training and development in business plan

Learning and Development Planning Guide [With Templates]

• Lauren Farrell
• May 18, 2022

As the pace of business increases and unpredictable market forces continue to influence strategy and decision-making, it seems like it’s never been harder to create a plan and stick with it. 

Many organizations are still creating 3-5 year strategies, but they need to be more agile and flexible than ever. Successful businesses (and successful functions within them) are those that can quickly adapt.

Learning and development has steadily carved out a new pathway within the organization in recent years. Executives are sitting up and taking notice of the function’s strategic relevance and potential impact on business success. External forces such as skills obsolescence, global pandemics, and labor shortages have no doubt contributed to the acceleration of this new strategic role for L&D.  

Now that L&D has reached this point, strategic planning is more crucial than ever. Effective learning and development planning is critical to ensuring that employee training can deliver on its promises and directly contribute to business performance. 

So, what should training planning look like for L&D teams in this new, agile business landscape? 

What is included in a training plan?

An L&D plan needs to go beyond a list of courses that you plan to develop throughout the year. It also needs to cover every aspect of the function, from strategy and resource planning to business alignment.

Without this granularity, L&D departments will struggle to move beyond order-taking from the business for ineffective learning interventions and towards a strategically aligned performance influencer. 

Comprehensive L&D Strategy

All learning and development planning should begin with a detailed, comprehensive learning strategy for the organization. A well-developed strategy encompasses everything from your learning and development goals to how and when you plan to execute them within a given timeframe. 

While it can take some time and a fairly extensive level of collaboration with business partners, your L&D objectives should align with the needs and goals of the organization. Once you have clearly defined objectives in place, it becomes much easier to devise training plans that add value and make the best use of your resources.

As part of your training strategy development, you might consider processes such as a detailed learning needs assessment within the organization.

Learning and Development Resource Planning

It’s good to be ambitious with your L&D strategy. But very few teams have an unlimited amount of resources available. So, another key element of successful L&D planning is prioritization.

First, you need to understand what resources are available to you and your team. How many FTE hours will you have throughout the year? What size budget are you working with? 

Next, analyze your resource availability against the demand any planned initiatives will place on these resources. Prioritize initiatives, learning development time, and budget allocation against the impact you expect initiatives to have. 

Cognota has Capacity Planning and Resource Allocation features specifically designed for L&D teams, so you can balance the demand for training against the capacity and availability of your team at any given time. Try a free trial or book a demo to see for yourself.  

What makes a good training plan?

Aside from building out your planned training initiatives, successful learning and development plans also have some core focus areas and characteristics. These items are the difference between creating a well-structured plan and being able to effectively execute it.

Effective Frameworks and Learning Operations

Learning and development strategies are complex and comprise a lot of moving parts. Bringing your objectives to fruition requires the structure, workflows, and processes needed to implement tactics and initiatives effectively.

From the way you work with business partners to how you schedule and track your learning projects, the operations behind your L&D team are the engine room of your strategy implementation. This includes processes and operational considerations such as:

• The structure and skills base of your L&D team
• Training intake and needs assessment
• Project prioritization and planning
• Collaboration with team members, stakeholders, and SMEs
• Project tracking and task management
• Course toryboarding, design, and development
• Content management and updates
• Budget allocation and tracking
• Resource management and capacity planning

Regardless of the size and structure of your L&D department, operational efficiency increases the capacity of your team and the impact they can have on the organization. 

Learning Technology Ecosystem

Mature L&D operations need the right technology behind them to ensure these processes run quickly and smoothly. Many areas of learning operations are also interconnected. But without the right technology in place, processes, documentation, and collaboration remain siloed and disjointed. 

Many L&D teams continue to rely on email, spreadsheets, shared files, and generic tools to manage and run their operations. This leaves team members struggling to collaborate efficiently. Important tasks and documentation slip through the cracks, work is often duplicated, and hours are wasted moving from one tool to another throughout the learning lifecycle. 

For plans to be executed well, learning and development needs a mature and streamlined learning tech stack. Starting with a learning operations platform and including authoring tools and learning delivery technology, the learning tech stack needs to integrate, both from one L&D tool to another and with wider business technology. 

Not only does this provide data and insights needed for informed planning and decision making, but it also elevates the productivity and efficiency of the entire learning lifecycle.  

Business Alignment

As a support function within the organization, learning and development needs to wear multiple hats. While L&D should take the lead from the business in terms of training needs (preferably in a data-driven environment), they must also act as advisors to business partners.

Taking on both these roles is the difference between operating as a department that takes orders blindly from the rest of the business and becoming a strategic influencer and partner that contributes directly and deliberately to business success.

Many L&D teams have successfully positioned themselves as strategic influencers in the organization, and there are many ways to achieve this. For example, some establish learning advisory committees to engage business partners and executives so that learning interventions add value and align with business objectives. 

Regardless of how you achieve it, business alignment is critical to a successful L&D plan. Without it, L&D are left to take last-minute training requests form the business. Or, other departments take training into their own hands without guidance from the team that knows best when it comes to learning interventions.

Buy-In From Stakeholders and Executives

Getting buy-in for training from department managers is one thing. They see the day-to-day need for learning intervention and are naturally more in touch with the performance goals and career aspirations of individual employees. 

However, when it comes to budget approval, increasing headcount, or implementing large scale training programs, you need buy-in from higher up the chain. Championship from executive and senior stakeholders is also critical to smoothing the path with any corners of the organization who may be resistant to training or partnership with L&D. 

From getting your learning plans approved to support for implementation, 

Measuring L&D Success

When you get buy-in from senior management within your organization, it’s imperative that you can prove the results of learning investments. The ability to prove the impact of L&D, especially when that impact can be tied directly to the bottom line of the business, ensures that your department receives the resources it needs. 

When it comes to future learning and development planning, the ability to measure L&D success also enables you to:

• Validate past decisions
• Eliminate training initiatives that lack impact
• Focus resources on effective learning solutions and investments
• Understand where extra resources or capabilities are needed within the department

How to Create a Successful Training Plan

Whether you’re overhauling an existing strategy or starting from scratch, it can be difficult to know where to begin with training and development planning. Best practice is to start as broad as possible and narrow down the focus of your strategy as you go. 

Start with the overall objectives and needs of the organization and steadily work down towards the needs and preferences of individual teams or employees. If you’re starting with a training needs analysis (try this template ), these two areas of focus can work in tandem, so you create an L&D strategy that combines corporate objectives with grassroots input from employees and their managers.

Assess Business Training Needs

At this stage of the training planning process, the first priority is to ensure the L&D strategy is aligned with overall corporate objectives. If your organization does a good job of communicating corporate objectives to individual business units, you’ll have a much easier time understanding how to create and prioritize resources and initiatives for your internal department strategy. 

Other learning leaders may find themselves needing to hunt down information and collaboration with business partners to understand their goals and priorities for the months ahead. This is where ongoing partnerships such as a learning advisory committee come in useful.  

While corporate objectives are an essential part of planning for learning and development, things can change and change quickly. So, while your strategy should align with organization-wide objectives, be prepared to remain agile and flexible.

Determine Learner Needs and Preferences

The C-suite and department leaders may have one idea of the learning initiatives needed. Employees and their line managers may have another idea entirely. While impacting the performance of the business is top priority, employee buy-in and engagement is essential for the success of any learning intervention.

So, whether it takes place alongside an analysis of corporate strategy or after, a comprehensive needs analysis of training and skills development ensures that:

• Employees feel listened to and engage with learning initiatives
• Grass-roots skills gaps are bridged effectively
• Learning content that is appropriate for existing and desired skill levels is developed

Many L&D teams perform a needs analysis like this through detailed questionnaires from both managers and employees. By including questions such as priority level, business impact, and the size of the audience for a potential learning solution as part of these questionnaires, L&D can better select and prioritize projects to include in their planning.

Assess L&D’s Capabilities and Capacity

Last but certainly not least, L&D must assess the demand for training that emerges from corporate goals and needs analysis and balance it against their available resources. Initiatives must be carefully planned for and scheduled to ensure that your team has the capacity to create learning interventions on time and to a high quality. 

Understanding the capabilities and capacity of your team also helps you to create a business case for learning and development workforce planning so you have the budget, headcount, outsourcing, and resources needed to fulfill demand.

Centralize the Planning and Tracking of Your L&D Projects

There’s a lot that goes into effective L&D planning, and spreadsheets don’t quite cut it when it comes time for implementation and tracking. With Cognota, you can plan and manage team capacity, track project progress, and gain insights and visibility into L&D’s resource management, training demand, and more. Check out what Cognota can do for your L&D team’s efficiency and impact with a free trial or by booking a demo .

• Tags: L&D planning , Learning and Development Strategy , Training Plan

You might also like

Preventing Burnout: How Effective Resource Allocation Keeps Your L&D Team Thriving

What is Learning Operations? Your 2024 Guide

Evaluating The Success of Your Training Programs

Article details, share this article, get more like this, search our site, connect, collaborate & grow: discover the learnops® community.

LearnOps ®️

L&D Resources

Cognota Resources

• © Cognota, Inc 2024

Privacy Overview

Attend a Fully Accredited LearnOps Workshop - For Free! 🎉 Sign Up Here

The essential components of a successful L&D strategy

Over the past decade, the global workforce has been continually evolving because of a number of factors. An increasingly competitive business landscape, rising complexity, and the digital revolution are reshaping the mix of employees. Meanwhile, persistent uncertainty, a multigenerational workforce, and a shorter shelf life for knowledge have placed a premium on reskilling and upskilling. The shift to a digital, knowledge-based economy means that a vibrant workforce is more important than ever: research suggests that a very significant percentage of market capitalization in public companies is based on intangible assets—skilled employees, exceptional leaders, and knowledge. 1 Intangible Asset Market Value Study, Ocean Tomo.

Learning and development—From evolution to revolution

We began in 2014 by surveying 1,500 executives about capability building. In 2016, we added 120 L&D leaders at 91 organizations to our database, gathering information on their traditional training strategies and aspirations for future programs. We also interviewed 15 chief learning officers or L&D heads at major companies.

Historically, the L&D function has been relatively successful in helping employees build skills and perform well in their existing roles. The main focus of L&D has been on upskilling. However, the pace of change continues to accelerate; McKinsey research estimates that as many as 800 million jobs could be displaced by automation by 2030.

Employee roles are expected to continue evolving, and a large number of people will need to learn new skills to remain employable. Unsurprisingly, our research confirmed our initial hypothesis: corporate learning must undergo revolutionary changes over the next few years to keep pace with constant technological advances. In addition to updating training content, companies must increase their focus on blended-learning solutions, which combine digital learning, fieldwork, and highly immersive classroom sessions. With the growth of user-friendly digital-learning platforms, employees will take more ownership of their professional development, logging in to take courses when the need arises rather than waiting for a scheduled classroom session.

Such innovations will require companies to devote more resources to training: our survey revealed that 60 percent of respondents plan to increase L&D spending over the next few years, and 66 percent want to boost the number of employee-training hours. As they commit more time and money, companies must ensure that the transformation of the L&D function proceeds smoothly.

All of these trends have elevated the importance of the learning-and-development (L&D) function. We undertook several phases of research to understand trends and current priorities in L&D (see sidebar, “Learning and development—From evolution to revolution”). Our efforts highlighted how the L&D function is adapting to meet the changing needs of organizations, as well as the growing levels of investment in professional development.

To get the most out of investments in training programs and curriculum development, L&D leaders must embrace a broader role within the organization and formulate an ambitious vision for the function. An essential component of this effort is a comprehensive, coordinated strategy that engages the organization and encourages collaboration. The ACADEMIES© framework, which consists of nine dimensions of L&D, can help to strengthen the function and position it to serve the organization more effectively.

The strategic role of L&D

One of L&D’s primary responsibilities is to manage the development of people—and to do so in a way that supports other key business priorities. L&D’s strategic role spans five areas (Exhibit 1). 2 Nick van Dam, 25 Best Practices in Learning & Talent Development , second edition, Raleigh, NC: Lulu Publishing, 2008.

• Attract and retain talent. Traditionally, learning focused solely on improving productivity. Today, learning also contributes to employability. Over the past several decades, employment has shifted from staying with the same company for a lifetime to a model where workers are being retained only as long as they can add value to an enterprise. Workers are now in charge of their personal and professional growth and development—one reason that people list “opportunities for learning and development” among the top criteria for joining an organization. Conversely, a lack of L&D is one of the key reasons people cite for leaving a company.
• Develop people capabilities. Human capital requires ongoing investments in L&D to retain its value. When knowledge becomes outdated or forgotten—a more rapid occurrence today—the value of human capital declines and needs to be supplemented by new learning and relevant work experiences. 3 Gary S. Becker, “Investment in human capital: A theoretical analysis,” Journal of Political Economy , 1962, Volume 70, Number 5, Part 2, pp. 9–49, jstor.org. Companies that make investments in the next generation of leaders are seeing an impressive return. Research indicates that companies in the top quartile of leadership outperform other organizations by nearly two times on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Moreover, companies that invest in developing leaders during significant transformations are 2.4 times more likely to hit their performance targets . 4 “ Economic Conditions Snapshot, June 2009: McKinsey Global Survey results ,” June 2009.
• Create a values-based culture. As the workforce in many companies becomes increasingly virtual and globally dispersed, L&D can help to build a values-based culture and a sense of community. In particular, millennials are particularly interested in working for values-based, sustainable enterprises that contribute to the welfare of society.
• Build an employer brand. An organization’s brand is one of its most important assets and conveys a great deal about the company’s success in the market, financial strengths, position in the industry, and products and services. Investments in L&D can help to enhance company’s brand and boost its reputation as an “employer of choice.” As large segments of the workforce prepare to retire, employers must work harder to compete for a shrinking talent pool. To do so, they must communicate their brand strength explicitly through an employer value proposition.
• Motivate and engage employees. The most important way to engage employees is to provide them with opportunities to learn and develop new competencies. Research suggests that lifelong learning contributes to happiness. 5 John Coleman, “Lifelong learning is good for your health, your wallet, and your social life,” Harvard Business Review , February 7, 2017, hbr.org. When highly engaged employees are challenged and given the skills to grow and develop within their chosen career path, they are more likely to be energized by new opportunities at work and satisfied with their current organization.

The L&D function in transition

Over the years, we have identified and field-tested nine dimensions that contribute to a strong L&D function. We combined these dimensions to create the ACADEMIES framework, which covers all aspects of L&D functions, from setting aspirations to measuring impact (Exhibit 2). Although many companies regularly execute on several dimensions of this framework, our recent research found that only a few companies are fully mature in all dimensions.

1. Alignment with business strategy

One of an L&D executive’s primary tasks is to develop and shape a learning strategy based on the company’s business and talent strategies. The learning strategy seeks to support professional development and build capabilities across the company, on time, and in a cost-effective manner. In addition, the learning strategy can enhance the company culture and encourage employees to live the company’s values.

For many organizations, the L&D function supports the implementation of the business strategy. For example, if one of the business strategies is a digital transformation, L&D will focus on building the necessary people capabilities to make that possible.

Every business leader would agree that L&D must align with a company’s overall priorities. Yet research has found that many L&D functions fall short on this dimension. Only 40 percent of companies say that their learning strategy is aligned with business goals. 6 Human Capital Management Excellence Conference 2018, Brandon Hall Group. For 60 percent, then, learning has no explicit connection to the company’s strategic objectives. L&D functions may be out of sync with the business because of outdated approaches or because budgets have been based on priorities from previous years rather than today’s imperatives, such as a digital transformation.

Would you like to learn more about the McKinsey Academy ?

To be effective, L&D must take a hard look at employee capabilities and determine which are most essential to support the execution of the company’s business strategy. L&D leaders should reevaluate this alignment on a yearly basis to ensure they are creating a people-capability agenda that truly reflects business priorities and strategic objectives.

2. Co-ownership between business units and HR

With new tools and technologies constantly emerging, companies must become more agile, ready to adapt their business processes and practices. L&D functions must likewise be prepared to rapidly launch capability-building programs—for example, if new business needs suddenly arise or staff members require immediate training on new technologies such as cloud-based collaboration tools.

L&D functions can enhance their partnership with business leaders by establishing a governance structure in which leadership from both groups share responsibility for defining, prioritizing, designing, and securing funds for capability-building programs. Under this governance model, a company’s chief experience officer (CXO), senior executives, and business-unit heads will develop the people-capability agenda for segments of the enterprise and ensure that it aligns with the company’s overall strategic goals. Top business executives will also help firmly embed the learning function and all L&D initiatives in the organizational culture. The involvement of senior leadership enables full commitment to the L&D function’s longer-term vision.

3. Assessment of capability gaps and estimated value

After companies identify their business priorities, they must verify that their employees can deliver on them—a task that may be more difficult than it sounds. Some companies make no effort to assess employee capabilities, while others do so only at a high level. Conversations with L&D, HR, and senior executives suggest that many companies are ineffective or indifferent at assessing capability gaps, especially when it comes to senior leaders and midlevel managers.

The most effective companies take a deliberate, systematic approach to capability assessment. At the heart of this process is a comprehensive competency or capability model based on the organization’s strategic direction. For example, a key competency for a segment of an e-commerce company’s workforce could be “deep expertise in big data and predictive analytics.”

After identifying the most essential capabilities for various functions or job descriptions, companies should then assess how employees rate in each of these areas. L&D interventions should seek to close these capability gaps.

4. Design of learning journeys

Most corporate learning is delivered through a combination of digital-learning formats and in-person sessions. While our research indicates that immersive L&D experiences in the classroom still have immense value, leaders have told us that they are incredibly busy “from eight to late,” which does not give them a lot of time to sit in a classroom. Furthermore, many said that they prefer to develop and practice new skills and behaviors in a “safe environment,” where they don’t have to worry about public failures that might affect their career paths.

Traditional L&D programs consisted of several days of classroom learning with no follow-up sessions, even though people tend to forget what they have learned without regular reinforcement. As a result, many L&D functions are moving away from stand-alone programs by designing learning journeys—continuous learning opportunities that take place over a period of time and include L&D interventions such as fieldwork, pre- and post-classroom digital learning, social learning, on-the-job coaching and mentoring, and short workshops. The main objectives of a learning journey are to help people develop the required new competencies in the most effective and efficient way and to support the transfer of learning to the job.

5. Execution and scale-up

An established L&D agenda consists of a number of strategic initiatives that support capability building and are aligned with business goals, such as helping leaders develop high-performing teams or roll out safety training. The successful execution of L&D initiatives on time and on budget is critical to build and sustain support from business leaders.

L&D functions often face an overload of initiatives and insufficient funding. L&D leadership needs to maintain an ongoing discussion with business leaders about initiatives and priorities to ensure the requisite resources and support.

