals stay at the forefront and align with individual and organizational priorities.

Employee development plan examples for different career stages

Employee growth and development vary significantly depending on an employee’s career stage and aspirations. For some, achieving a new title is the ultimate goal, while others may be more focused on acquiring new skills or refining existing ones.

To highlight the diversity of development paths, we've compiled examples of employee development plans tailored to different career stages. Whether you're guiding an eager entry-level employee or coaching a seasoned executive, here’s how skill development plans can be shaped to meet unique needs and goals.

Entry-level employees: Skill-building and career pathing

Example: Alex, a Customer Support Associate, wants to develop problem-solving skills and grow their career in customer success.

• Objectives:
  • Improve communication, troubleshooting, and data analysis skills.
• Development areas:
  • Develop a deeper understanding of customer service best practices
  • Improve mastery of CRM tools
  • Learn conflict-resolution skills
  • Invest in data reporting knowledge and experience
• Success metrics:
  • Reduced average response time
  • Improved customer satisfaction scores
  • Successful completion of a CX improvement initiative
• Actions:
  • Complete a conflict-resolution training course.
  • Shadow a senior customer success manager on high-priority accounts
  • Learn how to analyze customer data using the company’s CRM system
  • Participate in a process improvement project to enhance support efficiency
• Support needs: Access to training resources, mentorship from senior team members, project opportunities.
• Review dates: Monthly check-ins with manager, career discussion at six months.

Mid-career professionals: Leadership and specialization tracks

Example: Jordan, a senior individual contributor Software Engineer, is preparing to transition into a temporary leadership role while deepening their technical expertise.

• Objectives:
  • Strengthen leadership capabilities by temporarily leading a team during a colleague’s maternity leave and providing ongoing mentorship to junior developers.
  • Develop expertise in AI-driven development to lead future artificial intelligence (AI) initiatives within the company.
• Development areas:
  • Team management
  • Technical mentorship
  • AI/ML expertise
• Success metrics:
  • Positive feedback from temporary team members
  • Successful project leadership
  • Training completion certification
  • Adding one AI project to product roadmap
• Actions:
  • Conduct regular 1-on-1s, share ongoing feedback, and invest in the development of my new temporary direct reports
  • Lead a cross-functional project with junior engineers
  • Attend ongoing company leadership training for new managers
  • Enroll in an advanced AI certification course
  • Present findings from AI research at an internal knowledge-sharing session
• Support needs: Support from leadership, access to and time for internal and external training resources, time to share and implement learnings.
• Review dates: Biweekly leadership coaching sessions, performance review at six months.

Executive development: Succession planning and high-impact mentorship

Example: Riley, a VP of Sales, is being considered for a Chief Revenue Officer position in the next 12–18 months.

• Objective: Prepare for an executive role by refining strategic vision, stakeholder management, and financial acumen.
• Development areas:
  • Executive decision-making
  • Financial planning
  • Board communication
• Success metrics:
  • Positive feedback from executive peers and board members
  • Successful completion of revenue initiative
  • Improved financial literacy
• Actions:
  • Shadow the CFO in quarterly financial planning meetings
  • Lead a company-wide revenue growth initiative
  • Work with an executive coach on leadership refinement
  • Present to the board at the next three quarterly meetings
• Business impact: Strengthens executive leadership pipeline, ensures continuity in key revenue-driving roles.
• Support needs: Access to executive mentorship, board presentation opportunities, executive coach availability.
• Review Dates: Biannual executive check-ins, performance assessment at one year.

Culture Amp’s approach to employee development

Every business needs an employee development solution that’s as personalized and dynamic as its employees' ambitions. Built on expert insights and backed by people science, Culture Amp’s Personalized Growth Plans make it easy for employees to set clear development goals that align with business strategy.

From documenting growth plans to integrating development into ongoing 1-on-1s and facilitating continuous feedback, Culture Amp provides the tools you need to support meaningful growth at every stage of the employee journey.

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