Individual Development Plan
The major aim of any business enterprise apart from NGOs is to make profits. All policies, company rules and regulations are all geared towards that basic aim – profits. Call it sales, income, whatever, it all boils down to exchanging products or services for money, and the difference after cost is deducted – profits. Competition puts the earning capacity of a company at risk, for this reason corporate strategy (among others) like individual development plan is erected to achieve the goal. When it involves making more sales for profits, resources must be invested, and one of the major resources that activate profits in any organization is human resources. Competition sustainable companies have one thing in common – inventiveness. Ability to remain on the edge of competition requires efficient resource utility. Individual development plan is a wonderful invention adopted by organization in bringing out the best from their employees. What are the aims of IDP? This and others will be tackled in this article.
Aim of IDP/Definition
Individual development plan is a corporate strategy targeted at human resources upgrade. It is an employer to employee procedure aimed at upgrading an employee’s skills. IDP involves a simple record of a worker’s career goals, it can also be described as a contractual arrangement between a worker and the employer in some cases the supervisor on finances available to meet the goal of the employer and employee. What is the importance of individual development plan?
Reasons For Development Plan
· It enables the employee execute responsibilities in accordance with the job principles.
· Individual development plan enhances work performance
· It help the organization in their quest of improving employee’s work efficiency through developing their expertise
· The plan enable employee fix realistic goals
From the above points it is obvious that IDP is a two way relevant scheme. So, now that the importance has been established, next is to find out how to organize IDP.
Steps in preparing IDP plan
Individual development plan must come after employees work appraisal. This is the only way the company will know if the employee needs IDP or not. It involves evaluating the worker’s strength and weakness, in conjunction to the job specifications and company value standard policies. If the worker is found wanting, then the worker will be listed for individual development exercise. To set up the IDP procedure the employer will start by evaluating his skill:
1. The employer will find out the organization’s ultimate goal, understand the dictates of his responsibilities, and what is required of him
2. As an employee you are expected to be able to project your goals above 3 to 6 years
3. You must be able to identify your strength, and weakness. What are they list them, and ask this question – can it be better? Is there any room for more improvement?
4. Zero in on your weaknesses, does it in anyway hinder your performance at work?
5. What are your values? Know the limit and extent you are willing to go in the developmental bid.
6. Are you satisfied with your job?
7. What kind of change do you expect, or would welcome?
8. Does your job meet your basic needs?
The above are some developmental opportunities questionnaire that must be evaluated by your employer or supervisor. It is their job to evaluate which category you fall into, and the list of developmental opening available in the organization. Final decision will be based on these criteria:
· When you are done with your listings your supervisor will find out if the goals are realistic
· How compliant are your goals to company’s major needs, and expertise
· He or she will evaluate if the available developmental program support your objectives
· Did the developmental proposal of the employee cover all the available developmental opportunities
· Is the developmental proposal within the capacity of the company?
The evaluation of the employee’s developmental program is better conducted one-on-one (between employee and employer). After this, it should be signed and set aside as a contract.
So far the techniques and reasons for preparing IDP have been established what next? What happens after the individual developmental plan has been prepared?
After the process is completed the developmental plan will be adopted to find out the company’s training requirements, and also to identify the priorities. The office responsible for the training will then be suitably furnished with all the necessary materials that will be needed for the training.
Individual development plan is a corporate tool that will go a long way in ensuring that a company achieves its corporate goal. It’s beneficial for both the employer and the employee especially in the long run. The company enjoy upgraded service from employee, which in due time may manifest in increase in profits.
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