{"id":40451,"date":"2022-11-24T21:31:51","date_gmt":"2022-11-24T21:31:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/articles\/a-practical-3-step-employee-development-plan-templates\/"},"modified":"2024-08-28T20:15:35","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T20:15:35","slug":"a-practical-3-step-employee-development-plan-templates","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/articles\/a-practical-3-step-employee-development-plan-templates\/","title":{"rendered":"A practical 3-step employee development plan (+ templates)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class='inline-text-container MobileAlignment DesktopAlignment'>\n  <div class='richText'><p dir=\"ltr\">Who\u2019s helped you in your career?<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">An instructor, manager or colleague probably spotted your potential at some point and pushed you towards training that propelled you to the next level.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Employee development plans\u2014something today\u2019s workers are asking for more of\u2014give you an opportunity to offer a similar type of support for employees in your organization and boost engagement.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Creating an effective plan, however, can be a confusing experience\u2014especially if it\u2019s your first time.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">There\u2019s no shortage of employee development plan examples, tips and techniques suggesting how complex (or concise) your plan should be and how it should integrate with your overall employee development program.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In this post, you\u2019ll learn the simple steps (and examples) needed to create an employee development plan that aligns your organization\u2019s goals with its employees\u2019 career ambitions.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">To help you easily create and customize a plan that accounts for your workforce\u2019s current skills, and your firm\u2019s capabilities and resources, you\u2019ll also get three fundamental templates that serve as the building blocks behind every employee development plan.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note\" role=\"note\" aria-label=\"Information\">\n<p><strong><em>Table of contents:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#What-is-an-employee-development-plan?\">What is an employee development plan?<\/a><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"#The-benefits-of-an-employee-development-plan\">The benefits of an employee development plan<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"#Employee-development-plan-examples-(and-templates)\">Employee development plan examples (and templates)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">&#8211; <a href=\"#Example-#1:-Skills-based-employee-development-plan\">Example #1: Skills-based employee development plan<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">&#8211; <a href=\"#Example-#2:-Performance-based-employee-development-plan\">Example #2: Performance-based employee development plan<\/a><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">&#8211; <a href=\"#Example-#3:-The-comprehensive-employee-development-plan\">Example #3: The comprehensive employee development plan<\/a><\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"#Using-employee-development-programs-to-support-your-mission\">Using employee development programs to support your mission<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">What is an employee development plan?<a id=\"What is an employee development plan?\" name=\"What-is-an-employee-development-plan?\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">As part of a broader employee development program, an employee development plan provides staff, management and HR with a document detailing an employee\u2019s career goals as they relate to the organization they\u2019re in.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Formed by both the employee and their manager, the plan serves to provide structure and guidance around goals and opportunities within the organization.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">An employee development program with effective plans leads to better succession planning, employee retention and overall workplace success. It tactfully balances the employee\u2019s ambitions and the organization\u2019s goals to create mutually beneficial career advancement opportunities.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">The benefits of an employee development plan<a id=\"The benefits of an employee development plan\" name=\"The-benefits-of-an-employee-development-plan\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">High employee turnover has been declared a \u201ctrillion-dollar\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gallup.com\/workplace\/247391\/fixable-problem-costs-businesses-trillion.aspx\"> fixable problem <\/a> for US-based businesses. A significant contributor to this costly problem for any organization is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gartner.com\/smarterwithgartner\/lack-of-career-development-drives-employee-attrition\/\"> poor career development opportunities <\/a> for employees.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Focusing solely on skills and proficiencies that employees want to develop, however, doesn\u2019t always translate into an upside for the organization.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-7863\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Competency-profile-landing-page-graph-view-1-300x286.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"441\" height=\"420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Competency-profile-landing-page-graph-view-1-300x286.png 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Competency-profile-landing-page-graph-view-1-768x733.png 768w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Competency-profile-landing-page-graph-view-1.png 804w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 441px) 100vw, 441px\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Executed correctly, an employee development plan ensures that employees upskill or progress into roles that strengthen the organization by reducing skills gaps\u00a0and increase employee engagement by satisfying individual career goals.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The end result is a mutually beneficial system for all involved parties that:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Helps <a href=\"\/blog\/fixing-the-silo-mentality-3-critical-steps-hr-leaders-must-take\">fix the silo mentality<\/a> in your organization<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Improves your workplace&#8217;s adaptability<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Boosts employee retention<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Connects employee learning and development to performance management<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Enhances succession planning<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Creates an <a href=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/become-a-partner\/totara-trade-show-partners-3\/\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"8f48d3a4-9496-4a4a-9352-c332e03dd429\"> employee experience <\/a> that attracts high-performing talent<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-31077\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1txp_pillar__diagram_9-300x151.