Many new L&D initiatives are initially targeted to a limited audience. A successful execution of a small pilot, such as an online orientation program for a specific audience, can lead to an even bigger impact once the program is rolled out to the entire enterprise. The program’s cost per person declines as companies benefit from economies of scale.

6. Measurement of impact on business performance

A learning strategy’s execution and impact should be measured using key performance indicators (KPIs). The first indicator looks at business excellence: how closely aligned all L&D initiatives and investments are with business priorities. The second KPI looks at learning excellence: whether learning interventions change people’s behavior and performance. Last, an operational-excellence KPI measures how well investments and resources in the corporate academy are used.

Accurate measurement is not simple, and many organizations still rely on traditional impact metrics such as learning-program satisfaction and completion scores. But high-performing organizations focus on outcomes-based metrics such as impact on individual performance, employee engagement, team effectiveness, and business-process improvement.

We have identified several lenses for articulating and measuring learning impact:

• Strategic alignment: How effectively does the learning strategy support the organization’s priorities?
• Capabilities: How well does the L&D function help colleagues build the mind-sets, skills, and expertise they need most? This impact can be measured by assessing people’s capability gaps against a comprehensive competency framework.
• Organizational health: To what extent does learning strengthen the overall health and DNA of the organization? Relevant dimensions of the McKinsey Organizational Health Index can provide a baseline.
• Individual peak performance: Beyond raw capabilities, how well does the L&D function help colleagues achieve maximum impact in their role while maintaining a healthy work-life balance?

Access to big data provides L&D functions with more opportunities to assess and predict the business impact of their interventions.

7. Integration of L&D interventions into HR processes

Just as L&D corporate-learning activities need to be aligned with the business, they should also be an integral part of the HR agenda. L&D has an important role to play in recruitment, onboarding, performance management, promotion, workforce, and succession planning. Our research shows that at best, many L&D functions have only loose connections to annual performance reviews and lack a structured approach and follow-up to performance-management practices.

L&D leadership must understand major HR management practices and processes and collaborate closely with HR leaders. The best L&D functions use consolidated development feedback from performance reviews as input for their capability-building agenda. A growing number of companies are replacing annual performance appraisals with frequent, in-the-moment feedback. 7 HCM outlook 2018 , Brandon Hall Group. This is another area in which the L&D function can help managers build skills to provide development feedback effectively.

Elevating Learning & Development: Insights and Practical Guidance from the Field

Another example is onboarding. Companies that have developed high-impact onboarding processes score better on employee engagement and satisfaction and lose fewer new hires. 8 HCM outlook 2018 , Brandon Hall Group. The L&D function can play a critical role in onboarding—for example, by helping people build the skills to be successful in their role, providing new hires with access to digital-learning technologies, and connecting them with other new hires and mentors.

8. Enabling of the 70:20:10 learning framework

Many L&D functions embrace a framework known as “70:20:10,” in which 70 percent of learning takes place on the job, 20 percent through interaction and collaboration, and 10 percent through formal-learning interventions such as classroom training and digital curricula. These percentages are general guidelines and vary by industry and organization. L&D functions have traditionally focused on the formal-learning component.

Today, L&D leaders must design and implement interventions that support informal learning, including coaching and mentoring, on-the-job instruction, apprenticeships, leadership shadowing, action-based learning, on-demand access to digital learning, and lunch-and-learn sessions. Social technologies play a growing role in connecting experts and creating and sharing knowledge.

9. Systems and learning technology applications

The most significant enablers for just-in-time learning are technology platforms and applications. Examples include next-generation learning-management systems, virtual classrooms, mobile-learning apps, embedded performance-support systems, polling software, learning-video platforms, learning-assessment and -measurement platforms, massive open online courses (MOOCs), and small private online courses (SPOCs), to name just a few.

The learning-technology industry has moved entirely to cloud-based platforms, which provide L&D functions with unlimited opportunities to plug and unplug systems and access the latest functionality without having to go through lengthy and expensive implementations of an on-premises system. L&D leaders must make sure that learning technologies fit into an overall system architecture that includes functionality to support the entire talent cycle, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, L&D, real-time feedback tools, career management, succession planning, and rewards and recognition.

L&D leaders are increasingly aware of the challenges created by the fourth industrial revolution (technologies that are connecting the physical and digital worlds), but few have implemented large-scale transformation programs. Instead, most are slowly adapting their strategy and curricula as needed. However, with technology advancing at an ever-accelerating pace, L&D leaders can delay no longer: human capital is more important than ever and will be the primary factor in sustaining competitive advantage over the next few years.

The leaders of L&D functions need to revolutionize their approach by creating a learning strategy that aligns with business strategy and by identifying and enabling the capabilities needed to achieve success. This approach will result in robust curricula that employ every relevant and available learning method and technology. The most effective companies will invest in innovative L&D programs, remain flexible and agile, and build the human talent needed to master the digital age.

These changes entail some risk, and perhaps some trial and error, but the rewards are great.

A version of this chapter was published in TvOO Magazine in September 2016. It is also included in Elevating Learning & Development: Insights and Practical Guidance from the Field , August 2018.

Stay current on your favorite topics

Jacqueline Brassey is director of Enduring Priorities Learning in McKinsey’s Amsterdam office, where Nick van Dam is an alumnus and senior adviser to the firm as well as professor and chief of the IE University (Madrid) Center for Learning Innovation; Lisa Christensen is a senior learning expert in the San Francisco office.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

Seven essential elements of a lifelong-learning mind-set

Putting lifelong learning on the CEO agenda

• Book a Speaker

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus convallis sem tellus, vitae egestas felis vestibule ut.

Error message details.

Reuse Permissions

Request permission to republish or redistribute SHRM content and materials.

7 Key Steps for Better Training and Development Programs

Training new and existing employees can be a company’s biggest challenge, especially in a rapidly changing business environment. When I was chief human resources officer at Mirage and Wynn resorts in Las Vegas, training and developing our teams could not have been more important. But that’s not the case at many companies, where the struggle to convince leadership to invest in training and development is ongoing.

Here are seven key steps you should consider to both build out and update an effective training and development program.

1. Benchmark against the competition

Before agreeing to support a new initiative, company leaders always want to know what the competition is doing and whether you’re doing more or less. This certainly holds true for training and development; that’s why it helps to network with professional colleagues and through organizations like the Society for Human Resource Management to find out what others are doing.

Start by reviewing social media sites to see what customers are saying about you and your competition; that will reveal information about customer satisfaction and preferences that may also support your request for a new training and development.

And then there are all the online surveys you regularly receive from vendors. Fill them out to get the report at the end of the process. This is the kind of information you will need to support your request for a new training and development initiative.

While working on the plan for the Mirage, we asked other startups what they did, what they would do or not do again, and what they would do differently if given the chance. Most of the companies we contacted were outside our market, so they were willing to share information with us.

We visited more than 250 other companies that had launched new businesses, and the No. 1 thing we heard from them was how important it is to train new employees. They reminded us that companies, like people, don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression.

We made important connections through that benchmarking research, and many of those connections have continued to exchange information with us—to our mutual benefit.

2. Survey your employees

The best source of information about organizational performance and needs are your current employees. They know a lot about what’s going on and what, if anything, should be changed. They’ll appreciate your interest and provide valuable feedback about what could be better or eliminated. We held focus groups to see what current employees wanted and needed:

• They wanted to know what was expected of them, why it was needed, and how to do it.
• They wanted to be trained by someone who knew what they were talking about. We selected supervisors or outstanding employees, and then trained them to be trainers so that they’d know what and how to train, and how to make the training interesting, relevant and fun.

3. Align training with management’s operating goals

Management always has operating goals: better performance, productivity, quality, or customer satisfaction, to name a few. Once you know the goals, you can design targeted programs. Additionally, look for others in your company who have needs that could be satisfied by training: Legal usually supports compliance training, marketing and sales might support training that promotes quality and consistency, and most departments will support supervisory skills training that promotes employee satisfaction.

Design onboarding procedures and new-hire training that ensures employees will be knowledgeable, and focused on standards and customer satisfaction.

Partner with regulatory agencies like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (health and safety), the Department of Labor (wage and hour compliance) and the Department of Justice (harassment and discrimination training) for compliance training.

Get help designing your materials. Consider contracting with teachers from your local public schools and community colleges. They are trained in instructional design and can work with your company’s subject matter experts to create useful and professional instructional materials.

Get supervisors training on how to improve their communication and coaching skills, and on how best to train a multi-generational workforce.

4. Run it like a business

Every new business starts with a strategic plan. Make sure you draft a plan for your training effort that includes all the classic elements:

• Clearly state your purpose and proposed deliverables. Show that you understand the depth and breadth of what you’re proposing.
• Include a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis that will help identify the appropriate training.
• Construct a realistic budget. Include all expenses, and be conservative (better to under-promise and over-deliver).
• Include an analysis of the benefits to your organization so that everyone can better understand the return on their investment.
• Know the numbers. Work closely with your company’s financial team to include the appropriate information and how best to display it.
• Market your program as if it were for customers. Leverage your public relations, graphics and marketing departments to brand and promote your programs, and design surveys to get feedback from participants.
• Conduct pilot classes to make sure your plan works. Trial runs help identify shortcomings and allow you to refine and make the program as good as everyone expects and needs it to be.

5. Weave it into your company’s culture

Companies want happy employees, so consider a “life-long training” philosophy that focuses on employee satisfaction.

When making promotion decisions, give preference to employees who completed training and performed well. A promotion should be one of the rewards for their efforts. And it answers the employee’s question, “What’s in it for me?”

Celebrate achievements and successes. Let everyone in your organization know when someone completed training and what that means to their growth opportunities. Advertise your programs and participants in internal communications, display their pictures and stories , and talk about it at every employee gathering.

Increase employee engagement by planning more opportunities for them to get involved. They could be trainers or subject matter experts, or could assist in evaluating their new colleagues and helping to reinforce their training.

6. Keep innovating

Throughout my career, I have seen tremendous improvements in the content and delivery methods of training and development programs.

When we opened the Mirage, we used what was then available: slide projectors, white boards and first-generation copies of handouts. As time and technology progressed, we evolved into PowerPoint presentations, graphic workbooks that were more attractive and useful, and digital editing.

I employed lots of “experts” to help design our training, but in the end I found that what our managers needed most was assistance in getting their subject expertise into an appropriate training and learning format.

We employed public school teachers to help develop our instructional manuals and materials. They’re the professionals who teach our children, and they’re trained to do this. They love to work during their vacations, and every city has them. They became a great source of talent to design our instructional materials initially and then update them periodically.

And as we all get more comfortable with technology, there’s a growing need to adopt the latest ideas.

Today there are apps, games, and easy-to-use video and editing tools that can be streamed to mobile devices. We continue to research the latest trends online, network with other organizations and training professionals, and revise our programs to take advantage of the latest best practices.

Case in point: Consider using GoPro and other handheld-type cameras to record messages, then publish them via YouTube. These videos are easily accessed via the Internet on both desktop and mobile devices.

7. Measure results

Successful companies measure outcomes to make sure they continue to get the biggest bang for their buck. The best measures are the simplest ones; incorporate them into your program so everyone knows what’s expected.

We called them “corresponding behaviors”—behaviors you’ll look for and measure on the job to determine if employees actually learned how to perform appropriately. This way, there will be no surprises for employees.

We trained managers who had been the trainers to evaluate employees’ performance several times during their introductory period, and to provide constructive feedback and coaching to let employees know how they were doing in real time; again, maximum feedback and no surprises.

We learned a lot while developing and updating the training and development programs at Mirage and Wynn resorts. Maybe the most important was that training was the best way to keep our promises of quality and excellence to employees and guests.

Arte Nathan served as chief human resources officer for Golden Nugget and its successor companies, Mirage Resorts and Wynn Resorts. He currently teaches, writes and consults; lives in Las Vegas and the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York; and is an avid musician, hiker, canoeist and book enthusiast.

You can find him at Arte808@gmail.com and www.thearteofmotivation.blogspot.com

Related Content

A 4-Day Workweek? AI-Fueled Efficiencies Could Make It Happen

The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.

How One Company Uses Digital Tools to Boost Employee Well-Being

Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.

Advertisement

Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace

​An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.

HR Daily Newsletter

New, trends and analysis, as well as breaking news alerts, to help HR professionals do their jobs better each business day.

Success title

Success caption

👀 Turn any prompt into captivating visuals in seconds with our AI-powered design generator ✨ Try Piktochart AI!

How to Create a Learning and Development Plan [Templates Inside]

Over the years, we’ve seen the business environment evolve beyond what is considered traditional, making the concept of creating an ’employee development plan’ more important than ever.

This has become even more prominent when we factor in the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and the increase of remote workers and hybrid working business models. In addition to workplace environmental restructuring, more than ever, all hands must be on deck with high-performing employees to deal with the new demands of this dynamic business future.

How to turn professional goals into an action plan

Yet, in turn, these employees still have career goals, professional goals, and a desired career path that must be respected and achievable through an action plan to diminish employee turnover.

Organizations need to embrace, more than ever, a learning and development strategy that helps employees cope with these situations. This includes providing learning programs, additional benefits, and career development plans that can be achieved in a realistic timeline to help your employees grow professionally and achieve their own goals and goals for your business through actionable steps.

Several studies  suggest that employee training and the implementation of employee development plans benefit both the company and its workers. For this reason, development opportunities and learning programs remain some of the top considerations for job seekers today.

However, organizational learning and development plans and strategies also have to be effective, achieve goals, and aim to diminish obvious staff skill gaps. 

As HR and senior management organize the right training programs and employee development plans , employees must be appropriately positioned to receive them. 

So, how do you ensure harmony among all the different parts and players to achieve goals?

In this guide, we’ll explore all there is to know about learning and development in the context of employee training, the benefits, and how a business can set up a successful learning and career development strategy. You’ll also find examples and related human resources templates on how you can create that action plan and success strategy yourself. Visualize roadmaps through timelines , presentations , and planners .

Table of Contents

What is a learning and development plan, why your organization needs a learning and development plan.

• How to create and roll out a solid learning and development plan in 6 steps 
• 5 learning and development plan examples and templates you can use 

Want a head start with your learning and development plan? Grab our hot-off-the-press employee development plan templates for your learning and development projects. They’re easy to edit and customize! Get your learning and development templates .

A learning and career development plan involves the continuous educational processes of learning new working methods and concepts, improving skills, and gaining more knowledge about one’s duties within a company.

Organization development programs update staff on new trends, skills, and technologies within the global workforce. 

It also serves to inform workers of new policies, laws, and safety information, as well as organizational procedures and rules.

If properly organized and carefully followed through, a learning and professional development plan will benefit an organization in several ways. 

These are some of the crucial upsides to investing in an employee development plan.

In the past, employee development was carried out to improve productivity. Now, it also focuses on attracting top talent, especially in industries where there are a good number of opportunities for staff to switch employers. 

The opportunity to learn more and develop through a structured development plan is undoubtedly one of the key considerations when selecting an employer. 

Employees want to remain relevant, and they recognize that that is only made possible with a professional development plan in place. 

Therefore, a good learning and development plan appeals to potential hires and helps retain talent within a company’s workforce. And just like in sales –  replacing employees is much more expensive  than acquiring them, with a 2020 Work Institute study showing voluntary employee turnover  costs U.S. businesses more than $630 billion annually.

2. Provide upskilling and career development opportunities

Learning and development plans provide upskilling opportunities. This empowers your workforce to perform their duties better and prepare for new or more responsibilities that align more with their strengths. 

3. Enhance employee capability

An organization’s human capital is a key part of the development process, which is why its knowledge base needs to be consistently updated to avoid a decline in capability. 

Staff learning contributes to this and positions the organization better towards success when hitting its development goals. For example, if you aim to enrich your blog post with unique guest posts, you can train your staff to use an AI detector to discover AI-generated content. 

In fact, companies that invest in their staff and leaders during transformational changes are  2.4 times more likely to achieve their performance targets. 

4. Recognize an organization’s strengths and weaknesses

When an organization invests in learning and professional development plans, the avenues to recognize strengths and weaknesses open up.

This makes it possible to maintain the positives and continuously grow their strengths while developing skills to strengthen their weaknesses. This increases the overall confidence within the company and maintains a healthy working environment .

5. Ensure brand consistency throughout the company

Updating staff on the latest industry trends and internal policies ensures transparency. This structure reinforces policies that are well-known and breeds  collaboration among employees .

6. Improve company values and culture

The reality of today’s workforce is an increasingly hybrid and global model, with teams dispersed across a wide range of locations. 

Despite having employees working from different places, a company must maintain its values-based culture and build a sense of community. An effective learning plan is required to instill this into employees regardless of where they work to be considered a success. 

7. Boost employee performance and productivity

One of the ultimate aims of a learning and development strategy is to enhance performance and productivity. Your workforce will understand their roles better and develop new skills, improved confidence, and a sense of responsibility to handle tasks more appropriately.

8. Increase customer satisfaction

A trained workforce is crucial in increasing customer satisfaction .

When your staff understands their roles, have confidence, and are dedicated to the company’s goals, the customers get improved services and remain happy with the company’s services.

How To Create and Roll Out a Solid Learning and Development Plan in 6 Steps

Now that you already know the benefits of learning and development in an organization, your next step is to develop a plan and implement it. 

The implementation and delivery to employees are just as important. 

Below are the steps for achieving a successful learning and development strategy.

Assess your organization’s objectives

A good starting point when creating an employee’s development training program is to assess the organization’s goals, business objectives, and general strategy. 

This part should form the bedrock of your strategy – because for any program to work, it has to align with business goals.

A learning and development strategy that is not in agreement with company objectives could be irrelevant or, worse, hurt the company’s growth. Therefore, it’s essential to engage senior management for this step. 

The HR department should create a checklist of goals and consider whether the program contributes or not. 

You can use the sample checklist below as a starting point:

• Where does the business aim to be in the next 5, 10, or 15 years?
• What values is the business known for?
• How can the business be more competitive?
• How can new technology trends affect the business?
• How does the training help the business expand?

These and other relevant questions based on the company’s goals should help clarify employee development needs about the overall business strategy.

2. Find out your employees’ learning and professional development needs

The workforce should be at the core of any business and its learning and development strategy.

Since the whole idea behind a development program is to improve employee capabilities and employee performance, their individual growth needs should be at the top of the list.

Not only will this increase employees’ learning, but it will also encourage employees to perform better, be engaged, and promote retention.

This step will clarify the skills of the employee and what they need to do to improve their performance. It also prevents a one-size-fits-all approach to learning and development, except for general programs, such as social learning and health or safety training.

The HR department needs to effectively formulate assessment methods to determine the team’s learning and development needs. This is typically done through supervisors and creating self-assessments.

