How can you create a career development plan that includes both hard and soft skills training?

As a supervisor, you want to help your employees grow and advance in their careers. One way to do that is to create a career development plan that includes both hard and soft skills training. Hard skills are the technical or functional abilities that are specific to a job or industry. Soft skills are the interpersonal or behavioral skills that are essential for any workplace. Both types of skills are important for career success and satisfaction, but they require different approaches to learning and development. Here are some steps you can take to create a career development plan that covers both hard and soft skills training for your employees.

1 Assess current skills and gaps

The first step is to assess the current skills and gaps of your employees. You can use various methods to do this, such as performance reviews, feedback surveys, self-assessments, or skill tests. The goal is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of your employees in relation to their current and future roles and responsibilities. You should also consider the organizational goals and priorities, as well as the market trends and demands, to determine the most relevant and valuable skills for your employees.

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Jorge Voidonikolas

HR Manager East Europe en Slb - Holding together to transcend
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Soft skills have become more important than technical ones. It will always be easier to teach someone rocket science than to treat people with respect. Soft skills will facilitate navigation on times of uncertainty and ambiguity. There are a number of tools that can help the appraisal process but what is fundamental is that at least 50% of the evaluation should be focused on soft skills.

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Tarek Raslan

Head of corporate support & security
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I believe that first step is to assess the talent of each team member, this can be done using various online tools, afterwards ensure that each talent is well positioned or you need to swap jobs accordingly. Finally started assessing skills of each team member

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2 Set SMART goals and objectives

The next step is to set SMART goals and objectives for your employees. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These criteria help you to define clear and realistic expectations and outcomes for your employees. You should involve your employees in the goal-setting process, as this will increase their motivation and commitment. You should also align the goals and objectives with the organizational vision and mission, as well as the employee's career aspirations and interests.

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Tarek Raslan

Head of corporate support & security
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Setting SMART goals is a key and each function head to cascade his goals to the team members so they can create their own is the master key of the goals, afterwards to discuss and approve

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3 Choose appropriate training methods and resources

The third step is to choose appropriate training methods and resources for your employees. Depending on the type of skill, the level of proficiency, the learning style, and the budget, you can select from various options, such as online courses, workshops, seminars, mentoring, coaching, shadowing, or self-study. You should also consider the availability and accessibility of the training methods and resources, as well as the feedback and evaluation mechanisms. You should aim to provide a balanced and diversified mix of training methods and resources that cater to the different needs and preferences of your employees.

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Tarek Raslan

Head of corporate support & security
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I believe the classroom training is more effective and important than online courses, specifically that organisations now days like the online training tools due to the mass production with lower budget, but it can't be compared to classroom training which is employees get to understand, interact and build relationships with the colleagues from other teams benefits the day to day business.

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4 Implement and monitor the plan

The fourth step is to implement and monitor the plan. You should communicate the plan clearly and effectively to your employees, as well as to other stakeholders, such as managers, peers, or customers. You should also provide support and guidance to your employees throughout the implementation process, such as by offering feedback, recognition, encouragement, or assistance. You should also track and measure the progress and results of your employees, using quantitative and qualitative indicators, such as tests, surveys, observations, or testimonials.

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5 Review and revise the plan

The final step is to review and revise the plan. You should conduct regular and timely reviews of the plan, involving your employees and other stakeholders, to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the training methods and resources, as well as the achievement and satisfaction of the goals and objectives. You should also identify the challenges and opportunities for improvement, as well as the best practices and lessons learned. You should then make the necessary adjustments and modifications to the plan, based on the feedback and data collected.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you create a career development plan that includes both hard and soft skills training?

1

2

3

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1 Assess current skills and gaps

2 Set SMART goals and objectives

3 Choose appropriate training methods and resources

4 Implement and monitor the plan

5 Review and revise the plan

6 Here’s what else to consider

Supervisory Skills

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How can you create a career development plan that includes both hard and soft skills training?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Assess current skills and gaps

2 Set SMART goals and objectives

3 Choose appropriate training methods and resources

4 Implement and monitor the plan

5 Review and revise the plan

6 Here’s what else to consider

Supervisory Skills

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