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"596\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1txp_pillar__diagram_9-300x151.gif 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1txp_pillar__diagram_9-1024x516.gif 1024w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1txp_pillar__diagram_9-768x387.gif 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 596px) 100vw, 596px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">These benefits are pivotal and strengthen your organization\u2019s ability to engage, retain and manage employees.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Employee development plan examples (and templates)<a id=\"Employee development plan examples (and templates)\" name=\"Employee-development-plan-examples-(and-templates)\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Now that we\u2019ve reviewed the benefits of an employee development plan, here are some specific examples and templates (based on a fictitious scenario) to inspire your next plan.<\/p>\n<div class=\"note\" role=\"note\" aria-label=\"Information\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"\"><strong>The scenario:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>Yolande, a customer service assistant, has set the goal:<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>\u201cTo become a customer service manager by the end of the year.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>Her manager, Eddie, checks in with Yolande. Acknowledging their company\u2019s rapidly expanding user base and technical products, he agrees that she\u2019d make a valuable customer service manager.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Together they discuss the skills Yolande needs to acquire and the attitude she should display to make her a fit for the role in the future.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Given that\u00a0<a data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"bc52b35f-fecf-4603-b538-694f35144439\">employee training<\/a>\u00a0governs employee development and critical workplace competencies, we\u2019ll start with a skills-focused plan and then show how it evolves to connect with <a href=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/request-a-demo-form\/\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"e98a1311-7e41-4d63-9bbf-45f29bdb8e1a\"> performance management <\/a> .<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span class=\"bg-warning\"><em>Tip: Choosing to prioritize skills development doesn\u2019t mean you have to neglect actions that employees should take. Feel free to combine any of the employee development plan templates below.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Example #1: Skills-based employee development plan<a id=\"Example #1: Skills-based employee development plan\" name=\"Example-#1:-Skills-based-employee-development-plan\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Yolande\u2019s manager, Eddie, explains that she could do with a few more customer service, management and technical product-specific competencies to lay the foundation for her career goal of becoming a customer service manager.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">After explaining how these will help her develop the right expertise, he makes a list of e-learning modules around the following topics that are offered in the company\u2019s learning management system, <a href=\"\/products\/totara-learn\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"cc27e042-e65c-4557-8379-2643e3bdcc0f\"> Totara Learn <\/a> :<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Conflict resolution<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Team management practices and SOPs<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Technical certifications showing her product-specific proficiencies<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Eddie (or other LMS admins) can now create specialized learning plans that link to customer service and management competencies in the company\u2019s <a href=\"\/products\/totara-perform\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"af0303bf-a392-4f6b-9fe8-4742697a313d\"> performance management system <\/a> , Totara Perform.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-30925\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/competencies-perform-scs_1-300x132.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"682\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/competencies-perform-scs_1-300x132.gif 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/competencies-perform-scs_1-1024x450.gif 1024w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/competencies-perform-scs_1-768x337.gif 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 682px) 100vw, 682px\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This integration makes employee development programs more effective and easier to manage for Eddie.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">He can now connect Yolande\u2019s development to her performance, document frequent check-ins, establish more competencies and suggest additional performance-related training.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Template:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"note\" role=\"note\" aria-label=\"Information\">\n<p class=\"\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Employee goal<\/strong>: Become a customer service manager<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Skills required:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Conflict resolution<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Technical certifications showing her product-specific expertise<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Team management practices and SOPs<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Qualities and abilities to demonstrate:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Ability to lead projects and guide team members<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Make critical decisions and prioritize projects<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Resolve conflicts and empathize with dissatisfied customers<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>What employee training activities to include<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Typically, an employee development plan will include a learning plan that covers e-learning modules and\/or face-to-face seminars as a bare minimum. But think about each individual employee. How do they learn best? What will inspire them or get them thinking differently?<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Below are just a few of the learning activities you might consider adding to a learning plan:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">E-learning modules and digital courses<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Face-to-face seminars<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Events or conferences<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Mentoring\/coaching programs<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Books, journals and magazines<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Workshops<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Special projects<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Example #2: Performance-based employee development plan<a id=\"Example #2: Performance-based employee development plan\" name=\"Example-#2:-Performance-based-employee-development-plan\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The performance-based plan builds on the foundation of the previous example to help establish key training goals and milestones.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This is because the manager\u2019s role isn\u2019t to dictate how employees should reach their goals. It\u2019s to use their knowledge of a typical progression path\u2014and resources at their disposal\u2014to document employee development and set milestones that are both tailored to an individual\u2019s career growth and beneficial to the organization.