Self-assessment can be tricky with tendencies of false information, but if used correctly, it may also be the best form of getting data from employees.

At this point, it is important to stress the need to constantly communicate with employees and incorporate them into the company’s core belief systems and decision-making processes.

3. Design the process

Based on the first two steps above, the HR department should be able to create a learning and development plan that works for the business and its employees. 

There is already a foundation of organizational priorities, and the professional development needs are clarified. 

Next, the development strategy should use modern training methods like  presentation software  while considering budget, timing, training contents, and materials.

These are examples of some modern training methods :

• In-person sessions
• Classroom style sessions
• Online training
• Certification programs
• Mentoring 
• Conferences

Companies can determine the most effective learning methods based on strategic objectives and intended business impact. They may also consider employee preferences and experiences. 

4. Roll out the programs

Training delivery and support are essential steps in ensuring the professional development of employees.

No matter how much planning you’ve put into the development strategy, the main purpose is to deliver a robust learning experience creating additional skills.

Trainings also need to be delivered in feasible mediums. For example, a business with a hybrid remote work model may have the option to host or create online courses for those who can’t attend in person.

5. Assess individual and overall performance

According to a   LinkedIn report , less than 10% of CEOs report seeing the business impact of their learning and development strategy. 

These numbers are shockingly low and could be traced to several factors, such as not identifying the actual training needs of employees or failing to deliver the training effectively and engagingly. 

Nevertheless, you must always assess the impact of these learning and development programs. 

Feedback from participants is one of the standard methods, but assessing individual and aggregated performance after the program rollout will give you the best picture. 

Make sure to set up key performance indicators to measure how much of the new skills employees were able to retain and use and the impact on company performance and processes. This reveals pending issues and future requirements for subsequent training.

6. Improve learning and professional development strategy

Lastly, you can improve your learning and development strategy by addressing employee feedback.

Allow employee feedback and consider whether you have to revise company learning objectives, adjust employee needs, or switch up the process.

5 Learning and Professional Development Plan Examples & Templates

Since it can be challenging to create a functional training strategy, we’ve developed a few learning and development templates that you can use. 

You can apply any of them by replacing the details with relevant data from your company.

1. Learning and professional development plan template

2. Team development plan template

3. Manager and employee development progress checklist

4. Employee training newsletter template

5. Learning and development plan template for reporting

Another benefit of these development plan templates is the speed at which you can create your learning and development checklists and reports.

Take it from Lindsey Mullins, an instructional designer working at one of the biggest retail brands in the United States. Together with her team, Lindsey creates learning and development content through visuals like infographics and presentations .

“Within Piktochart, the templates can be customized to create a beautiful and professional visual using half the time with a different program or when starting from scratch,” says Lindsey.

Watch the short video clip below to learn the different ways that Lindsey and her team use Piktochart for their organization’s learning and development plan projects. With Piktochart’s infographic maker , it’s easy to create learning and development visuals.

Getting Started With Your Learning and Development Plan Template

Now that you understand the importance of a learning and development strategy for a business, there’s no better time for planning to identify and dedicate resources to create a template document that works for your team.

A lot of these training programs may end up being ineffective. This happens when companies make assumptions, don’t carefully communicate with employees, or skip any of the steps outlined above to develop a successful program. 

As mentioned above, it is essential to make your learning and development strategies employee-focused. Planning them at the center of the project ensures streamlined and practical training for your team. However, it should also be aligned with your company goals and be delivered in an engaging and feasible way.

While this project may seem a bit daunting at first, the reward is worth it; for your business, for you as a manager, and for your hardworking team. Focusing on and prioritizing employees’ professional goals, career goals, and desired career path makes for happy, productive, and loyal staff. It can help employees perform and accomplish tasks better, foster cooperation, reduce employee turnover, and promote job growth externally and internally in an organization.

Use the templates above as starting points for performance reviews and more.  If you want to explore more relevant templates or have a specific development plan template in mind, you can  create a free Piktochart account . 

Other Posts

What is Organizational Structure? Plus Types and Examples

18 Types of Survey Questions to Measure Employee Engagement

75 Best Work Anniversary Wishes for Coworkers and Colleagues

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

How to Build a Successful Upskilling Program

• Susan R. Vroman
• Tiffany Danko

Employees say they want more training and development — but often struggle to identify which skills they’re looking for.

Upskilling is a longer-term investment in augmenting the knowledge, skills, and competencies that help employees advance their careers. When employees are offered and encouraged to take advantage of upskilling opportunities for their personal or professional growth, people metrics, such as employee engagement and retention, also go up. The problem is that too often, even the employees who say they want more training and development struggle to identify what they’re looking for. The authors offer three strategies to help organizational leaders identify the skills and competencies that employees will find valuable.

As the Covid pandemic accelerated how and where work got done, employee reskilling became a short-term survival strategy to fuel or sustain company growth . Companies found that investing in skills learning enabled both performance and reliability of their workers .

• Susan R. Vroman is a lecturer of management at Bentley University.  Her research interests include the impact leadership enactment has on organizational culture and employee engagement, with specific focus on supporting flexible work arrangements.  Prior to her academic career, Dr. Vroman worked for over 20 years as an organizational effectiveness and strategic human resource management executive and advisor. She continues this work in a consulting capacity.
• TD Tiffany Danko  is an adjunct associate professor at USC Bovard College and a captain in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve. Her research focuses on leadership, as well as homeland security and emergency management concerns. 

Partner Center

Business Plan Template for Training And Development

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Subcategory
• Get started in seconds

Are you ready to take your training and development program to the next level? Look no further than ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Training and Development. This template is a game-changer for companies and entrepreneurs looking to establish or expand their training initiatives.

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template, you can:

• Clearly outline your goals, objectives, and strategies to attract investors and secure funding
• Create a comprehensive financial plan to effectively manage your training program's budget
• Streamline your planning process and collaborate with your team in one centralized location

Don't miss out on the opportunity to make your training and development program a success. Get started with ClickUp's Business Plan Template today!

Business Plan Template for Training And Development Benefits

A Business Plan Template for Training and Development can provide numerous benefits to companies and entrepreneurs:

• Clearly define training and development goals and objectives
• Develop a comprehensive strategy for implementing training programs
• Identify and allocate resources effectively to support the training initiatives
• Create a roadmap for measuring the success and impact of the training programs
• Attract investors and secure funding by showcasing a well-thought-out business plan
• Ensure alignment between training and development initiatives and overall business objectives
• Enable effective management and monitoring of training programs
• Provide a framework for continuous improvement and adaptation of training strategies
• Facilitate collaboration and communication among stakeholders involved in training and development efforts

Main Elements of Training And Development Business Plan Template

ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Training and Development is the perfect tool to help you create a comprehensive plan for your training initiatives. Here are the main elements of this template:

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of each section of your business plan with statuses such as Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do.
• Custom Fields: Add important details to your plan using custom fields like Reference, Approved, and Section, allowing you to categorize and organize your information.
• Custom Views: Utilize different views to gain insights into your plan, including the Topics view to focus on specific areas, the Status view to track progress, the Timeline view to visualize deadlines, the Business Plan view for an overview of all sections, and the Getting Started Guide view to easily navigate the template.

With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Training and Development, you'll have all the tools you need to create a successful plan that will propel your training initiatives forward.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Training And Development

If you're looking to create a comprehensive business plan for training and development, the Business Plan Template in ClickUp can be a valuable tool. Follow these six steps to make the most of this template and ensure that your training and development initiatives are well-planned and successful.

1. Define your objectives

Start by clearly defining the objectives of your training and development program. Are you looking to improve employee skills, enhance leadership capabilities, or onboard new hires effectively? Identifying your objectives will help you tailor your plan to meet specific goals.

Use custom fields in ClickUp to outline and track your training and development objectives.

2. Assess your current situation

Evaluate your current training and development practices and identify areas for improvement. Look for gaps in skills, knowledge, or resources that need to be addressed. This will help you determine the specific training programs and initiatives required.

Utilize the Gantt chart in ClickUp to visualize your current situation and plan for necessary changes.

3. Identify target audience and training needs

Identify the specific audience or employees who will benefit from the training and development program. Conduct a needs analysis to determine the skills and knowledge gaps that need to be addressed for each target group. This will help you tailor your training programs to meet their specific needs.

Create tasks in ClickUp to assign training needs analysis to team members and track progress.

4. Develop a training plan

Based on the identified training needs, develop a comprehensive training plan. Outline the specific training programs, workshops, or courses that will be provided. Include details such as content, delivery methods, and timelines. Consider incorporating a mix of internal and external training resources.

Use Board view in ClickUp to create a visual representation of your training plan and track the progress of each training program.

5. Allocate resources and budget

Determine the resources and budget required to implement your training and development plan. This includes identifying trainers or facilitators, training materials, technology platforms, and any other necessary resources. Allocate a budget that covers all aspects of the training program.

Utilize custom fields in ClickUp to track resource allocation and budget for each training program.

6. Implement, evaluate, and adjust

Implement your training and development initiatives according to the plan. Monitor the progress, evaluate the effectiveness of each program, and gather feedback from participants. Use this feedback to make necessary adjustments and improvements to your training and development plan.

Set up Automations in ClickUp to schedule regular evaluations and collect feedback from participants. Use this data to continuously improve your training and development initiatives.

By following these six steps and utilizing the Business Plan Template in ClickUp, you'll be able to create a well-structured and effective plan for training and development in your organization.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Training And Development

Companies or entrepreneurs who are looking to establish or expand their training and development programs can use the ClickUp Business Plan Template for Training And Development to streamline the process and ensure all aspects are covered.

To get started, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a comprehensive business plan:

• Use the Topics View to break down your business plan into different sections and topics
• The Status View will help you track the progress of each section and topic, with statuses such as Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, To Do
• The Timeline View will provide a visual representation of your training and development milestones and deadlines
• The Business Plan View will give you an overview of your entire plan, allowing you to easily navigate and make updates
• The Getting Started Guide View will provide step-by-step instructions and guidance on how to use the template effectively
• Utilize the custom fields Reference, Approved, and Section to add additional information, track approvals, and categorize different sections
• Collaborate with team members to brainstorm ideas, set goals, and develop strategies
• Monitor and analyze the progress of your business plan to ensure it aligns with your training and development objectives.
• Business Plan Template for Gym Owners
• Business Plan Template for Universities
• Business Plan Template for Manufacturing Engineers
• Business Plan Template for Eyewear Manufacturers
• Business Plan Template for Distance Learning

Template details

Free forever with 100mb storage.

Free training & 24-hours support

Serious about security & privacy

Highest levels of uptime the last 12 months

• Product Roadmap
• Affiliate & Referrals
• On-Demand Demo
• Integrations
• Consultants
• Gantt Chart
• Native Time Tracking
• Automations
• Kanban Board
• vs Airtable
• vs Basecamp
• vs MS Project
• vs Smartsheet
• Software Team Hub
• PM Software Guide

Training and development programs typically involve educational activities that advance a worker’s knowledge and instill greater motivation to enhance job performance. These initiatives help employees learn and acquire new skill sets, as well as gain the professional knowledge that is required to progress their careers.

Training programs can be created independently or with a learning administration system, with the goal of employee long-term development. Common training practices include orientations, classroom lectures, case studies, role playing, simulations and computer-based training, including e-learning.

Sometimes referred to as Human Resource Development (HRD), most employee training and development efforts are driven by an organization’s HRD function. These efforts are roughly divided into two types of programs:

Employee Training and Development A strategic tool for improving business outcomes by implementing internal educational programs that advance employee growth and retention.

Management Training and Development The practice of growing employees into managers and managers into effective leaders by the ongoing enhancement of certain knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Find out how HR leaders are leading the way and applying AI to drive HR and talent transformation.

Register for insights on SAP

Successful businesses understand that it’s more beneficial and cost-effective to develop their existing employees instead of seeking out new talent.

The top ten benefits of employee training and development programs include:

• Increased productivity : When employees stay current with new procedures and technologies, they can increase their overall output.
• Reduced micromanagement : If workers feel empowered to perform a task, they typically require less oversight and work more independently. 1
• Train future leaders : Organizations must have a solid pipeline of well-trained and innovative potential leaders to grow and adapt over time.
• Increased job satisfaction and retention : Well-trained employees gain confidence in their abilities, leading to greater job satisfaction, a reduction in absenteeism and overall employee retention.
• Attract highly skilled employees : Top recruits are attracted to firms with an identifiable career path based on consistent training and development.  
• Increased consistency : Well-organized training ensures that tasks are performed uniformly, resulting in tight quality control that end users can trust.
• Increased camaraderie : Training and development helps create a sense of teamwork and collaboration.
• Bolstered safety : Continuous training and development helps ensure that employees have the knowledge and skills to perform a task safely.
• Ability to cross-train : Providing consistent training creates a knowledgeable team overall where employees can help train or assist each other as needed.
• Added innovation : Consistently trained employees can help develop new strategies and products, contributing to the company’s bottom line and continued success.

The corporate marketplace is quickly changing, and businesses must be flexible and easily adapt to change. Technology is one of the key drivers in this rapid change, with automation and artificial intelligence (AI) in the forefront.

Here are four key trends impacting how organizations must rethink training and development.

Today’s corporations have discovered that it’s no longer just about what employees need to know, but also when, where and how the development experience enables performance. With the advancements in mobile technology , companies are relying more on mobile workforces . Training is migrating to mobile devices where apps provide “just-in-time” information and recommendations to workers across industries.

AI systems can process unstructured information in a similar way to humans. These systems understand language patterns and sensory inputs including text, pictures, and auditory cues. AI-based software can customize how training content is delivered to a learner, based on their learning style, suggest content based on a learner’s past performance and predict what information is most important for them to learn next.

Agile learning is a process that encourages employees to learn by doing and iterate often, inspiring organizational change and buy-in. For example, IBM® has introduced  IBM Garage™ , a tool for executing, scaling, and managing an organization’s multiple transformation initiatives. Companies like Ford Motor Company and Travelport are using IBM Garages around the world to create cultures of open collaboration and continuous learning. learning. https://www.ibm.com/garage

While distance learning has been around for a long time, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the need for companies to have resilient, flexible, mobile workforce management. Organizations have learned that remote workforces need to be productive, engaged, and continually working toward learning and improvement.

Recent articles and industry surveys suggest that much corporate training may be ineffective. Most training won’t be fully retained by learners. Businesses must build a culture of ongoing self-directed, self-motivated learning with focused distance learning programs and mobile "just-in-time" training.

Organizations also must rethink the larger framework of what skills will be needed in the near future. A  recent meta-level IBM study  predicts that more than 120 million workers in the world’s twelve largest economies may need to be retrained in the next three years because of AI-enabled automation.

Several insights from the study include:

• Skilled humans fuel the global economy: Digital skills remain vital, but soft skills have become more important.
• Skills availability and quality are in jeopardy: The half-life of skills continues to shrink, while the time it takes to close a skills gap has ballooned, forcing organizations to find ways to stay ahead of skills relevancy.
• Intelligent automation is an economic game changer: Millions of workers will likely require retraining and learning new skills, and most companies and countries are ill-prepared for the task.
• Organizational cultures are shifting: The digital era has introduced the need for a new business model, new ways of working and a flexible culture that fosters the development of critical new skills.

The study concludes that traditional hiring and training are no longer as effective, and that different strategies and tactics can have a strong impact on closing the skills gap. Several strategies and tactics include:

• Make it personal: Tailor career skills, and learning development experience uniquely to your employees' goals and interests.
• Improve transparency: Place skills at the center of the training strategy and aim for deep visibility into the skills position across the organization.
• Look inside and out: Adopt an open technology architecture and a set of partners able to take advantage of the latest advancements.

Enhance employee engagement and productivity, reskill your workforce faster, and reimagine ways of working to become an adaptive, skills-based, and AI-powered organization.

Maintaining a competitive edge in a dynamic economy demands faster innovation. Your challenge is having the right people with the right skills and tools to drive digital transformation.

The IBM training and certifications offer you the ability to earn credentials to demonstrate your expertise. It is designed to validate your skills and capability to perform role-related tasks and activities at a specified level of competence.

With recent market changes and disruptions, organizations need a workforce with digital skills and innovative processes to respond to both customers’ and employees’ evolving needs.

Key areas of focus will ensure that your workforce is empowered to be productive today, while strengthening your business resiliency strategy to aid in re-entry to the new normal.

The enormous opportunities and benefits artificial intelligence can bring to an organization require skills development programs designed to ensure consistency and intentional outcomes.

Discover a new approach to training and development based on partnership networks, user experiences and emerging technologies.

Find out how to close the skills gap with a modern three-pronged workforce strategy to quickly reskill an organization’s workforce.

Discover how training and development fits into the larger scope of next-generation enterprise transformation.

IBM HR and talent transformation consulting partners work with our clients to address each company's unique talent goals and challenges, dig deep to understand their workforce realities and create strategies that unlock new levels of performance inside their business. Together, we reimagine HR with AI at the core.

1 The 6 key secrets to increasing empowerment in your team  (link resides outside ibm.com). Joe Folkman. Forbes article. March 2017. 

We use essential cookies to make Venngage work. By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

Manage Cookies

Cookies and similar technologies collect certain information about how you’re using our website. Some of them are essential, and without them you wouldn’t be able to use Venngage. But others are optional, and you get to choose whether we use them or not.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are always on, as they’re essential for making Venngage work, and making it safe. Without these cookies, services you’ve asked for can’t be provided.

Show cookie providers

• Google Login

Functionality Cookies

These cookies help us provide enhanced functionality and personalisation, and remember your settings. They may be set by us or by third party providers.

Performance Cookies

These cookies help us analyze how many people are using Venngage, where they come from and how they're using it. If you opt out of these cookies, we can’t get feedback to make Venngage better for you and all our users.

• Google Analytics

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are set by our advertising partners to track your activity and show you relevant Venngage ads on other sites as you browse the internet.

• Google Tag Manager
• Infographics
• Daily Infographics
• Popular Templates
• Accessibility
• Graphic Design
• Graphs and Charts
• Data Visualization
• Human Resources
• Beginner Guides

Blog 20+ Training Plan Templates for Every Business Need

20+ Training Plan Templates for Every Business Need

Written by: Jennifer Gaskin Oct 26, 2022

An employee training plan acts as the ultimate cheat sheet for building a successful workforce. After all, a company is only as good as its people. So, whether you’re bringing in new staff, transitioning someone to a new role or up-skilling professionals in their current job, it pays to create effective training plans .

Though investing in training can be expensive, not making sure your employees have the skills they need is even costlier — from the risk of mistakes to simply falling behind your competition.

But you can save time and money developing these programs by starting with a training plan template . Keep reading for tips and templates to help you supply your team with the training they need to succeed.

Click to jump ahead:

What is a training plan?

