Practice knowledge base
Individual Development Plan (IDP)
An Individual Development Plan sets out growth goals, skills, projects, learning, and regular progress conversations between an employee and their manager.
Documentation sections
What it is
An Individual Development Plan, or IDP, is a working agreement on how an employee will grow in their current or future role. It describes the necessary skills, practical tasks, learning, support, and indicators of progress. The practice helps turn general career expectations into concrete steps that can be discussed in regular meetings.
When it helps
- The employee is unclear about the skills required for their next career step.
- Development discussions are infrequent and conclude with vague aspirations.
- Training is acquired or assigned without direct relevance to work tasks.
- The manager intends to foster growth but fails to define specific projects and support.
- There is a risk of losing high-performing employees due to unclear career prospects within the team.
How to start
- 1 Select one employee or a small group where career aspirations have already been explicitly discussed.
- 2 Conduct a discussion about the desired role, strengths, and skills that may hinder the next step.
- 3 Define 2-3 development goals linked to real tasks, projects, or areas of responsibility.
- 4 Assign support: a manager, mentor, course, practical assignment, or regular feedback.
- 5 Review the plan during the next one-on-one meeting and agree on how progress will be monitored.
Expected effect
An IDP turns development into a subject of regular agreements rather than a one-off conversation. It clarifies next steps for the employee, simplifies task and support allocation for the manager, and helps HR identify where career expectations diverge from team capabilities.
Common pitfalls
- The plan becomes a list of courses without practical work tasks where the employee can apply new skills.
- The manager promises career growth that the team or company cannot support with actual opportunities.
- The IDP is completed once and not revisited during one-on-one meetings.
- Development goals are chosen solely by the manager, without the employee's input or motivation.
- The plan is used as an evaluative document, causing the employee to conceal difficulties and genuine interests.
Further reading
- Book: Beverly Kaye, Julie Winkle Giulioni, Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go
- Book: Whitney Johnson, Disrupt Yourself
- Report: LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report, employee learning and development trends
- Documentation: SHRM, resources on individual development plans and career development
FAQ
Who should own the IDP?
The employee owns their development, while the manager helps connect goals with tasks, feedback, and team opportunities. HR can provide a template and ensure that discussions are maintained.
Can one start without a complex HR system?
Yes. A concise document outlining goals, skills, actions, support, and the date of the next discussion is sufficient to start. Regular discussion is more crucial than the template's format.
How many development goals should be included?
It is best to select a few prominent goals that can be linked to real tasks. A lengthy list quickly loses focus and rarely assists the manager in providing appropriate support.
What if an employee does not want an IDP?
Do not impose the plan as an obligation. Begin with a conversation about current tasks, interests, and challenges. If there is no expressed desire for growth, agree only on the skills necessary for the current role.