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">After establishing the fundamental skills-based competencies, it\u2019s time to agree on important milestones and actions that the employee must accomplish in a given period to demonstrate their progress, skills and ability to deliver.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The most effective way to do this is to use concrete goals, such as Objectives and Key Results (OKRs).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Objectives<\/strong>: Are the qualitative, broad and high-level outcomes that are to be achieved. Above all else, setting good objectives is about clarity. You should explicitly state what the objective is and the deadline for it.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Key Results<\/strong>: Quantify objectives and break them down into specific steps\/stages that can be used to measure performance and track progress.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Template:<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"note\" role=\"note\" aria-label=\"Information\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Objective<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Design and launch an onboarding course for new customers<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Key Result<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Survey 15 customers about their training and support needs<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Outline the content to be included in the program with the help of other customer support team members<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Draft 5 training modules<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\"><\/h3>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Example #3: The comprehensive employee development plan<a id=\"Example #3: The comprehensive employee development plan\" name=\"Example-#3:-The-comprehensive-employee-development-plan\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The comprehensive 3-year employee development plan (adjust the timeframe as you see fit) combines both of the employee development plan examples mentioned above. Breaking down goals and milestones by specific timeframes, it includes the:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Training and development needs of employees<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Competencies and skills required to progress<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Milestones to reach or actions steps to accomplish<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Any resources required that are specific to the development plan<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-35831 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/40-Employee-Development-Plans-Templates-2-e1670386720495.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"735\" height=\"459\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/40-Employee-Development-Plans-Templates-2-e1670386720495.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/40-Employee-Development-Plans-Templates-2-e1670386720495-300x187.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Using employee development programs to support your mission<a id=\"Using employee development programs to support your mission\" name=\"Using-employee-development-programs-to-support-your-mission\"><\/a><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Creating progression paths that fix organizational skills gaps, assessing specific competencies and fostering an environment that nurtures employee development, is a systematic process that requires the right tools and tactics. Here\u2019s how to get started:<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Step 1: Use a skills gap analysis to determine organizational needs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">In their <a href=\"http:\/\/www3.weforum.org\/docs\/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_2018.pdf\"> Future of Jobs Report <\/a> , the World Economic Forum stated that by 2022 almost 54% of all workers will need to update or learn new skills thanks to digitalization and the rapid evolution of technology.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Performance_Management_Diagrams_SHRM-Competency-Model.png\" width=\"406\" height=\"450\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Without the right competencies and skills, your workforce and organization is vulnerable to change and poorly positioned to adapt. That\u2019s why your first step when creating an employee development plan should be to start with a skills gap analysis.<\/p>\n<p>A successful analysis will give you data-driven insight into:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Job roles that need to be redesigned<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Employees that need to be trained, developed and promoted<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The right skills and experiences you should\u00a0 \u00a0prioritize when hiring<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">When designing an employee development program, these insights allow you to work backward from your organization\u2019s overall objectives and long-term mission.<\/p>\n<p class=\"\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Step 2: Check-in with your employees<\/strong><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">With knowledge of where your organization is headed and data-driven insight into the \u201cchinks in your companies armor\u201d, it\u2019s time to align what the company needs with employee goals and aspirations. To do this, ask questions like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Which aspects of your role do you like\/dislike the most?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Which skills and competencies would you like to improve?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Are there any unfilled roles within the organization that you\u2019d like to fill?<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Striking this delicate balance means you can advance organizational objectives and improve workforce productivity by giving employees the training they need or are most passionate about.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">But what happens if an employee expresses a strong interest in skills that the organization doesn\u2019t need in the short term?<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Don\u2019t veto their requests for training. In some cases (particularly if they\u2019re a perfect candidate for a vital role), you should consider arranging an agreement.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Depending on your available resources and needs, this could mean you offer to fund the training they desire on the condition that the employee will in return train for the competency\/role the organization needs.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>Recommended read:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/articles\/a-busy-managers-checklist-for-perfect-employee-check-ins\/\">A busy manager&#8217;s checklist for perfect employee check-ins<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"\" dir=\"ltr\"><strong>Step 3: Use these tools to connect employee development to performance<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">An adaptable performance management system<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><a href=\"\/products\/totara-perform\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"af0303bf-a392-4f6b-9fe8-4742697a313d\">Totara Perform<\/a>\u00a0supports both traditional and <a href=\"\/node\/1694\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"baadcd4a-a650-4c26-8cac-eeed4376370d\"> continuous performance management <\/a> . As mentioned above, you can build the competency structures your organization needs and link them to learning plans in your LMS.