What is a training plan template, what should a training plan include, how do you create a training plan, 21 training plan templates for every business needs.

A training plan is a visually organized document detailing the steps and resources needed to teach a worker a new set of skills, task or policy. There are many types of training plans, depending on the specific needs of the company and the employee.

Training plans are useful not only for organizing resources for workers, but employers can also use them to track performance progress and see at a glance where their teams’ greatest skill deficiencies may be.

Managers can also use training plans (and their knowledge of how well workers have done under them) when making advancement decisions.

Learn more about creating a successful employee training and development program built on visual communication.

A training plan template is an existing, blank document that managers can fill in to describe the path needed to train a worker on a new task, get a new hire ready to roll or otherwise ensure an employee is able to achieve their potential.

Training plan templates are ideal for businesses that need to develop many training plans for different types of workers or processes, as this can speed up creation and implementation time (which also speeds up the overall training process).

The exact content and setup of a training plan varies depending on the end goal, but here’s a broad overview of what your training plan should include:

• SMART goals:  Clearly define  what  trainees will  learn and be able to do  by the end (e.g., “use software X proficiently in 2 weeks”).
• Tailored training:   Adapt the program  to the  existing knowledge, skills, and preferred learning styles  of the target audience.
• Content & delivery:  Plan the  specific topics  to be covered,  choose appropriate training methods  (lectures, demonstrations, etc.), and decide the  format  (in-person, online, blended).
• Logistics:   Schedule the training  (duration, frequency),  allocate resources  (trainers, equipment), and determine  methods to assess learning  (quizzes, practical exercises).
• Feedback and improvement:  Establish methods to assess trainee progress and collect input from trainees and trainers to improve future iterations of the training program.

Of course, creating all of these elements is easier said than done. Even if you’re working within an existing template (like one you find on this page), as a manager or business owner, you will still need to put in thoughtful consideration about your organization’s needs.

Follow the key 5 steps below to create an effective training plan:

Step 1: Identifying the training gap

Start by understanding the specific skills or knowledge needed, whether it’s to address performance issues or adapt to new challenges.

Step 2: Build your training framework

Define the overall goals, target audience, and desired outcomes to create a clear roadmap for the training program.

Step 3: Explore resources

Explore internal resources, external vendors, and online platforms to find the most cost-effective and effective delivery method.

Step 4: Collaborating for success

Secure support from key stakeholders like managers, trainers, and even learners to ensure program success.

Step 5: Finalize & refine

Schedule the training, allocate resources, and establish assessment methods to measure learning and refine the program for future iterations.

New hire training plan

Perhaps no single training plan is more important than what is created for new hires. A bad hire is an incredibly costly prospect for any business, and for a small business, it’s especially problematic. That’s because a small business has less wiggle room in the bottom line.

According to Business News Daily , poor onboarding is a leading cause of turnover — costing the company as much as 300 percent of the person’s salary for the unsuccessful training and eventual hiring process to fill their position.

Let’s look at some new employee orientation and onboarding training plans to keep this from happening to your team:

A new hire training plan checklist is a perfect way for the new employee and their supervisor to stay on the same page. Plus, this ensures new hires get all the crucial information they need early on in their tenure. Customize this template with the policies and procedures unique to your company.

Onboarding checklists can help both trainees and managers keep track of all the tasks that need to be done when a new person joins the team. And by monitoring how many boxes are checked, it’s easy to see where you’re falling short.

When you think about it, a new job begins from the day of the hire, not the moment the new person starts working. Seize the opportunity to make sure your internal processes are up to speed before the person even walks in the door with this orientation process checklist template.

With Venngage for Business, you can easily customize a new hire onboarding HR checklist (like the one below) to add relevant company documents. For example, your new hire may be expected to have certain licenses or qualifications; add those to the new hire paperwork section to keep your HR department happy (and legally compliant!).

Make onboarding fun by using the principles of microlearning, which can help overwhelming tasks seem manageable. Keep important materials organized so that your new team members get all the knowledge they need in an accessible format.

New manager training plan

Study after study has confirmed : bad managers — not low salaries or heavy workloads — are the number one reason people leave jobs. In fact, Gallup has found that about 70 percent of the variance in employee engagement scores can be attributed to the quality of the individual’s direct supervisor.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure that from the top down, your management structure is filled with people who have the right temperament and skill set to get the very best out of each team member. Here are some new manager training materials that can put your leadership on the right path:

Just because they’re already in management, that doesn’t mean your team members don’t have further goals. Sit down with them and talk through what they want to accomplish, and then help them visualize how to get there with this career roadmap.

Not sure about using visual content in training ? Let us convince you.

Focus on the team aspect with your new manager training plans by having them creating a mind map like this one. Get them to fill it in with their goals for various aspects of their stepped-up role in your company.

One of the hardest parts of running a company is identifying people who have management potential. Use this chart to help you understand the difference between those who would be good first-line managers and those who might have executive potential.

Though this template was created to supplement an annual performance review, it’s also an effective tool for training a new manager.

Have them plot where they perceive themselves to be on a matrix (customize it easily by updating the text) and then add your opinion. From there, you can discuss what changes they need to make to land in the ideal quadrant.

Employee development plan

Employee development plans have a wide range of uses, from getting underperforming team members to improve what they’re doing to helping workers add skills to their arsenal. They can be focused on individuals (adding skills) or the team (improving performance) — or both.

You might think it’s counterproductive to have team members adding skills that don’t align entirely with your business objectives. But remember: employees are more likely to remain with an employer if the company invests in their careers, according to LinkedIn .

Use this SMART goals template to set objectives, timelines and methods for improving your employee’s skills. Customize it to your needs by updating the colors and adding new items to each column.

Data visualization has been shown to help with information retention — plus, it just looks cool. Use pie charts like these to help your employees visualize on a 1%-100% scale how well they’re doing at various tasks. And use the second page to expand further on where they could improve.

Work with your staff member to establish the areas where they need or want to learn more and list out the specific steps to get there using this template. Or use it to set goals they want to accomplish as part of their employee development plan .

Training needs assessment

Understanding where deficiencies are is an important part of any employee development plan, and it’s useful in helping your team members set their own career goals. Here are several training needs assessment templates you can use in your business today:

Use this training needs assessment to see your entire team at a glance. Update the columns and rows with your specific needs and see where your teams may be falling short (or excelling!).

Customize this skills checklist for your needs and have your team members fill one out for themselves. Using a method like this can help you better understand how your staffers feel about their contributions to the team — and where they see room for improvement.

Before advancing an employee to a new role or even elevating them to management, assess their positives and negatives using this readiness checklist template.

This multi-page assessment template can help you go into detail on what skills and competencies you expect members of your team to have. While it’s long, it remains accessible because of its clear organization and color-coding.

Use this questionnaire, which was developed for a healthcare setting, to understand more about how your employees rate themselves.

What’s unique and interesting about this template is that it calls for workers to rate both their success in each task and that task’s importance to their job success — which can also help you understand whether your priorities are in line with theirs.

Individual training plan

No worker wants to feel like just another body. But creating a truly individual training plan means sitting down with your team and understanding where they are — and where they need to be. Once you’ve done that, here are some individual training plans you can work together to create:

This individual training plan template is ideal for staffers who need to work on their performance before they fall into the range of under-performing. Having templates like this on hand can help turn you from a reactive manager into a proactive one . In other words, you can head off minor issues before they become major problems.

Work with your employee to determine where they fall on this matrix. Make one quadrant for each of their critical skill sets, determining if the job in question is being done well and how important it is to the success of the employee and the company.

Here’s another alternative to an individual training plan. This template can help employees do some introspection and determine what they want to get out of their jobs and how they might plot out their future with your company.

While this employee evaluation template is geared towards an annual self-review, it can also be useful as the basis for an individual training plan. Work with a single team member, or have each person on your team fill one of these out. Then, work with the group to address each individual’s needs and potential.

Level up your team: the power of personalized training plans 

Use the templates you’ve seen here, or consider them a jumping-off point to leveling up the skills each individual contributes to your team.

And remember, you can customize any of these training plan templates to suit your needs.

With Venngage’s user-friendly, drag-and-drop editor, you can edit the text, colors, icons, images, branding and more — and impress trainees with your professionalism and organizational skills!

Discover popular designs

Infographic maker

Brochure maker

White paper online

Newsletter creator

Flyer maker

Timeline maker

Letterhead maker

Mind map maker

Ebook maker

Quicklinks ‍

11 powerful training plan templates and examples for your business.

Your company can get ahead of labor shortages and the ever-evolving skills requirements of the market by investing in employee development.

Training your workers will help you resolve common workplace issues like lack of motivation, poor productivity, inadequate domain knowledge, and confusion or uncertainty about their role.

"Creating a successful employee training plan requires ongoing assessment and adaptation . You must frequently analyze your team's skills and assess any gaps that need to be filled, then design training programs to address those needs and provide ongoing support for growth and development." Sarah Watson, Chief Operating Officer at BPTLAB, personality testing solutions provider .

But if it's your first time designing and executing a structured training program, you might need guidance on how to begin or what to include in your plan.

We've put together some of the best employee training plan examples, templates, and checklists. Use them as a starting point when building robust training programs for your organization.

❗️ 7 Must-haves in an employee training plan template

There are different kinds of training opportunities that you can offer your employees. And templates tend to come in different shapes, forms, and structures because they are made by people with varying organizational needs and goals.

However, whether you're creating your own or building upon someone else's, here are some essential elements that any good training policy template should have.

Training objectives 

List out how you hope the training program will benefit your workforce and company. Your goals must be specific, measurable, and relevant. Learn more about soft skills and hard skills . Employee training assessment can also be helpful to understand your employees needs.

Type/method of training

How do you intend to deliver the training? Will it be instructor-led, self-paced, virtual, in-person, or blended training? Or maybe you want to use a role-playing, virtual training , gamification , on-the-job training and mentoring approach? Think about your options and note them down in this section.

➡️ Check out our new hire training plan for the ultimate training for your new hires.

Training curriculum and materials

This column in your training plan template should cover what employees will learn during the training. Mention the learning resources and materials you'll need or provide and any regulatory guidelines that employees and course creators must follow. 

Audience and stakeholders

This template section is for defining who needs the training, who will be creating courses, conducting, or overseeing the training, and the expectations for each of the roles. 

Learning outcomes 

What specific knowledge, skills, or competencies do you want employees to take away from the training?

We recommend first filling a skills matrix , to understand your people's current skills levels and identify any gaps.

For instance, your marketing team has a training objective to improve their social media advertising skills. The learning outcome you should see after training is a strong understanding of Facebook Ads.

What is the duration of the training program? What dates and times will training sessions take place? What are the deadlines for completing performance milestones? When will you check in with employees to see how they are progressing?

KPIs for effectiveness

Finally, every training plan template must have a field where you can define how you will measure the effectiveness of your training efforts. 

Tip: Note the KPIs or metrics you will use as a benchmark.

📝 11 Examples of employee training plan templates

We've put together these ready-to-use training templates and checklists that you can customize to suit your company's learning and development needs.

1. Training needs assessment template

What this template includes: This training survey helps you uncover insights about gaps in employee performance, knowledge, and skills. It tells you what your workers want to learn, their preferred learning methods, and their schedule.

When to use it: To assess your organization's training needs and know where the skill gaps are for each department and individual employee before you begin planning a training program.

Why it matters: This information will enable you to identify your business case for training and design targeted learning and development experiences that produce better outcomes for you and your workforce.

2. New-hire training template

What the new-hire training template includes: This template covers everything that new hires need to know to help them settle into their role and do their jobs to the best of their abilities.

It contains essential knowledge, training, and skills that you want to equip new hires with, such as:

• company policies;
• role descriptions;
• starter projects; 
• chain of command;
• standard operating procedures;
• orientation, integration, and performance review timelines.

When to use it: Use your training plan to set new employees up for success from day one and guide them through their first few months or year on the job.

Why it matters: How you onboard and train new hires can make or mar their experience and performance at your company.

"Investing in employees at the start with a well-thought-out and comprehensive training program demonstrates a willingness to invest in their growth, which leads to enhanced loyalty, meaning you won't have to fill the position again anytime soon." — Mitch Chailland, President of Canal HR . ‍

Tip:💡 Make sure to check out our blog post on how long onboarding should take and the best practices.

3. New hire training checklist

What the new hire training checklist includes: You'll find all the logistical items, preboarding activities, and action plans you will need to manage to guide new hires through your onboarding and training process from the moment they accept your job offer to their first annual performance check-in.

When to use it: Start ticking off items from your checklist to prepare your new hire for their first day and acclimate them to their new role, team, and company in the early months.

Why it matters: The strength of your new hire training will determine: - the employee's experience with your company;  - their speed to productivity;  - how well they perform in their role.

A checklist keeps things from falling through the cracks, guaranteeing all new hires a uniform onboarding and training experience.

➡️ Check out the new hire training checklist .

4. Pre-training checklist template

What the pre-training checklist template includes: This template breaks down the materials, schedules, tools, tasks, and activities you'll need to create, arrange, track, and execute to conduct a training session successfully.

When to use it: Create a training curriculum, prepare a memorandum, invite instructors and trainees, get feedback from participants, and disaster-proof upcoming training schemes by working through the checklist.

Why it matters: The last thing you want is to pour your time and energy into planning a training only to realize on D-day that you forgot essential elements.

You want to ensure that you remembered to:

• Book a conference room. 
• Send out email invites to some employees.
• Print out enough assessment forms.

Preview of Pre-Training checklist template

☑️ Prepare training memorandum and email invite.

• Determine which employees are mandated or free to attend.
• Provide training agenda. 
• Provide training date, time, location, and other pertinent information.

Completion date: 2 weeks before training day.

Assigned to: HR.

☑️ Confirm attendance.

• Make sure all mandated attendees have signed up.
• Book a suitable conference room.

Completion date: 1 week before training day. 

➡️ Download the complete training checklist in excel .

5. Individual employee training plan template

What the individual employee training plan includes: This template gives you an overview of where a specific employee currently is regarding skills and performance and where they need to be. It details the following:

• Employees' skill gap ;
• Training goals;
• Development actions;
• Training methods and materials;
• Learning outcomes;
• Progress metrics;
• Training timeline.

When to use it: Use this template to sharpen an employee's existing skills or prepare them to transition into a different role. Or as a component of your performance review process to support staffers who seem to lag behind before their performance becomes a severe issue.

Why it matters: A proactive training approach boosts employee productivity and efficiency by pinpointing the skills they are lacking and helping them develop those areas.

Tip: Sit down with the employee who needs the training and work with them to develop their training plan.

➡️ Get the individual employee training plan template.

6. Employee development plan template

What the employee development plan template includes: This template acts as a guide for documenting and nurturing each employee's professional growth plans. It covers:

• their career goals;
• the skills and knowledge they need to reach their goals;
• the training and actions they will take to gain these skills;
• the timeline for completing the training and hitting milestones.

When to use it: Create development plans to:

• Speed up time to productivity for new hires as part of the onboarding
• Improve performance of underperforming employees
• Help members of your team grow their skills and advance their careers, whether that means progressing toward a management role or making a lateral move.

Why it matters: Hiring new employees, especially at a higher skill tier, is far more costly and time-consuming than providing upskilling and career development opportunities for your current employees.

➡️ Get the employee development plan template.

7. 70-20-10 development plan template

What the 70-20-10 development plan template includes: A 70-20-10 training plan gives you a framework for structuring your development programs using:

• experiential, 
• peer-to-peer, and 
• formal training methods

To maximize engagement and performance.

When to use it: Use this template before launching your program to divide your training into sections, so everyone knows which skills trainees will learn on the job, from their peers, or through formal training sessions like seminars, presentations, and courses.

Why it matters: Offering employees the 70-20-10 blended learning experience supports better knowledge retention and the development of practical skills.

➡️ Download the 70-20-10 development plan template.

8. Training matrix template

What the training matrix template includes: This template supplies all the data you'll need to get a comprehensive view of the state of your training initiatives, such as:

• employee names, roles, and departments;
• active training courses and topics;
• learner progress;
• course completion rate;
• failure rate.

When to use it: Keep track of specialized and company-wide past and present training efforts and the individual employees or teams that have participated in them with this template.

Why it matters: Building a training matrix is a great way to monitor your active training programs, how trainees progress through the program, and the training needs you should be working towards meeting.

➡️ Get the training matrix template .

9. Leadership training plan template

What the leadership training plan includes: Get an overview of your company's current leadership abilities and the areas where there's room for improvement. This template addresses the following:

• training needs assessment;
• training objectives;
• your leadership training topics ;
• the core leadership skills your (future) leaders will obtain from the training;
• the training methods and formats you'll use to facilitate this; 
• your use of facilities and stakeholders.

When to use it: Provide your workers with leadership training to develop and improve the skills they'll require to manage a team effectively. Plus, use leadership training to teach about your organization's code of conduct for supervisors.

Why it matters: A leadership training plan example allows you to transform your newly promoted employees and staffers with management potential from "actors" to "directors."

➡️ Get the leadership training plan template .

10. Product training template

What the product training plan includes: This template makes it easy to train your employees and other stakeholders on new or existing products. It presents information about the following:

• the product's benefits and features;
• product use cases;
• how the product works;
• why it is better than that of your competitors ( product comparison ).

When to use it: Break out this template whenever a new team member starts in your company to get them up to speed with your products. Alternatively, use product training to help current employees learn everything there is to know about newly launched offerings.

Why it matters: To convincingly sell your product to customers, your employees must first understand its WHAT, WHY, and HOW.

11. DEI training plan template

What the DEI training plan template includes: This diversity, equity, and inclusion template is designed as a microlearning journey. It touches on everything from why DEI matters to your company's DEI policies and aspirations, as well as actions employees can take to tackle bias and foster inclusivity.

When to use it: Put this ready-to-use course to work to educate new and existing employees about DEI topics so that everyone feels respected, safe, welcome, and empowered in the workplace.

Why it matters: A lot goes into designing an effective diversity training initiative. Work from a structured template to keep track of all the moving parts and ensure you deliver consistent messaging about the importance of cultivating a healthy and inclusive workplace culture.

➡️ Get the DEI training plan template .

💪 Why use a training plan template?

A training plan template is a document that outlines how you intend to carry out your training initiatives. It breaks down what has to happen to ensure the success of your training efforts.

Here are some advantages a good training plan template can offer you.

1. Saves you time

The more time you use in creating your training plan, the longer it will take to launch your training program and start upskilling your workers .

Rather than spending days or months strategizing and building your training plan from scratch, you can fill out a template or modify it to suit your needs. Again, this frees up time you can spend on other important tasks.

2. Makes the training process less stressful

A training plan template streamlines your company's training journey by providing a roadmap outlining the steps you need to take to achieve specific goals.

