Professional Development Plan

Professional Development Plan is designed to facilitate constructive discussion between a staff member and his or her supervisor and to clarify the work performance to be improved. Professional Development Plan is an integral part of many career paths. Although the requirements vary, there are many professional and personal benefits, from honing skills to finding a new role. It is a long-term commitment that includes systematic maintenance, improvement and broadening of your skills year after year.

You can maintain and improve your knowledge in a range of ways. Organised learning via courses along with self-directed learning and reading within your area are common methods, but there are many others. Anyone looking to take stock of their performance level might want to start with reviewing any mandatory requirements that exist within their profession, as these can vary.

However, the professional development plan is just as relevant to those not accredited to professional bodies or working within industries where there are no formal requirements. Keeping your skills up-to-date is appropriate for anyone. It’s about making sure you’ve got the capability to remain effective. Your field will develop, and if you don’t develop alongside it, you’ll be left behind.

Professional Development Plan Implementation

It is implemented, at the discretion of the supervisor, when it becomes necessary to help a staff member improve his or her performance. The supervisor, with input from the affected employee, develops an improvement plan; the purpose of the activities outlined is to help the employee to attain the desired level of performance.

The format and the expectation of the Professional Development Plan should enable the supervisor and staff member to communicate with a higher degree of clarity about specific expectations. In general, people who are performing their jobs effectively, and meeting expectations, would not need to participate in a Professional Development Plan.

In all cases, it is recommended that the supervisor’s supervisor and the Human Resources department review the plan. This will ensure consistent and fair treatment of employees across the company.

The supervisor will monitor and provide feedback to the employee regarding his or her performance on the Professional Development Plan and may take additional disciplinary action, if warranted, through the organization’s Progressive Discipline Process, if necessary.