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Managers, for example, can assign a \u201crating\u201d (such as Beginner, Improving or Expert) to each competency in an employee\u2019s learning plan based on evidence of their competence.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">(Evidence includes completed training, noted behaviors in day-to-day roles or certifications and badges from previous roles.)<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-35835 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1competency-details-proficient-2-1024x795.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1competency-details-proficient-2-1024x795.gif 1024w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1competency-details-proficient-2-300x233.gif 300w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1competency-details-proficient-2-768x596.gif 768w, https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/rsz_1competency-details-proficient-2-1536x1192.gif 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This allows you to connect the dots between employee development and workplace performance. Totara Perform also integrates with your HCM and CRM tools to help you evolve existing processes and workflows without shoehorning you into a specific style of management.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Competencies to monitor and measure development<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Having a central system to track employee feedback, set goals and connect learning to performance management simplifies the management of employee development programs.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Using competencies is central to all of the above. These are measurable skills, knowledge or behaviors that employees need to effectively perform in their roles, and are closely linked to employee development programs and plans.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Using a performance management system like Totara Perform, managers can build compliance and competency structures across all divisions and positions within an organization, with competencies being linked to courses, roles and learning plans.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">A learning experience platform for peer-to-peer mentorship<\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">A <a href=\"\/products\/learning-experience-platform-lxp-totara-engage\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"ffe4c8df-9537-4f19-9315-98644b74237e\"> learning experience platform <\/a> (LXP) is a powerful tool in your employee development program because it can be customized to support employees at every stage of their careers.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>Suggested read: <a href=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/articles\/lms-vs-lxp-which-learning-platform-do-you-need\/\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"10a93b86-e607-40c1-9f7f-d882246420fd\">LMS vs LXP: Which one do you really need?<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">From brand-new employees to experienced senior management, an LXP connects people with similar learning needs\u2014whether that&#8217;s by role, location, seniority level or skill set.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Not only will this help your people share knowledge, collaborate on projects and communicate with colleagues, but it also opens up the opportunity for <a href=\"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/become-a-partner\/totara-trade-show-partners-1\/\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"0f2398b8-b827-43bd-8d3e-e65af5516dd8\"> developing employees to be mentored <\/a> by senior experts.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Experts can curate training resources from multiple channels to create personalized development paths, answer questions from mentees and track how engaged mentees are.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">This provides employees a dedicated place to develop their skills, discuss ideas with colleagues and solve problems together in an engaging and interconnected way.<\/p>\n<h3 dir=\"ltr\">Upgrade your employee development program<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"\/products\/performance-management-system-totara-perform\">Totara Perform,<\/a> our adaptive performance management system, does not force you to adopt a specific approach. The system supports and grows with you, regardless of which end of the \u201cperformance management spectrum\u201d you happen to sit on.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">It also connects with your existing <a href=\"\/node\/1264\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"6988a2d8-a6cb-4156-a36c-ad043a201123\">HCM and CRM tools<\/a> to help you make the switch without destabilizing existing processes and workflows.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">If you\u2019re interested in Totara Perform, <strong><a href=\"\/products\/request-a-demo-form\">book a demo now<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Alternatively, feel free to join the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/login.totara.community\/login\/signup.php\">Totara Community<\/a>\u00a0where you can learn more about continuous performance management, and experience the features of our\u00a0<a href=\"\/products\/totara-learn\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"cc27e042-e65c-4557-8379-2643e3bdcc0f\">LMS<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"\/products\/learning-experience-platform-lxp-totara-engage\">LXP<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"\/products\/totara-perform\" data-entity-substitution=\"canonical\" data-entity-type=\"node\" data-entity-uuid=\"af0303bf-a392-4f6b-9fe8-4742697a313d\">performance management system<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">We\u2019d recommend signing up for our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/totara.community\/course\/view.php?id=425\">competency framework<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/totara.community\/course\/view.php?id=514\">evidence-based appraisals<\/a>\u00a0courses to get started. (You\u2019ll learn best practices and get to use Totara Perform\u2019s features).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Author bio: Hassan Uddeen is a <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/hassanuddeen.com\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">freelance content strategist <\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and SEO specializing in HR and B2B content marketing<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>","protected":false},"template":"","tax\/tags":[715,684,699,691,692],"tax\/solutions":[798],"tax\/topics":[717,688],"tax\/industries":[],"tax\/article-types":[1021],"class_list":["post-40451","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles\/40451","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/articles"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/tags?post=40451"},{"taxonomy":"solution","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/solutions?post=40451"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/topics?post=40451"},{"taxonomy":"industry-tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/industries?post=40451"},{"taxonomy":"article-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.totara.fortyapp.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tax\/article-types?post=40451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}