It takes the pressure and worries out of analyzing training needs, preparing strategies and objectives, and developing a curriculum to support individual learning goals. 

Templates help you address your organization's present and future skill gaps.

3. Keeps things on track

Without a training plan template, it's easy for things to fall through the cracks because you may not be able to remember or keep track of all details.

You can invest a lot of money and time only to end up with a training program that doesn't deliver on its promises or meet the expectations you set for it. 

A template helps you stay on schedule and manage all the components of your training process so that everything flows smoothly.

4. Helps anticipate employees' training needs

To create successful skills development programs, you first need to know what areas your workers need upskilling or reskilling to remain competitive in their careers. And to ensure the continued survival and profitability of your business.

A training plan template takes the guesswork out of the equation, empowering you to design and execute engaging training programs that help your employees grow as individuals and as a team.

➡️ Learn how to create an effective employee training plan in 9 steps.

➡️ Plan your training with Zavvy

Training plan templates can be a helpful guide for standardizing your training initiatives and mapping out how you will empower your workforce with the skills they need to grow and perform better.

But to build sustainable and scalable training initiatives, you also need the right training tool.

Zavvy's training solutions are ideal from onboarding onwards to create a continuous learning culture for your company.

Zavvy makes it easy to:

• Plan, create, distribute, and manage your learning and development content in one place.
• Automate your entire training program to reach people with the right content at the right time with ready-to-use training courses .
• Deliver effective and engaging learning experiences with creative training solutions like microlearning, peer learning, and learning in the flow of work.
• Develop leaders and everyone else based on data with precision.
• Track course completion, engagement, learner performance, and training ROI.

Ready to build a worry-free training program? Book a free demo anytime.

Berfu is an Employee Experience Specialist at Zavvy. She has a background in learning psychology and helps our customers get the most out of their people enablement programs.

Als Nächstes lesen

6 Steps to Create an Employee Training and Development Plan

Do your new (or existing) employees have a clear path ahead of them? Many employees across various industries face uncertainty in their initial months of work in the sense that they often don’t receive sufficient initial training or support, and then receive little in the way of continuous learning thereafter. A whopping 66% of employees are not given any training whatsoever.

Or perhaps you have a comprehensive employee onboarding plan, b ut employees are largely left to their own devices after their first few weeks – bar a few pieces of mandatory compliance training here and there. Both approaches go against best practice guidelines . One way you can avoid falling victim to the common scenarios outlined above is to devise an annual training and development plan. And with job-hopping on the rise, and poor employee training listed as a big grievance to employees, there’s no time like the present to buckle down and get a cohesive plan together. 

But how? This can seem an especially daunting task, insurmountable even, particularly if you’re operating in a team of one and the responsibility falls on your shoulders alone. 

Planning and launching a training strategy, particularly a longer-term one, is no small feat - what do people need to know now? What might they need to know in the future? Should you opt for in-person or online? If online, what tool should you use for delivery? How can you incentivize them to engage with the material you’ve created? 

This is complicated by the fact that training (to be effective) is never one size fits all and that as much as you plan, there will inevitably be pivots and changes and learning needs that arise that you did not originally account for. Read on for 6 simple steps to build an effective training plan for your employees, and download our free employee training plan template for you to get started.

Quick Navigation:

• Why do I need a training and development plan?

6 steps to build your annual training plan

• Annual training plan template

Why do I need an employee training and development plan?

First things first, let’s delve a little deeper into the importance of an employee training and development plan. All employees need access to certain information to enable them to excel in their role - ongoing sales and product knowledge training for retail associates, customer experience training for employees in customer-facing roles, manual handling and host of other safety-related training for manufacturing, logistics, construction and warehouse employees, onboarding training for all new or seasonal intakes of staff. 

Frontline workers in particular tend to have jobs which mean they are informationally distanced from HQ (driving trucks, working in warehouses, serving customers on the store floor, delivering food or packages), so their need for knowledge is all the more acute. Often without any direct or straightforward line of contact to someone who can elaborate or aid them, they are left to either turn to peers or figure it out themselves.

Health and safety is of particular concern for roles like these, given the risk they entail and the fact that there is not always in-person resource for troubleshooting. In any case, clear and consistent safety training should be administered as a preventative measure, before accidents have the opportunity to arise. Similar is customer service training. At the root of quality customer service is knowledge. Knowledge on new products, knowledge on how to handle difficult customer interactions. So you must ensure that all employees have received – and continue to receive – sufficient training to execute in-person interactions masterfully.  They also need to be kept in the loop about all company policy updates, from brand ethos to the simple daily dos and don’ts. Your company’s reputation, ability to turn a profit, secure repeat business, hangs in the balance. Ultimately, you want your employees to grow with the company. If you overload them with training in the first few weeks and then simply leave them to it, you won’t see continuous progress – nor will they feel supported in their role. Training is a differentiator for a business - something that makes employees more inclined to stick with you over the next company - 70% of employees would consider leaving their current job in favor of a company that prioritized training and development. 

In contrast, with an effective training and development plan in place, you stand to improve employee retention , safety and performance.  Employees will feel empowered to excel in their role which in turn motivates their desire to stay where they are, and keep performing well, as they’re reaping direct reward from it. It’s a virtuous cycle - and it’s a chain reaction that’s lit by delivery of engaging, relevant training.  

1. Identify knowledge gaps

The first step is self-explanatory: you need to know your team’s training needs in order to deliver training that’s relevant and that they will engage with. If you’re releasing compulsory training on things you think employees need to know about, and it does not address knowledge gaps, it will come across as superfluous and impact your training engagement rates.  Carry out a thorough training needs analysis. 

How best to do this depends on a few factors, one being the size of your workforce. When dealing with large workforces, administering Pulse Surveys to identify what people want to know about can be effective. Analyzing trends in responses will then give you insight into areas of weakness around which you can thematically build training. This works as it means training is personalized - crafted in response to real needs, heightening its resonance and in turn, employees’ reception of it.  Identifying what’s working well – and what isn’t – will help you to shape your annual training plan format, and tailor it to real, identified needs.  The bonus to Pulse Surveys being used within a training needs analysis, is that employees appreciate their being consulted - when empowered with a voice, employees are 4x more likely to perform at their very best. 

2. Align training with company goals & values

When considering learning objectives for your employees, ensure that they align with the broader organizational objectives. As much as it’s important to create training that employees are asking for, there will be things you want them to know that they wouldn’t necessarily think to request. 

One of these things are your company’s goals, values, vision and mission . These should underpin all learning objectives, and employees should be bought in on them - if they don’t know what your company does differently, better, or its overarching goals, you can’t hope they’re helping to steer the business towards them in their daily work.

3. Set quarterly milestones

Next up, let’s create a clear structure for the year. We advise you to divide the annual learning journey into quarters, prioritizing specific focus areas for each period. This approach helps with managing resources and content development, whilst giving you space to adapt to the ebb and flow of company life. Following each milestone, you should incorporate clear metrics and evaluation methods, allowing you to assess the effectiveness of each training module – whilst also giving employees the opportunity to give regular feedback. You can then refine your strategy if necessary – remember, this is a learning curve for everyone, not just your employees. You want to ensure that your employees’ learning journey remains relevant and effective throughout the year, and a clear segmented plan will guarantee this.

4. Add value beyond the need-to-know

While we’re aware this is a training and development plan for the workplace, it’s always useful to upskill your employees beyond their current role with the company. In fact, doing so benefits both the employee and the business.

From an employee perspective, it’s what they want. 74% of people are willing to learn new skills, and ‘upskilling’ is among the top 5 priorities of today’s workforce when it comes to feeling secure. And while more skills means more workplace opportunity, it also means opportunity outside of work. For example, providing financial education to your employees could help them diversify their revenue stream and provide an extra layer of security.

For businesses, training beyond the job is a great way to benefit the business indirectly, by first benefitting employees - showing genuine care in developing their skills beyond the remit of their role. This doubly applies to frontline roles where workers operate in isolation, or there’s any sort of geographical or physical disconnect between worker and HQ - a delivery driver for instance lacks the loyalty-by-emotional connection that their peer working in a sorting facility, among others completing similar tasks, does. 

Simply put - add a sprinkling of ‘selfless’ (i.e. non-directly business beneficial) training into your plan and you stand to win the employer popularity contest.

5. Build excitement internally

It’s no exaggeration to say that successfully launching a training initiative requires a carefully considered and constructed Marketing plan. And with any Marketing plan, you need to know what your messaging is, and which channels you’re going to use to reach your target audience.

The channels you opt for will be workforce-dependent. Maybe to raise awareness you’ll need to do some print marketing - flyers handed out, or postering in communal areas.  Add a QR code to build curiosity - have the QR take them to an introductory lesson. 

One thing our clients find effective is to leverage internal voices to promote the rollout of new training—influencer marketing if you will. In fact, 70% of employees are more likely to trust the information they receive from their colleagues than from the company’s official channel. 

Involve anyone you can—be it C-suite to high performers in your location, enlist the influence of individuals who naturally possess enthusiasm and encourage participation. What does this look like? It could be a best practice lesson led by a star employee in an area of interest to other employees, e.g. where they share how they blew their sales targets out of the water. 

It could be a message from the CEO that explains why training is being rolled out in this manner, and what they stand to gain from participation (remember: with any training, always address the ‘what’s in it for me?’). 

It’s not just about employees however, you may need buy-in from other staff. Other staff who might be helping you craft training, taking ownership of training, or who you’ll be reporting the impact of training to. Nevertheless, the same rules apply - identify your maximum impact channels and then optimize your messaging.

6. Appeal to your audience with content

Not all content is created equal. It’s no good creating training that’s hyper-relevant if the content itself is not delivered in a format that engages. By that, we mean training that people wan t to complete without top-down pressure or the use of extrinsic, carrot-on-stick motivation to do so. To keep lesson engagement and completion rates high, content needs to be packaged in a way that is palatable to the modern learner. 

And what exactly is the modern learners’ criteria? With an average attention span of 8 seconds, the modern learner isn’t built for traditional long-format videos that can’t be skipped and require no learner participation. Instead, microlearning should be utilized—think videos only a few minutes in length that include quizzes to boost engagement. Not only does microlearning increase knowledge retention ( 80% ) and engagement, it’s also what your workers want .

Equally important as the content itself is how it’s delivered.  The modern learner prefers utilizing technology they engage with on a daily basis, making smartphones the ideal learning tool. Considering the average user spends over 3 hours a day on their phone, it only makes sense to leverage mobile learning to effectively train your workforce.

Some top tips to follow include: make sure all content is end user (i.e. learner) centric, add interactivity with short-form video, simulation-based training,  GIFs, always include clear objectives and explanations, follow the principles of microlearning , ensure knowledge has the chance to be reinforced by including a quiz, ensure variety in your media and activities – and don’t forget those all-important summaries and checklists at the end. And if you’re really conscious of nailing it the first time around - why not test your training content on a small pilot group of managers and learners, and use their feedback to refine components like lesson media, ordering, or quiz questions? Practice makes perfect!

7. Use an annual training plan template

We’re well aware of just how overwhelming it can be to have to distil the above into a written-up, annual corporate training plan that becomes your company’s single source of truth for your employee training plan - so as they say on daytime TV... Here’s one we made earlier! 

Turn your training goals into a reality and put structure to your strategy with our yearly training plan template.    

To get started, download the free training plan template, select ‘make a copy’ to create your own, customizable version in Google Sheets. Don’t use GSheets? Export it as an .xslx file and import it into Excel.

Ready to optimize your employee training? eduMe is the platform of choice for your frontline workforce!

By seamlessly integrating into your existing worktools, eduMe makes it easy for businesses to deliver engaging content and take their training to the next level. By partnering with us, companies are experiencing a plethora of benefits, including a 26% reduction in workplace injuries and a 79% training engagement rate. Got any questions? Just get in touch below! 

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Twitter
• Share on LinkedIn

Related Articles

How to Train Your Frontline Workers in Workday

We Tried 3 Workday Learning Alternatives: Here’s Our Review

Building a Business Case for Training Investment

🔔 Important Update: on February 12th we will implement a price increase on all the courses. Supercharge your career with our Business Development Courses at current rates.

• Corporate Training
• Case Studies
• Log in Find courses

Business development plan: A step-by-step approach

• This is some text inside of a div block.

A good business development plan can set you up for success. Learn how to create your own from scratch with zero experience!

If you’re just starting with business development , chances are that you’re a little confused about how you should do it. I got lost many times during my entrepreneurial journey. One of those moments was when I had to write a business development plan for the first time.

Now, the main problem was that I didn’t have a clue about what a business development plan was to start with. And of course, when I started digging, I got even more confused. I found a lot of information online, but nothing that would tell me how to do it step-by-step.

So after some years of trying and failing, I finally found my way to deal with it and build my own business development plan.

Below I’ll explain how to write a business development plan and what information you should include in practical terms. But first, let’s define what a business development plan is.

What is a business development plan?

A business development plan is a document that helps you implement your business development strategy in a step-by-step method. It involves a lot of research on the market and customers. But also, other aspects such as your competitors and buyer persona.

So, a business development plan is a detailed summary of important steps you’re going to take to grow your business. One key aspect to remember is that a business development plan is a LIVING document. This means that you have to update your plan continuously based on new information about your ecosystem.

This helps you strategize better but also ensures that it’s a document of quality insights.

A business development plan is divided into two main parts:

• Research: in the research phase, you learn more about your market, customers, and competitors.
• Action: you use your research and put it into action. Specifically, this translates into creating a value proposition, and content, and experimenting with ideas.

You can download our template for free at this link .

Step 1: Organize your business development plan

I’m a fan of organizing information in a structured, intuitive, and efficient way. Although it may sound basic, the first thing you should think about is to have a proper file you can consult on a daily basis.

It doesn’t have to contain every piece of information. Keep it simple by including only essential and key facts that will help you build an effective business development machine. Your business development plan needs to be easily accessible and quick to consult.

In this sense, you don’t need to get fancy and start looking for the latest software that promises you great time savings. Stick to something basic yet powerful. Google Sheets is your best ally when it comes to your business development plan.

So, the main goal of a business development plan is to keep information structured so that you can spot growth opportunities easier.

You can download our template for free at this link and start your business development plan.

Step 2: Market research

Market research is a stepping stone in a business development plan. It’s an activity to gather more information about customers’ preferences and needs. Many companies overlook this step thinking that their intuition will guide them through their challenges. Intuition can be helpful, but it’s still essential to know your customers better using research and data.

After all, most ideas start off from intuition. However, basing an entire plan on assumptions is never a smart strategy to use in business development. So, do your homework and make sure you always take educated guesses before starting to work on your business development plan.

Market research takes into account 3 variables . These will tell you the realistic size of the market you’re trying to target.

1 – Total Addressable Market or Total Available Market (TAM)

The TAM takes into account the entire market you’re operating in and basically tells you how much annual revenue there is available for your product or service.

Now, finding this information can be the first bummer. To me at least, it sounded quite impossible to find out. Later, I figured that there are many people out there that dedicate their life only to market research.

You can use Google to find out this information. But of course, you first need to know what you’re looking for. The information you need, in this case, is basically knowing how many companies or people would benefit from your product or service.

You also want to know how many companies operate in your exact space both in terms of services and geography. To get relevant market news, try Googling “your industry market trends”, “your market report”, or “your industry report”.

Many big consultancy groups and governmental institutions dedicate a lot of time to this type of research. It’s a good and reliable starting point.

PRO TIP: Choose your sources very carefully. You’ll find a lot of random information, learn to filter out what you’re reading.

2 – Total Served Market (TSM)

Once you know how big your market is, you need to check how much of it is already served by your competitors.

In this case, the information you’re looking for is all about your competition. You should ask yourself first how many of them you have.

Then you need to find out how well they’re doing and start hunting for as much intelligence as possible.

The info you need to look for is how many clients your competitors claim to have, what revenue they generate, and where they are present.

First, Google keywords to identify your competitors. Right after that, you can start digging deeper into their websites and find detailed info.

Bigger competitors will most likely have good press coverage. Read these articles to gather more insight.

Last, don’t overlook the importance of customer review websites. Customers can uncover many relevant details that your competitors don’t want to reveal. And of course, make use of technology to make the most out of your research.

3 – Serviceable Obtainable Market (SOM)

The last step in your market research is to quantify how much you can realistically obtain with your business development effort.

Your SOM is your share in the market. So, to put it simply, it’s not possible to have an entire market buy only your products and services. There is a specific customer base that will buy from your company . So, your SOM refers to your market share and the people that can become your customers if they see a benefit from your products or services.

SOM takes into account your brand awareness, market insights, but also competition. It helps you forecast potential earnings and also gain customers. Based on the research, you become aware of what your competitors are offering to the market. Moreover, you will be able to tailor your products and services to meet the needs and preferences of your customers.

Step 3: Competitor analysis

The third step to do when creating your business development plan is to do a competitor analysis . So far, I discussed market research and how it helps you get to know the preferences of your target audience better. But, to grow your business sustainably and profitably, it’s vital that you analyze your competitors as well.

First, figure out who your direct and indirect competitors are. So, in a Google search, we try to identify or find the ID of each company that competes in your market. This can be found in the website’s ‘About us’ section. Then, the aim is to find key personalities such as managers and executives, and so on.

Once you have this information, you can move on to products and services. You can find this on your competitor’s website as well. This specific section defines what the company specializes in. You can use this information to compare your products to those of your competitors and try to find ways to improve them.

Continue by checking their clients, and the pricing they offer for their products and services.

PRO TIP: Read the customer reviews of your competitors to spot their strengths and weaknesses. Use the insights to improve your offer.

Step 4: Customer research

After identifying your market share, you can start thinking of what kind of customers within this segment, you are trying to sell your products and services to.

The best way to tackle this is by running proper customer research that will provide you with your Ideal Customer Profile and Buyer Persona.

This is the part I like the most because it really helps you understand who you’re talking to. But how do you do it? First, if you already have some customers, start analyzing them. You want to gather more information on who they are, what they do, and their habitual traits.

For example:

• What job titles do these people have?
• How old are they?
• What communication tools do they use?
• Where do they hang out?
• What are their personalities like?
• What are their challenges?
• What do they do in their daily lives?

You can find all this info by simply checking social media profiles. Really, just by observing their social media platforms, you can get to know them in-depth! Take some time to check a few ones (at least 10) and you’re going to start seeing patterns.

Then, check some job descriptions about the people you’re targeting. This will highlight what are their professional responsibilities and how your product or service can help them. Last, it’s always advisable to run a survey.

Step 5: Build your Buyer Persona

Right after having run your customer research, you can now create your buyer persona.

The buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customers based on data and research,

In your buyer persona, you need to include all the relevant information you found through your customer research. It should look like something below:

Step 6: Value Propositions

The customer research concludes the research part of your business development plan. Now it’s time to put your insights into action and start building your business development strategy .

