Staff are at their most productive when they are happy. A recent survey confirms 91% of staff are at their happiest when when they feel their employer cares about them, takes an interest in them and invests in their personal development and growth. This can take the form of 121 coaching with their manager, attendance of external courses, in house workshops, all contributing towards the personal development of the individual.

Out of all personal development activity mentioned the most valued is 121 time spent with their boss. This can involve coaching and mentoring, or such simple moments of asking how they are everyday and taking and overall interest in staff well being and progress.

Managers have more influence over their staff than they realise with the 2 most important relationships in any employees life are that of their spouse and yes you guessed it their boss.

So its simple isn't it. Happy staff are more motivated, more productive and therefor perform better overall.

Another important number to mention here is staff that are happy and motivated will not only work harder for you but will stay with you longer as well. Staff attrition rates for happy staff is 79% stay with you 3 years or more whilst you lose over 50% of unhappy, demotivated staff within the first year. Recruitment and high attrition are on of the highest un controllable costs that can have a massive negative impact on the overall business performance. HPO'S recognise this so all have robust personal development plans in place for all staff.

These can vary from person to person and can be different for high achievers or staff that have been identified as having the potential to go further within the organisation.

A typical personal development will last a full year with formal quarterly reviews and weekly sit downs with the line manager.

Staff Development Plans

Writing a Personal Development Plan

1. Set yourself goals. Include skill, competence and performance
2. Prioritise those goals.
3. Agree these goals with your line manager.
4. Be clear and the parts to be played by you, your line manager and other company resources including cross functional and external development opportunities
5. Set yourself deadlines for when you want to achieve them.
6. Ensure you have a regular follow up meeting with your line manager every week to review progress and consolidate learning
7. Recognise threats and opportunities.
8. Develop your skills or increase your knowledge. Arrange for skill observations by your line manager across developmental areas and obtain appropriate input feedback
9. Use your support network.
10. Measure your progress.

Examples of personal development goals for work

• Improve your time management.
• Study top performers and model them accordingly
• Create a healthy work life balance
• Create an action plan with your boss for your development towards your next promotion.
• Learn new team building skills so you can become a more effective team player
• Understand your own personal motivation triggers and fire your self up.
• Develop emotional intelligence.
• Cultivate resilience.
• Listen actively.
• Develop a growth mindset. Learn and embrace the presuppositions of NLP
• Develop a reading habit.
• Learn new things.
• Ask all your colleagues to give you 360 feedback on your performance and include what you can do more of, different, better or less of. Take action accordingly
• Aim to achieve 3 new targets never before achieved.
• Aim to increase your productivity and performance by a min of 20%
• Commit to sitting down with your line manager every week for developmental feedback and review sessions