Develop and retain your good employee

01-09-2010 | Not Specified

Step 4: Creating a development plan

During the past few months we have been discussing how to retain employees.

Topics we have covered so far include providing the "right" remuneration package, conducting an effective induction process and creating development opportunities for your employees. This month we will discuss how to create a development plan for your employees in conjunction with conducting a performance review.

As a manager it is important to provide feedback, both formally and informally, to your team regarding their work performance, including their strengths and weaknesses. Most people know that for a relationship to work (and that includes employment relationships), communication is extremely important. Providing informal feedback on a regular basis and providing formal feedback in the form of a performance review are two methods that are essential for ensuring that everyone is heading in the same direction.

Performance reviews should ideally be conducted at least twice in the first year of employment and at least once a year in subsequent years. A performance review should be based on the responsibilities outlined in your employee's "Position Description" - therefore it is really important to get these descriptions accurate before the employee starts working with you.

Once a performance review has been conducted the next step is to create a development plan for your employee. The focus of a development plan is to develop and ultimately retain your employee, so it should be based on their interests as well as their performance. When an employee knows that you are genuinely interested in their growth they will feel more motivated and rewarded in their work.

Development plan

Once you have conducted a performance review, which includes rating your employee on the responsibilities outlined in their position description:

• Write a list of the areas that they need to improve in and/or areas your employee wants to grow in

• Discuss methods for improvement and remember to ask your employee for their ideas. People are more receptive to change when it isn't forced on them. A few methods include on-the-job training, attending a course, spending time with a vet or consultant, individual research, providing extra responsibility in an area or providing opportunities to attend discussion groups or the Young Farmers club.

• Discuss where your employee would like to go in their career. You may feel hesitant to discuss this because you don't want them to leave, but if they can see that their current position will help build skills that they need for their future they will be more likely to stay longer

Your employee should take responsibility for their own development so make sure they know that you expect them to be in control of their learning. If you have agreed on a course for them to attend, get them to organise their own attendance, and if something isn't working for them they should be telling you rather than waiting for you to ask.

For each area that needs improvement outline a timeframe to review progress. This could be weekly or monthly and could just be an informal discussion. This gives the message that you are serious about their development and prevents laziness in following through with the plan. Don't leave it until next year's performance review or your efforts will be wasted.

A development plan may not work for every employee. If you have conducted a performance review for an employee and they received ratings of 100% in all aspects of their job and/or they are meeting all your expectations and they don't want a development plan, then there is probably no point in making them have one.

For more information on position descriptions, performance reviews and development plans, contact Fegan & Co.

Team Talk is written by Marie Hunt, recruitment consultant for Fegan & Co, specialists in rural recruitment and human resources. www.fegan.co.nz.

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