The first valuable asset you need to build is a value proposition.

A value proposition is the value your customers get should they choose to buy your products and services

The value proposition helps you communicate your value as a company and you can use it on your website, sales calls, social media posts, etc. Having a clear value proposition will help you attract the right audience and persuade potential customers to work with you.

Of course, a good value proposition is based on that, and if you followed all the steps, you should have all the insights you need.

To build a value proposition we will use the Job-To-Be-Done framework. This helps you identify what are the responsibilities of your buyer persona when they’re doing their job.

For example, a typical responsibility for a recruiter is to find the right talent .

Second, consider the pains and gains of your customers. Customers’ emotions are usually the reason behind their buying decisions. They influence their preferences, frequency of buying, and also which companies they buy from.

Especially the challenges are a crucial element in your value proposition because you can immediately link your solution to a concrete pain that your customers are facing.

For example, let’s go back to the example of the recruiter. We know that one main responsibility of a recruiter is to find talent. One major challenge for recruiters is to have enough time to process all the CVs they receive daily.

Now, let’s assume you work for a company that provides recruitment software that can automate CV screening.

A good value proposition, in this case, would sound like this:

Save 70% of your CV screening time using our recruitment software

Step 7: Content plan

Once you have your value proposition, the next step is to share it with your target audience. That’s when having a content plan becomes a must.

A content plan helps you strategize the type of information you want to feed your audience. It also helps you select the channels on which you should build your presence.

For content to be effective, you need to have a clear idea of your target audience when you write posts/emails, or articles. So, always consult your buyer persona before creating content.

Just like the value propositions, effective content revolves around the pain point you identified earlier. Use them to get the attention of your audience and provide valuable information that helps them alleviate these pains.

This will help you establish yourself as a valuable resource and when they will want to solve their issues, you’ll be the first to pop into their minds.

Step 8: Experiments

The last step in your business development plan is all about creativity and finding opportunities. This is the moment in which we create experiments to validate some of our business assumptions. Your experiment should be ideas that you think will bring sustainable growth to your company.

Once you identify some ideas, define some goals and set up the methodology you will follow to run this experiment. For example, if you heard of a new social media and you think your audience might be on it, build an experiment to validate if this is true and if it can bring you results.

Attach a goal to this idea, for example, generating 10 qualified leads on this new channel.

Then decide for how long you will run the experiment – ideally a couple of weeks. Once the experiment is over analyze what happened. If the experiment was successful, you need to scale this activity. If not, take the learnings for further improvements.

Read this article with 10 business development examples to have some ideas on how to implement your strategy.

The business development plan is a key document that helps you map your ecosystem and strategize your business development efforts .

It consists of a research part and an action part. In the first part, you analyze your market, competitors, and customers. In the second, you use your insights to build value propositions, content plans, and experiments.

The business development plan is a live document, so you have to update it every time you have new insights. Of course, you have to use it in your daily operations to make sure you’re on the right track.

The business development plan is one of the assets you will build during our training. Would you like to shake up your business development career and work in a more structured way? Then join our next cohort .

Last, if you are a company wanting to train your business development team, our custom training solutions are the best way to take your team to the next level.

Be the first in the know!

Explore our related blog posts.

+10 Best Business Development Training & Courses in 2024 - with Certification

Expand your business skills with our selection of the top 10 business development courses and certifications in 2024.

10 Business Development Examples

Business development examples to show you different applications of business development. All the examples are based on real-life cases.

10 Common business development activities

Common business development activities you should be doing. Check this shortlist to organize your work, improve productivity and get results.

Developing and Implementing the Business Plan

The course introduces a pragmatic and process-based approach to developing and implementing business plans. The course offers participants the tools to transform ideas into strategic goals and to outline the operational and financial strategies needed to achieve these goals. The course expands on how to use the business plan as a communication, negotiation and persuasion tool. This is critical when collaborating across different aspects of the business plan is required.

A well written business plan should provide decision makers with enough insights to assist them in deciding the viability and feasibility of new ideas, strategies and initiatives. This course is designed with this key objective in mind.

Course Methodology

This course is highly interactive. From the onset, participants find themselves engaged in identifying business initiatives or opportunities within their company or on their own. Subsequently, they embark on developing the required business plan. The course follows a workshop approach where teams are formed, roles are defined and every team member contributes to the development of the business plan. Participants get the opportunity to work with different types of business analysis tools to evaluate and decide the direction of their ideas or initiatives. In addition, teams will present their work to the other teams in the class and they will end up with a complete business plan which they may share with their colleagues and superiors at work if they choose to.

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the importance of a well thought-out business plan for the success of the organization
• Describe the structure of a business plan and how it caters to market and organizational needs
• Apply the business plan development process to create a well-structured, convincing business plan covering all vital elements
• Develop a business plan that includes a detailed, practical and effective implementation strategy
• Evaluate the progress of the implementation of the business plan and take necessary corrective steps

Target Audience

Department heads, senior managers, managers and supervisors, project managers, team leaders, sales managers, marketing managers, entrepreneurs and others who would like to develop their business planning skills.

Target Competencies

• Creative thinking and business planning
• Collaboration and teamwork
• Market and situation analysis
• Financial analysis, forecasting, and break-even analysis
• Resource scheduling and budgeting
• Communicating and presenting
• Definition of a business plan
• Types of business plans
• Benefits of a business plan
• Components of a business plan
• The process behind the business plan
• The importance of the business plan to a firm’s value chain
• Securing the buy-in from stakeholders
• Mapping vision, mission and values
• Conducting a situation analysis
• Setting goals, objectives, and business strategies
• Developing tactics, programs and action plans
• Forecasting, pricing and applying breakeven analysis
• Sourcing, allocating and scheduling
• The income statement
• The balance sheet
• Cash-flow analysis
• Program Budgets
• Writing the executive summary
• Creating appendices and references
• Job assignments
• Reporting structure
• Knowledge base
• Dealing with deviations
• Causes analysis
• Providing constructive feedback
• Corrective actions and adjustments
• Goal revisions and expectations
• Scheduling challenges
• Budget adjustments and additional financial support requests
• Resources demands and constraints
• Staying away from common business plan mistakes
• Concluding the business plan
• Types of reports
• The recipients 
• The information
• The quality
• The frequency

2024 Schedule & Fees

Per participant.

Fees + VAT as applicable

(including coffee breaks and a buffet lunch daily)

Location & Date

Meirc reserves the right to alter dates, content, venue, trainer, and to offer courses in an integrated virtual learning (IVL) format whereby face to face classroom participants and virtual learners participate simultaneously in the same course in an interactive learning experience.

Tax Registration Number: 100239834300003

This course is also offered in Virtual Learning, click on the course below.

Course Outline

Schedule & fees, virtual learning.

Related Courses

Search Here

Call me back.

Give us your details and we’ll call you!

Quick Enquiry

Download brochure.

• 1st Floor, Building 13, Bay Square, Business Bay
• PO Box 5883, Dubai, UAE
• +971 4 556 7171 | 800 7100
• [email protected]
• Offices 901 & 902, Sultan International Tower, Corniche Road
• PO Box 62182, Abu Dhabi, UAE
• +971 2 491 0700 | 800 7100

UAE Tax Registration Number

100239834300003

• Al Awad Building, RUQA 7523 (DMS), Said bin Zaid Street, Qurtubah
• PO Box 220460, Riyadh 11311, KSA
• +966 11 451 7017 | 9200 13917
• Office 206, Sultana Square, Prince Sultan Road
• PO Box 1394, Jeddah 21414, KSA

KSA Tax Registration Number

311655469100003

Other Links

• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Conditions
• Course Selector

© 2024 Meirc Training & Consulting. All rights reserved.

Education & Training Business Plans

• IT, Staffing & Customer Service
• Construction, Architecture & Engineering
• Food, Beverage & Restaurant
• Real Estate & Rentals
• Mobile Apps & Software
• Education & Training
• Beauty Salon & Fitness
• Medical & Health Care
• Retail, Consumers & E-commerce
• Entertainment & Media
• Transportation, Logistics & Travel
• Agriculture, Farm & Food Production
• Nonprofit & Community
• Manufacturing & Wholesale
• Clothing & Fashion
• Children & Pets
• Fine Art & Crafts
• Cleaning, Maintenance & Repair
• Hotel & Lodging
• Finance & Investing
• Consulting, Advertising & Marketing
• Accounting, Insurance & Compliance

How to Write a Martial Arts Business Plan With Examples

School Business Plan

Language School Business Plan

Music School Business Plan

Swim School Business Plan

Youth Mentoring Program Business Plan

Summer Camp Business Plan

Coaching Business Plan

After-School Program Business Plan

Tutoring Business Plan

Vocational School Business Plan

Daycare Business Plan

Preschool Business Plan

Dance Studio Business Plan

Did you find what you are looking for.

Thinking of starting a school or a coaching business? Or is it about vocational school?

Well, no matter what’s your business segment in the education and training sector—you need a solid business plan to turn it into a long-term success.

This library of education and training business plan samples here can inspire and guide you as you begin to plan your business. So, don’t worry; we got you covered on that part.

Let’s learn more about these sample training and education plans, starting with their benefits.

Benefits of using an industry-specific business plan example

Believe it or not, using an industry-specific business plan example is the best and probably the quickest way of writing a business plan.

Doubt it? Hold, this may change your perception; an extended list of the benefits of using an industry-specific business plan template.

• Inspiration : Reading a business-specific template can be incredibly helpful in getting content inspiration. Furthermore, it helps you gain insights into how to present your business idea, products, vision, and mission.
• Risk-free method : You are taking a reference from a real-life, let’s say, After-school program business plan—so you know this plan has worked in the past or uses a method subscribed by experts.
• Deep market understanding : Analyzing and reading such examples can provide clarity and develop a deeper market understanding of complex industry trends and issues you may not know but relate directly to the realities of your business landscape.
• Increased credibility : A business plan developed using an example follows a standard business plan format, wisely presents your business, and provides invaluable insights into your business. There’s no question it establishes you as a credible business owner, demonstrating your deep business and market understanding.
• Realistic financial projections : Financial forecasting being a critical aspect of your plan, this real-life example can help you better understand how they project their financials—ultimately helping you set realistic projections for your business.

These were the benefits; let’s briefly discuss choosing an education or training business plan template that best suits your business niche.

Choosing an Education or Training Business Plan

This category has business plan templates for various education or tutoring businesses. With many similar business types and templates, you may not find the most suitable one through manual scrolling.

Here are the steps to consider while choosing the most suitable business plan template.

Identify your business type

Are you going to be an online coaching platform? Or a traditional school? Or a general daycare center?

Asking yourself these questions will help you identify your business type, which will help in choosing a niche-specific business plan template.

Once you identify your business type, you can choose between templates for different business segments.

Search for the template

We have an in-built search feature, so you can easily search for a business-specific template using your business name as a key term(e.g., summer camp business plan). Once you have the search results, choose the most suitable one. Simple as that.

Review the example

Look closely at the content of the sample business plan you are considering. Analyze its sections and components to identify relevant as well as unnecessary areas.

Since all the Upmetrics templates are tailored to specific business needs, there won’t be many fundamental customizations. However, a hybrid business model targeting multiple customer segments may require adjustments.

No big deal—you can view and copy sections from other business plan examples or write using AI while customizing a template.

That’s how you find and select the most suitable business plan for educational services. Still haven’t found the perfect business plan example? Here’s the next step for you.

Explore 400+ business plan examples

Discover Upmetrics’ library of 400+ sample business plans to help you write your business plan. Upmetrics is a modern and intuitive business planning app that streamlines business planning with its free templates and AI-powered features. So what are you waiting for? Download your example and draft a perfect business plan.

From simple template to full finished business plan

No Risk – Cancel at Any Time – 15 Day Money Back Guarantee

Thinkific Plus

How to start a training business: a comprehensive guide to success, share this article.

Imagine standing on the edge of a vast field, one that’s fertile and primed for cultivation. This field represents the training business landscape, brimming with potential and ripe for cultivation by the right entrepreneur. 

Starting a training business requires preparation, careful planning, diligent maintenance, and a touch of creativity.

There’s no better time to seize this opportunity, particularly considering the high demand for training services. From professional skill enhancement to personal development, more people than ever are looking for comprehensive, accessible training to help them reach their goals. This demand is expected to increase further in the coming years, making it a potentially lucrative venture for those who are ready to till the soil.

Skip ahead: 

Identify Your Niche

Create a business plan, legal considerations, establish your training center or online platform, develop your training programs and curriculum, marketing your training business, measure success and refine your strategy, tips for growing your training business, frequently asked questions, steps to starting a training business.

Venturing into the vast field of starting a training business might seem daunting at first glance. However, breaking it down into manageable steps can help make the task less overwhelming and more approachable. 

Each step represents a crucial part of the process, from the initial stages of identifying your niche to creating a business plan to finally measuring your success and refining your strategies. Keeping track of these steps not only ensures that no important detail is overlooked but also facilitates a smooth and organized business setup.

Choosing your niche can be intimidating, but it’s absolutely critical to the success of your business. 

This vital first step begins with an assessment of your skills and expertise. Are there certain areas of knowledge or skills you’ve amassed that could prove beneficial to others? 

Perhaps you have years of industry-specific experience or an advanced degree in a specialized field, which you can then channel into the training landscape.

In addition to understanding your expertise, it’s crucial to analyze market demand for your chosen niche and scrutinize both existing and potential competition. 

This entails conducting a rigorous research process to grasp the specific needs, interests, and preferences of potential learners. 

• Are there sufficient individuals interested in your area of expertise? 
• How can your offerings stand apart in the current competitive landscape? 

The insights gleaned from this process will enable you to maximize the yield from your entrepreneurial field.

Related: Training Ideas Generator

Your business plan serves as your entrepreneurial guide, providing essential direction and structure for your training business. 

Begin with establishing your mission and vision, which convey the core purpose of your business and the future you aim to shape through your services.

Identifying your target audience is the next crucial step. By thoroughly understanding the demographics, preferences, and learning styles of your prospective clients, you can ensure your services are finely tailored to meet their needs. 

The business plan should also include measurable goals and milestones that will mark your progress on your entrepreneurial path. Whether it’s acquiring a specific number of learners in the first year or launching a designated number of courses, these goals serve as signposts to guide and inspire your efforts.

To develop a comprehensive business plan, consider including:

• Executive Summary: An overview of your business and plans.
• Company Description: Details about what your company does and who it serves.
• Market Analysis: An examination of your industry, target market, and competitors.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy: Your plans for attracting and retaining customers.
• Service Offerings and Pricing Structure: A detailed explanation of your services and pricing.
• Management and Organizational Structure: The structure of your company and the roles of each team member.
• Financial Projections and Funding Requirements : A projection of future revenues and expenses and details of funding requirements (if applicable).

Deciding on your business structure is akin to laying the foundational bedrock upon which you’ll sow the seeds of your enterprise. There are several options available:

• Sole Proprietorship: A simple structure for a single owner who wants to control all business decisions and responsibilities.
• Partnership: Suitable for businesses with multiple owners who share in the company’s profits and losses.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC): This structure limits owners’ liability for business decisions or actions of the LLC.
• Corporation: A complex structure that involves legal protection and requires a board of directors, corporate officers, and shareholders.

Each of these options comes with its unique benefits and drawbacks. It’s advisable to consult with a legal professional or business advisor to help you select the most appropriate structure for your training business.

Just as a farmer requires an optimal plot of land to sow their seeds, you too need to establish the ideal platform for your training services. This could be a physical training center or an online platform . 

Both come with distinct advantages, and the most suitable choice depends on your target audience, budget, and the nature of your training programs.

A physical location provides a conducive environment for in-person interactions and hands-on training. Conversely, an online platform enables you to cast your net wider, potentially attracting a global audience, and offers the added benefits of flexibility and convenience. You can also deliver a mix of in-person and online training.

It’s also worthwhile considering the investment in a user-friendly Learning Management System (LMS) or an online training platform to enhance your training delivery.

As you establish your training platform, you’ll also need to determine the method of delivery for your training. 

Will it be in-person workshops and seminars, online courses and webinars, or a blended learning approach that combines the two? 

The necessary technology, equipment, and software for your chosen delivery method should also be part of your consideration.

Developing your training programs and curriculum forms the heart of your training business. Your actual training materials need to be engaging and high-value, capable of inspiring your audience and helping them to achieve their goals.

The key to crafting effective training programs and courses lies is understanding your target audience. Delving deep into their needs, preferences, challenges, goals and learning styles can inform the structure and content of your training programs. 

• Would they thrive better in self-paced environments, or do they require the structure and guidance of an instructor-led program? 
• Would they value the weight of a certificate program or the flexibility and diversity offered by a series of short courses?

When developing your curriculum, it’s crucial to consider these factors, shaping your offerings around the unique requirements and aspirations of your learners. You should commit to regular updates to your training materials. 

By aligning your content with the latest trends, research, and industry practices, you maintain the relevance and value of your courses. 

This ensures your programs are not just a static product but a dynamic learning experience that evolves with the times and keeps your training business at the forefront of the industry.

Remember, a successful curriculum is not just about knowledge transmission; it’s about creating transformative learning experiences that empower your audience, helping them grow and flourish in their respective fields.

Marketing catalyzes growth in your business. Begin by building a strong brand identity that reflects your values and mission, creating an impression in the minds of your clients about your business.

Develop a marketing strategy that effectively leverages the right channels to reach your target audience. This could encompass a blend of traditional advertising and digital marketing techniques.

Harness the power of social media, content marketing, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to augment your online visibility. These tools can boost your engagement with potential clients and expand your digital footprint.

A robust marketing strategy might also involve developing a website and optimizing it for search engines. 

Utilize social media platforms and online forums to promote your training business and network with industry professionals and potential clients. 

Offering free resources or introductory workshops can demonstrate your expertise, generate interest, and attract prospective learners to your programs.

Lastly, consider your pricing and payment options. Research competitors’ pricing structures to establish competitive rates. 

Offering various payment options such as credit cards, PayPal, and invoicing for corporate clients, along with discounts for group bookings, early registration, or loyalty programs, can provide additional appeal for prospective clients.

In your journey towards establishing a thriving training business, tracking progress and refining your strategy is not just the final step but a continuous one. 

Make a habit of regularly evaluating your business performance against your established goals and milestones. This assessment should cover various areas of your business – from customer acquisition and retention rates to course completion rates and overall financial health.

One of your richest sources of improvement ideas comes directly from your clients. Make it a practice to gather their feedback , as their perspectives can provide invaluable insights into how your services are received.

Feedback, both positive and critical, can reveal opportunities for growth, enhancement, and innovation that you might not have considered otherwise.

