Personal Development Plan

Personal Development Plan (sometimes also Employee personal development plan) is a term used in human resources management. It is a document or a list of different activities designed to increase a worker’s competencies. Personal development plan may include formal education, self-learning, distance learning, project work, participation in internships, work activities leading to improve qualification and the contribution to the organization and other activities intended to broaden the knowledge and skills development, in particular.
The aim of employee personal development plan is to define the activities that ensure diffusion of knowledge and skills needed to eliminate deficit of qualifications, ensure an increase in employee performance with the criterion of movement within his career. The aim is also the controlled education within the succession plan, especially leading the employee to obtain the necessary competencies and preparation for greater responsibility.

Steps in formulating development plan:

• Identifying employee’s development needs
• Setting objectives
• Determination of description and form (methods) of the employee’s development
• Schedule of activities
• Rating

Use of the personal development plan in practice: All organizations that recognize the value and importance of people (human capital) care about employee’s development. It must be naturally controlled and planned in accordance with the overall strategy of the organization. Expression of such compliance and the use of individual personality characteristics and personal qualifications of each person in the organization is then expressed by a personal development plan.