Finally, you must remain adaptable and ready to adjust your strategy as required. The business landscape, much like nature, is in a constant state of flux. Whether it’s a shift in market trends, advancements in training technology, or changes in your client’s needs, your readiness to evolve with these changes is crucial.

A successful training business isn’t static; it grows and adapts, continually evolving to meet the needs of its clients while maintaining its financial health. 

This continual refinement and adaptation are what will ensure your training business doesn’t just survive but thrives for the long haul.

The most successful training entrepreneurs actively seek growth strategies for their businesses. They strive for excellence, going out of their way to learn the latest and greatest strategies.

Here are a few practical tips that can help drive the growth of your training business:

• Collaborating with Industry Experts: Teaming up with industry experts can significantly boost the quality of your training content. These specialists bring a wealth of experience, knowledge, and credibility to your programs, making them more attractive to potential learners. Collaborations can also lead to the expansion of your professional network and present more growth opportunities.
• Offering Certification Programs: Certification programs provide added value for learners, acting as a seal of quality assurance and competency in their chosen field. By offering certification programs, your training business can stand out from the competition, attracting more clients seeking recognition for their newly acquired skills.
• Expanding Your Services and Target Markets: Never limit your field. Consider expanding your service offerings or venturing into new target markets. With the world becoming more connected every day, there’s potential to reach diverse audiences seeking knowledge in various fields. Always be open to new opportunities and keep your finger on the pulse of market trends and demands.

Remember to keep an eye on the competition, too. Is there something extra your competitors offer? What can you do to set yourself apart?

Growth can feel like pulling teeth at first – but with a few strategies and the right approach, you’ll see numbers start to skyrocket. 

Like a good harvest, reaping the fruits of a successful training business is a rewarding experience. It’s a journey that starts with identifying your niche, creating a comprehensive business plan, and navigating the legal landscape. 

It involves setting up a conducive platform for training, developing engaging programs and curricula, and executing effective marketing strategies.

Growing your training business is a continuous endeavor, and with the right mindset and strategies, you can ensure the fertility of your professional field. Collaborations, certification programs, and the expansion of services can all play a significant role in this growth process.

Download the In-Depth Checklist: How to Start a Training Business

Equip yourself with the essential knowledge and guidance you need to launch your training business successfully. Our comprehensive In-Depth Checklist provides a step-by-step roadmap, empowering you to navigate the intricacies of starting a training venture with confidence.

Q. What are the initial costs of starting a training business?

The initial costs of starting a training business can vary widely, depending on several factors. If you’re starting an online training business, for instance, costs will generally be lower than setting up a physical location. 

Primary costs may include investing in a high-quality learning management system (LMS) or online training platform, creating course content, and marketing your services. If you opt for a physical training center, you’ll need to factor in the rent or purchase of a location, outfitting the space for learning and potentially hiring staff.

 Consultation with legal professionals, business registration, and obtaining necessary permits also add to initial expenses. It’s crucial to outline these costs in your business plan for a clear financial overview.

Q. How do I price my training services?

Pricing your training services should consider several factors: the cost of producing and delivering the training, your time and expertise, market rates, and the perceived value to your learners. 

Research your competitors’ pricing strategies to understand what your target market expects to pay. Offering various payment options and discounts for early registration, group bookings, or loyalty programs can also enhance your pricing strategy’s attractiveness.

Q. How can I differentiate my training business from competitors?

Differentiating your training business involves highlighting what makes your offering unique. It could be your unique expertise, the quality of your course content, collaboration with industry experts, or offering certification programs. 

Tailoring your programs to the specific needs of your target audience and providing an exceptional learning experience can also set you apart. Remember, your brand identity plays a crucial role in differentiating your business in the market.

Q. What are the best marketing strategies for a training business?

Effective marketing strategies for a training business include developing a strong online presence through a user-friendly, SEO-optimized website. 

Utilizing social media platforms, offering free resources or introductory workshops, and networking with industry professionals can also enhance your visibility. 

Remember to leverage content marketing to showcase your expertise and engage potential clients. Your marketing strategy should be as dynamic as the market itself, adjusting to trends, audience preferences, and business goals.

Q. How do I ensure the success of my training business in the long run?

Long-term success in the training business requires continuous evaluation and adaptation. Regularly assess your business performance and gather feedback from clients to understand what works and what needs improvement. 

Keep your training materials up-to-date and relevant to ensure they continue to meet your learners’ evolving needs. Lastly, consider growth strategies such as collaborating with industry experts, expanding your services, and venturing into new markets. 

Ensuring the success of your training business requires ongoing care, creativity, and diligence.

This article was originally published July 2023 and was updated in October 2023 to be even more useful.

Daniela Ochoa is the go-to Content Marketing Specialist here at Thinkific Plus! With years of experience in marketing and communications, she is passionate about helping businesses grow through strategic storytelling, innovative digital campaigns, and online learning at scale.On this blog, she shares her expertise in content marketing, lead generation, and more.

• Ultimate List of Training Templates: Streamline Your Training Programs
• Training Invitation Templates: Tips and Examples
• How To Expand Your B2B Offers with Online Learning Products
• The Top 6 Must-use Thinkific Apps (Or Tools) To Level Up Your Online Academy
• Your Guide to Bringing Your Classroom Online Quickly and Effectively

Related Articles

How to start a successful podcast (step by step guide).

A step by step guide to help you start a successful podcast to build your audience, and share your passion and expertise with the world

The Ultimate List of Free Online Courses (89+ Free Courses!)

Looking for a free online course? Look no further! We've summarized the top free online courses, on everything from business to health & wellness.

How Tabitha Carro Creates & Promotes Online Courses Using Her Smartphone

An in-depth look at how Thinkific customer Tabitha Carro built a successful online course business teaching smart phone marketing to entrepreneurs.

Try Thinkific for yourself!

Accomplish your course creation and student success goals faster with thinkific..

Download this guide and start building your online program!

It is on its way to your inbox

• Learning (LMS) Create courses, train internal teams & external partners
• Performance Management Performance reviews, 1on1s, continuous feedback & goals
• Learn & Develop Go above and beyond basic mandatory training
• Engagement Build engagement surveys that help you act on input
• Course Authoring Design interactive and engaging learning content
• Analytics Easily measure the impact of your learning programs
• Mobile App All the power of Bridge while you’re away from your desk
• Advanced Video Capture, create, and catalog engaging video content
• Integrations Seamlessly integrate the tools you use with Bridge
• Compliance Training
• Employee Development
• Performance Reviews
• Continuous Feedback
• Customer Training
• Manager Enablement
• Higher Education
• Financial Services
• Construction
• Case Studies
• Self-Guided Tours
• Bridge Blog
• Events & Webinars
• Career Drivers
• Skills Discovery Cards

Planning for Success: The Importance of Employee Training and Development Plans

• By Akash Savdharia
• Performance Management
• February 1, 2022

Table of Contents

Employee training and development plans can improve performance and productivity. Read to discover how to create personalized learning plans based on our samples.

The workplace is evolving rapidly. The pace at which businesses are adopting new technologies and processes is increasing, and this is going to have a huge impact on your workforce. Many of them are currently in jobs that will soon no longer exist and the jobs that will be created in their place will require skills that your workforce does not currently have.

The figures are clear—according to the World Economic Forum , 50% of employees will need to be reskilled by 2025. This means that now’s the time to act to future-proof your business and offer ongoing L&D opportunities in the workplace. 

The best way to give your employees the skills they need and make your L&D efforts as effective as possible is by creating training and development plans. Always remember that your employees are individuals who will have individual needs and job-specific training requirements. 

If training and development plans aren’t currently part of your practice, knowing where to start isn’t always easy. But we’re here to help!

What Is An Employee Development Plan?

An employee development plan is made in collaboration with the employee and their manager. It details their career goals and opportunities within the organization, and how they get there. The plan documents these goals for the employees, management, and HR to keep records of and to periodically review. The progress of each employee will be reviewed against these goals to see how successful they were.

A good development plan will detail an employee’s strengths and weaknesses and set goals to address those weaknesses. It will list skills to be learned or developed, have a plan for enhancing that employee’s performance, and specify a time frame over which these goals will be achieved.

Valuing learning and development means valuing the individual’s journey through the process and making sure that their training is meeting their needs. But how do you know that the training you’re delivering is relevant and effective to that individual? Without any measure, you don’t! That’s why creating personalized employee training and development plans should be an important step.

MORE FROM THE BLOG | ‘ Get Aligned: 3 Ways to Keep Employees Aligned With Organisational Goals ’

Why Do Employee Development Plans Matter?

It’s a good question and one which demands an answer. In the past, you may have had good results from a one-size-fits-all training program. So why adopt a more employee-centric approach now? It turns out that there are huge benefits to your business in creating personalized employee development plans. They can help to make your L&D efforts more effective, make it easier to track learning progress, tell you whether a program was successful, and show you how learner goals align with the company’s objectives. 

These are the immediate and obvious benefits to your organization. But, in giving employees training precisely tailored to their individual needs, there are lots of other long-term benefits to be had:

1. Improves Employee Performance

There’s nothing more demotivational in a learning environment than a strictly-defined training program that doesn’t meet the learner’s needs. If your employees can’t see the point of their training and are given courses to complete that have no bearing on their individual circumstances then they aren’t likely to succeed, However, if they’re motivated by engaging and relevant training, they’re more likely to learn. Creating personalized learning and development plans for each individual means there’s a higher chance they’ll be focused on achieving their goals because they played a part in setting them. Not only that, having a clear strategy laid out ahead of them means they know exactly how to achieve their targets.

2. Boosts Retention

If your people are achieving their goals and advancing in their careers, they’re more likely to stick around for the long haul. A LinkedIn report found that 94% of employees would stay at a company longer if it invested in their learning and development. Your people want opportunities and it’s down to you to provide them. Creating training plans is a sure-fire way to make sure that they’re developing the skills that they want.

This means listening to your employees and taking on board their circumstances and ambitions. Put simply, you should adopt a hands-on approach to creating employee development plans! This is going to involve assessing your business goals, setting time aside for line managers and employees to get a good feel for the situation on the ground, and coming up with actionable plans that everyone can get behind.

3. Helps to Align Employee and Organizational Goals

You may already be aware of skills that are currently missing from your workforce and want to work with them to close any skills gaps, but that’s only one issue you need to be considering. If the recent past has taught us anything, it’s that the future can be wildly unpredictable and throw up challenges that only future-proofed businesses can handle. You might not have a crystal ball but you should still be thinking about what obstacles your business may face in the future and what skills and roles are needed to overcome them and achieve your goals. That’s step one in creating a robustly healthy future for your organization.

Step two is to identify employees in your talent pool who will need upskilling or reskilling to meet these needs. Marrying your organizational goals to employees’ training needs is essential and a specific, personalized learning and development plan can steer your people in the right direction.

4. Increases Learning Retention

Setting time aside for L&D is all well and good, but how much of what they’ve learned will your people actually remember and use in their day-to-day? A study by Gartner found that employees are learning skills they’ll never use—on average, employees are only using 54% of the skills that they learn in their roles. That equals a lot of wasted time on their part in learning useless information and a lot of wasted expense on yours in providing it. This means that in order for them to develop their own knowledge and skills, the same old L&D that every employee is assigned just won’t cut it and the training you offer has to be focused precisely on their individual needs.

If learning is personalized to the individual and tied into their performance objectives, there’s a greater chance that they’ll actually find value in it, retain that learning and be able to strengthen their knowledge by using their newfound skills in their jobs.

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT DEVELOPING YOUR EMPLOYEES? CHECK OUT THIS GUIDE | ‘ The Definitive Guide to Employee Development ’

Strategies for Developing Workplace Skills

There are a few things you need to be mindful of when you’re thinking about developing employees:

1. Don’t Forget About Soft Skills

Soft skills are becoming more important, according to SHRM , which found that 89% of new employees fail within the first 18 months due to a lack of soft skills such as professionalism or an ability to get along with others. Hard skills will keep your workforce proficient, but soft skills can help them to become more agile and adaptable within your organization, helping them to move into different roles. There’s growing discourse around updating the term ‘soft skills’—terms like ‘people skills’, ‘human skills’, ‘communication skills’, and even ‘emotional intelligence’ have been suggested, although none have been widely adopted yet. Regardless of the terminology you use, the bottom line is don’t overlook soft skills.

2. Focus on Digital Learning

Your employees will have their primary responsibilities and further learning and development will have to fit in with their already packed schedules. You don’t want your business grinding to a halt while people take time out to learn! This is where an investment in eLearning pays off, as it gives your employees access to the training they require in easily digestible chunks. This means that they can schedule short periods of learning into their days while still performing their essential duties. A good eLearning platform allows you the flexibility to provide the development that your employees want in a form they can adapt to their needs and circumstances.

3. Make Employee Development Personal

Your employees each have their own vision about where they want their career to go. It’s up to you to help them achieve this or, in discussion with them, help them set realistic and achievable goals. Since their ambitions will all be different, a one-size-fits-all training program won’t help them get where they want to be.

4. Link Learning and Performance

Focusing on learning and development is a sure way to have your employees evolve and better themselves. But they also need to see the value in what they do. Tying L&D goals together makes sense—it shows employees that they’re highly valued by your organization, that they’re measurably improving their prospects, and this motivates them to work towards the goals in their development plan. Using a learning and performance management solution, you can easily track employee progress towards their goals.

How to Develop an Employee Training and Development Plan

Developing an employee training and development plan will vary from person to person, depending on their needs, but these differences are in the details. The overall structure of your plans may contain the same considerations applied to every situation. Once you’ve got your formula down, the process should be pretty straightforward and might go something like this:

1. Assess Your Current Business Needs

This should be your starting point. Since all development objectives should align with your organization’s strategy, you need to be clear about what your goals are. Remember, each person will have their own individual goals and objectives, so it’s important that they’re developing skills that you need. This requires strategic thinking on your part and a willingness to consider reskilling some employees to better meet both your goals and theirs.

2. Come Up With a Plan

Talk to your people. Find you what skills they want to develop and where they want to go with their career. Using this information, you can map out how they’re going to get there and create their individual training and development plans. This is the basis of your plan, and in order for them to be successful, you’ll need to make sure they’ve got access to the materials they need. 

One of the most common mistakes businesses make is to use the same learning template for each employee. Although you’ll have training targets to meet, it’s worth remembering the individual and their needs. Each department’s needs will look very different and a senior employee will have different training needs than a college graduate, so your plans should adapt accordingly.

3. Create Your Courses

Digital learning gives your people the freedom to learn whenever and wherever is convenient for them. That’s why it’s worth taking the time to choose the right tools, as this will make creating and distributing eLearning easy. If you have a content authoring tool , even better, as your courses can simply be created, tweaked, and distributed when needed. 

4. Deliver the Training

Learning is a personal experience. While videos might work for some learners, others may prefer quizzes or some form of gamification. Mixing up your learning offering is a great way to keep your learners engaged and help them to feel that their plan is really personalized to their needs.

Investing in the right tools is key to making your L&D efforts a seamless experience. A learning management system can help you keep learning engaging and easy to access. It also allows you to track the progress of your learners and deliver live training. Your LMS should also allow for your learning programs to be a communal experience as a sense of isolation can be an issue for some learners. Making training a social experience through group chats and Q&As is a great way to keep your learners engaged.

5. Evaluate the Success of Your Training

Analytics will let you see how many employees completed the training and how quickly, but your data can only take you so far. The true success of your training will be shown in the knowledge and skills learners remember and apply to their jobs. But be sure to ask them how useful and relevant they thought the courses were and be prepared to modify your training programs in response to the feedback you’re getting. By doing this, your courses will soon evolve into the best and most fitting they can possibly be.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE |‘ Delivering Results: The Importance of Tracking Employee Learning ’

Components of an Employee Development Plan

The structure of a development plan can vary from one business to the next, depending on what metrics you want to track and what you think is important. But it’s likely that you’ll want to include some of the following sections:

Goals and Aspirations

Both you and your employee will have an idea of where they should be in the future, so this section represents a negotiated agreement on these two views. It requires a realistic appraisal of the employee’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential, plus a sensitive and measured approach to committing these details to the plan. This section will be role-specific and should list achievable productivity and promotion goals for an employee detailing where they want to be. It could also outline specific dates or measures of success, such as targets.

Training and Development Opportunities

Once realistic goals are set, a number of training requirements become apparent and these will be outlined in this section of the development plan. Your employees will value the structure of a goal-oriented plan and so it will list activities that they can carry out towards their goal with estimated completion dates. This section can also be used to firm up the details of their training and set expectations from your end. You could include a minimum number of hours of training expected per week or list mandatory training courses required.

Skills Required

A good employee training and development plan doesn’t only focus on the training part of the plan. Yes, your employees may need to upskill or reskill to meet the evolving demands of the business but an equally crucial aspect is their personal development. This may involve developing their interpersonal skills or, for employees seeking more senior roles, courses in people management and conflict resolution. 

Action Plans

An action plan has to take into account all the factors affecting the employee and the business. From the employee’s point of view, the action plan should be specific and individually tailored to their needs and the suggested courses of action should be clear, structured, and have attainable goals. At the same time, the action plan should consider the short-term costs and long-term benefits to the team that the employee is part of and the wider business. 

Evaluation Frequency

One key decision that has to be made is the frequency of evaluation. Too high a frequency risks the appearance of micromanagement and employees may not thrive in a learning environment in which management seems to be breathing down their necks. On the other hand, too low a frequency risks the employee’s training going off course with no timely guidance back on to the right track. 

Again, this is a detail that has to be negotiated with the employee and managers should agree on a frequency to review performance towards objectives and career goals. This will usually be every six or 12 months during an appraisal or as part of a performance review, but managers should check-in as part of their regular one-on-ones to offer guidance and support if it’s needed.

RELATED READING | ‘ Learning and Performance: Two Sides of the Same Coin ’

Get Started With a Sample Employee Development Plan

Here’s an example of an employee development plan to help you get going. The template can be adapted according to individual needs.

Employee name:

Department:

Employee goals and aspirations: 

Training and development opportunities:

Skills required:

Action plan:

Evaluation : 

The following example shows a skills-based development plan. 

In this sample, Brandon wants to be promoted to Sales Manager. He and his manager agree on a course of action and decide he could be more skilled in using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform and developing his people skills.

Using an LMS, training providers can create and deliver specific learning to employees based on the skills they want to develop. LMS admins can create a personalized learning journey for Brandon, link relevant training to his journey, and monitor his progress.

The integration of learning and performance management means that it’s easy for Brandon’s manager to check in with him and see how he’s progressing towards his goals.

Employee Name: 

Brandon Pierce

Department: 

Promotion to Sales Manager

Training and development opportunities: 

• Complete a management course
• Watch a diversity and inclusivity webinar and complete an exam on unconscious bias
• Undertake CRM training
• Relationship building
• Digital skills
• Conflict resolution

Action plan: 

Build and lead a team of highly motivated sales executives to generate a 10-20% increase in sales over the next 12 months. Undertake a series of training sessions to further develop leadership skills and digital competencies that will enable Brandon to improve his performance.

How Can Bridge Help?

Bridge Learning Management System designs and delivers scalable learning programs that make learning and compliance engaging for employees.

Using Bridge makes it easy to create and deliver a personalized learning experience and for employees to achieve their own learning goals.

Find out more and get a Bridge demo

More from the blog

Akash Savdharia

Need to start saving with a new ATS? Learn how to calculate the return on investment of your ATS Calculate ROI now

• HR Toolkit |
• Tutorials |
• Learning & development |

Your guide to creating effective employee development plans

Why do employees quit? In 2023, most workers didn’t hit the road because of toxic work cultures, inadequate benefits, or unreasonable compensation — they left because of a lack of career opportunities.

KAT BOOGAARD

Kat writes about topics in the careers, human resources, productivity, project management, and business ownership spaces.

And unfortunately, that’s not a new phenomenon. According to data from Pew Research Center , “no opportunities for advancement” was one of the top reasons workers quit jobs in 2021 too, tied only with low pay. 

The majority of employees (67% of them in a survey conducted by MIT Sloan ) are eager to advance their careers. Yet, research from Gartner shows that only 46% feel supported in honing their skills and forging their path up the ladder at their current organization.

Here’s where employee development plans hold a lot of power. These seemingly humble documents get you and your workers on the same page about professional goals and progress, while providing much-needed visibility into how employees can advance their careers within the company. 

What is an employee development plan?

An employee development plan is a document created collaboratively by a manager and an employee that spells out a single worker’s professional goals and a detailed action plan for achieving them. 

While the employee development plan is largely focused on the desires and ambitions of the employee, it should balance individual goals with the needs of your organization and the “expected objectives for the employee to contribute to the company,” explains Sarah Morgan , a senior recruiter. 

Put simply, a solid employee development plan won’t just fuel the growth of a single employee — it’ll fuel the growth of your entire organization.

What should you include in an employee development plan? 

Despite the fact “employee development plan” sounds rigid and formal, these documents are surprisingly flexible. You have the freedom to adapt them to the needs of your employee, team, or entire organization.

Some companies create highly detailed development plans that are several pages long, while others opt for quick bullet points that fit in a chart on a single page. 

Additionally, your plan is largely dictated by the employee’s specific circumstances. For example, are you documenting a plan to support them in:

• Building a specific skill?
• Moving to the next level of their existing career?
• Switching to an entirely different function or career path?

Those unique situations might require different sections within your plan. But, speaking generally, an employee development plan will include:

• Timelines: It’s not a plan without a timeline. Each plan should include dates — whether they’re attached to goals or specific action steps — so that the manager and employee are aligned on when things will be accomplished.

Eager to jump in and get started? Here’s a simple employee development plan template you can use:

Who creates an employee development plan?

The employee and the manager work together to create an employee development plan. But when you boil it all down, who’s ultimately responsible? “This is a question for the ages and may garner a few perspectives,” Sarah says. “I do believe it should be a joint effort by employee and manager to create as well as maintain. That said, managers should be aware that there are some areas where they need to take initiative with the employee.”

However, the reverse can also be true — employees might need to advocate for themselves and their goals, especially if they feel they aren’t getting the support or investment they believe they deserve.

Regardless of who’s doing the actual documenting, the most important thing is that the process is collaborative so that both the manager and the direct report feel bought-in and committed. When the plan is ready to go, it’s also smart to share a copy with the HR team so they’re in the loop.

Why are employee development plans important?

Employee development plans are way more than a formality or unnecessary recordkeeping. When they’re done well, these plans offer several benefits for employees and their companies.

Employee development plan benefits for employees

• Improved clarity: According to Gartner, only 25% of employees are confident about their career path with their current organization. An employee development plan aligns employees and their managers on next steps and objectives, and provides more clarity about what an employee is working toward.

Employee development plan benefits for employers

• Better strategic alignment: Your ultimate goal in improving employee performance is to improve company performance, but that doesn’t happen if there’s a mismatch between individual and organizational goals. Employee development plans give managers and employees an opportunity to confirm their goals align, as well as to revisit them at regular intervals.

3 tips to make the most of employee development plans

Employee development plans themselves are a learning process—the more of them you do, the more you’ll learn about what works best for your team and organization. However, there are a few best practices that can help you right out of the gate.

1. Personalize the process

One employee might want to take the lead in ironing out their development plan while another might need some more prompting and encouragement. One person might be hungry for feedback while another is resistant to too much constructive criticism.

The development planning process will be most helpful when it’s personalized to each employee. While your plan template itself can stay largely the same, tailor your approach and related conversations to the preferences and unique qualities of your employees.

2. Set specific goals

One of the mistakes Sarah frequently sees organizations make with development plans is relying on vague or unclear goals. She recommends opting for the SMART goal framework , where goals are:

• M easurable
• A chievable
• T ime-bound

Here’s a quick comparison to show how much clarity this framework adds to development goals: 

• After: Improve public speaking skills by volunteering as a speaker for at least three company events by the end of 2024. 

Plus, the SMART goal framework touches on a lot of other important aspects of an employee’s development plan, such as a timeline and success metrics. 

3. Continue to check in

“I think my biggest frustration as both an employee myself and someone in HR is that it’s not visited throughout the quarter or year,” Sarah says about most development plans. “They’re often created as a ‘box to check’ and then go back into the file to die.”

That not only wastes time but can also breed frustration in employees who will take it as evidence that you’re not truly invested in their development. You can combat this by

• Scheduling a designated meeting to talk about updates to development goals when there’s a larger shift, such as a company strategy change or a team restructuring

When you involve employees in creating their development plans, listen thoughtfully to their goals, questions, and feedback, and commit to ongoing conversations about their progress, you’ll show them that their growth and advancement is an ongoing priority — not a one-time event.

Frequently asked questions

All your company documents available in one place.

Centralize company files. Easily access and e-sign custom templates for new and existing employees.

Related topics

HR Toolkit | Tutorials | Εmployee engagement |

Six core onboarding checklists you need for your hr toolkit.

HR Toolkit | Tutorials | Candidate evaluation |

Screening resumes with chatgpt: a step-by-step guide.

Inside HR | Stories & Insights | Better practices |

Job shadowing at work – how can it benefit your organization.

Inside HR | Stories & Insights | Learning & Development |

L&d trends for 2024: reports find there’s no more one-size-fits-all, new guide: calculate the roi of an ats.

Need to start saving with a new ATS? Calculate the ROI of your ATS with our template.

Popular topics

• Candidate sourcing and attraction
• Working together with others
• Maximizing candidate & employee experience
• Finding & attracting people
• Digitizing work processes
• Ensuring compliance best practices

Let's grow together

Explore our full platform with a 15-day free trial. Post jobs, get candidates and onboard employees all in one place.

Share on Mastodon

How To Start A Business In 11 Steps (2024 Guide)

Updated: Apr 7, 2024, 1:44pm

Table of Contents

Before you begin: get in the right mindset, 1. determine your business concept, 2. research your competitors and market, 3. create your business plan, 4. choose your business structure, 5. register your business and get licenses, 6. get your finances in order, 7. fund your business, 8. apply for business insurance, 9. get the right business tools, 10. market your business, 11. scale your business, what are the best states to start a business, bottom line, frequently asked questions (faqs).

Starting a business is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences you can have. But where do you begin? There are several ways to approach creating a business, along with many important considerations. To help take the guesswork out of the process and improve your chances of success, follow our comprehensive guide on how to start a business. We’ll walk you through each step of the process, from defining your business idea to registering, launching and growing your business .

Featured Partners

ZenBusiness

$0 + State Fees

Varies By State & Package

On ZenBusiness' Website

On LegalZoom's Website

Northwest Registered Agent

$39 + State Fees

On Northwest Registered Agent's Website

$0 + State Fee

On Formations' Website

The public often hears about overnight successes because they make for a great headline. However, it’s rarely that simple—they don’t see the years of dreaming, building and positioning before a big public launch. For this reason, remember to focus on your business journey and don’t measure your success against someone else’s.

Consistency Is Key

New business owners tend to feed off their motivation initially but get frustrated when that motivation wanes. This is why it’s essential to create habits and follow routines that power you through when motivation goes away.

Take the Next Step

Some business owners dive in headfirst without looking and make things up as they go along. Then, there are business owners who stay stuck in analysis paralysis and never start. Perhaps you’re a mixture of the two—and that’s right where you need to be. The best way to accomplish any business or personal goal is to write out every possible step it takes to achieve the goal. Then, order those steps by what needs to happen first. Some steps may take minutes while others take a long time. The point is to always take the next step.

Most business advice tells you to monetize what you love, but it misses two other very important elements: it needs to be profitable and something you’re good at. For example, you may love music, but how viable is your business idea if you’re not a great singer or songwriter? Maybe you love making soap and want to open a soap shop in your small town that already has three close by—it won’t be easy to corner the market when you’re creating the same product as other nearby stores.

If you don’t have a firm idea of what your business will entail, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do you love to do?
• What do you hate to do?
• Can you think of something that would make those things easier?
• What are you good at?
• What do others come to you for advice about?
• If you were given ten minutes to give a five-minute speech on any topic, what would it be?
• What’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but lacked resources for?

These questions can lead you to an idea for your business. If you already have an idea, they might help you expand it. Once you have your idea, measure it against whether you’re good at it and if it’s profitable.

Your business idea also doesn’t have to be the next Scrub Daddy or Squatty Potty. Instead, you can take an existing product and improve upon it. You can also sell a digital product so there’s little overhead.

What Kind of Business Should You Start?

Before you choose the type of business to start, there are some key things to consider:

• What type of funding do you have?
• How much time do you have to invest in your business?
• Do you prefer to work from home or at an office or workshop?
• What interests and passions do you have?
• Can you sell information (such as a course), rather than a product?
• What skills or expertise do you have?
• How fast do you need to scale your business?
• What kind of support do you have to start your business?
• Are you partnering with someone else?
• Does the franchise model make more sense to you?

Consider Popular Business Ideas

Not sure what business to start? Consider one of these popular business ideas:

• Start a Franchise
• Start a Blog
• Start an Online Store
• Start a Dropshipping Business
• Start a Cleaning Business
• Start a Bookkeeping Business
• Start a Clothing Business
• Start a Landscaping Business
• Start a Consulting Business
• Start a Photography Business
• Start a Vending Machine Business

Most entrepreneurs spend more time on their products than they do getting to know the competition. If you ever apply for outside funding, the potential lender or partner wants to know: what sets you (or your business idea) apart? If market analysis indicates your product or service is saturated in your area, see if you can think of a different approach. Take housekeeping, for example—rather than general cleaning services, you might specialize in homes with pets or focus on garage cleanups.

Primary Research

The first stage of any competition study is primary research, which entails obtaining data directly from potential customers rather than basing your conclusions on past data. You can use questionnaires, surveys and interviews to learn what consumers want. Surveying friends and family isn’t recommended unless they’re your target market. People who say they’d buy something and people who do are very different. The last thing you want is to take so much stock in what they say, create the product and flop when you try to sell it because all of the people who said they’d buy it don’t because the product isn’t something they’d buy.

Secondary Research

Utilize existing sources of information, such as census data, to gather information when you do secondary research. The current data may be studied, compiled and analyzed in various ways that are appropriate for your needs but it may not be as detailed as primary research.

Conduct a SWOT Analysis

SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Conducting a SWOT analysis allows you to look at the facts about how your product or idea might perform if taken to market, and it can also help you make decisions about the direction of your idea. Your business idea might have some weaknesses that you hadn’t considered or there may be some opportunities to improve on a competitor’s product.

Asking pertinent questions during a SWOT analysis can help you identify and address weaknesses before they tank your new business.

A business plan is a dynamic document that serves as a roadmap for establishing a new business. This document makes it simple for potential investors, financial institutions and company management to understand and absorb. Even if you intend to self-finance, a business plan can help you flesh out your idea and spot potential problems. When writing a well-rounded business plan, include the following sections:

• Executive summary: The executive summary should be the first item in the business plan, but it should be written last. It describes the proposed new business and highlights the goals of the company and the methods to achieve them.
• Company description: The company description covers what problems your product or service solves and why your business or idea is best. For example, maybe your background is in molecular engineering, and you’ve used that background to create a new type of athletic wear—you have the proper credentials to make the best material.
• Market analysis: This section of the business plan analyzes how well a company is positioned against its competitors. The market analysis should include target market, segmentation analysis, market size, growth rate, trends and a competitive environment assessment.
• Organization and structure: Write about the type of business organization you expect, what risk management strategies you propose and who will staff the management team. What are their qualifications? Will your business be a single-member limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation ?
• Mission and goals: This section should contain a brief mission statement and detail what the business wishes to accomplish and the steps to get there. These goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, action-orientated, realistic and time-bound).
• Products or services: This section describes how your business will operate. It includes what products you’ll offer to consumers at the beginning of the business, how they compare to existing competitors, how much your products cost, who will be responsible for creating the products, how you’ll source materials and how much they cost to make.
• Background summary: This portion of the business plan is the most time-consuming to write. Compile and summarize any data, articles and research studies on trends that could positively and negatively affect your business or industry.
• Marketing plan: The marketing plan identifies the characteristics of your product or service, summarizes the SWOT analysis and analyzes competitors. It also discusses how you’ll promote your business, how much money will be spent on marketing and how long the campaign is expected to last.
• Financial plan: The financial plan is perhaps the core of the business plan because, without money, the business will not move forward. Include a proposed budget in your financial plan along with projected financial statements, such as an income statement, a balance sheet and a statement of cash flows. Usually, five years of projected financial statements are acceptable. This section is also where you should include your funding request if you’re looking for outside funding.

Learn more: Download our free simple business plan template .

Come Up With an Exit Strategy

An exit strategy is important for any business that is seeking funding because it outlines how you’ll sell the company or transfer ownership if you decide to retire or move on to other projects. An exit strategy also allows you to get the most value out of your business when it’s time to sell. There are a few different options for exiting a business, and the best option for you depends on your goals and circumstances.

The most common exit strategies are:

• Selling the business to another party
• Passing the business down to family members
• Liquidating the business assets
• Closing the doors and walking away

Develop a Scalable Business Model

As your small business grows, it’s important to have a scalable business model so that you can accommodate additional customers without incurring additional costs. A scalable business model is one that can be replicated easily to serve more customers without a significant increase in expenses.

Some common scalable business models are:

• Subscription-based businesses
• Businesses that sell digital products
• Franchise businesses
• Network marketing businesses

Start Planning for Taxes

One of the most important things to do when starting a small business is to start planning for taxes. Taxes can be complex, and there are several different types of taxes you may be liable for, including income tax, self-employment tax, sales tax and property tax. Depending on the type of business you’re operating, you may also be required to pay other taxes, such as payroll tax or unemployment tax.

Start A Limited Liability Company Online Today with ZenBusiness

Click to get started.

When structuring your business, it’s essential to consider how each structure impacts the amount of taxes you owe, daily operations and whether your personal assets are at risk.

An LLC limits your personal liability for business debts. LLCs can be owned by one or more people or companies and must include a registered agent . These owners are referred to as members.

• LLCs offer liability protection for the owners
• They’re one of the easiest business entities to set up
• You can have a single-member LLC
• You may be required to file additional paperwork with your state on a regular basis
• LLCs can’t issue stock
• You’ll need to pay annual filing fees to your state

Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)

An LLP is similar to an LLC but is typically used for licensed business professionals such as an attorney or accountant. These arrangements require a partnership agreement.

• Partners have limited liability for the debts and actions of the LLP
• LLPs are easy to form and don’t require much paperwork
• There’s no limit to the number of partners in an LLP
• Partners are required to actively take part in the business
• LLPs can’t issue stock
• All partners are personally liable for any malpractice claims against the business

Sole Proprietorship

If you start a solo business, you might consider a sole proprietorship . The company and the owner, for legal and tax purposes, are considered the same. The business owner assumes liability for the business. So, if the business fails, the owner is personally and financially responsible for all business debts.

• Sole proprietorships are easy to form
• There’s no need to file additional paperwork with your state
• You’re in complete control of the business
• You’re personally liable for all business debts
• It can be difficult to raise money for a sole proprietorship
• The business may have a limited lifespan

Corporation

A corporation limits your personal liability for business debts just as an LLC does. A corporation can be taxed as a C corporation (C-corp) or an S corporation (S-corp). S-corp status offers pass-through taxation to small corporations that meet certain IRS requirements. Larger companies and startups hoping to attract venture capital are usually taxed as C-corps.

• Corporations offer liability protection for the owners
• The life span of a corporation is not limited
• A corporation can have an unlimited number of shareholders
• Corporations are subject to double taxation
• They’re more expensive and complicated to set up than other business structures
• The shareholders may have limited liability

Before you decide on a business structure, discuss your situation with a small business accountant and possibly an attorney, as each business type has different tax treatments that could affect your bottom line.

Helpful Resources

• How To Set Up an LLC in 7 Steps
• How To Start a Sole Proprietorship
• How To Start a Corporation
• How To Start a Nonprofit
• How To Start a 501(c)(3)

There are several legal issues to address when starting a business after choosing the business structure. The following is a good checklist of items to consider when establishing your business:

Choose Your Business Name

Make it memorable but not too difficult. Choose the same domain name, if available, to establish your internet presence. A business name cannot be the same as another registered company in your state, nor can it infringe on another trademark or service mark that is already registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Business Name vs. DBA

There are business names, and then there are fictitious business names known as “Doing Business As” or DBA. You may need to file a DBA if you’re operating under a name that’s different from the legal name of your business. For example, “Mike’s Bike Shop” is doing business as “Mike’s Bikes.” The legal name of the business is “Mike’s Bike Shop,” and “Mike’s Bikes” is the DBA.

You may need to file a DBA with your state, county or city government offices. The benefits of a DBA include:

• It can help you open a business bank account under your business name
• A DBA can be used as a “trade name” to brand your products or services
• A DBA can be used to get a business license

Register Your Business and Obtain an EIN

You’ll officially create a corporation, LLC or other business entity by filing forms with your state’s business agency―usually the Secretary of State. As part of this process, you’ll need to choose a registered agent to accept legal documents on behalf of your business. You’ll also pay a filing fee. The state will send you a certificate that you can use to apply for licenses, a tax identification number (TIN) and business bank accounts.

Next, apply for an employer identification number (EIN) . All businesses, other than sole proprietorships with no employees, must have a federal employer identification number. Submit your application to the IRS and you’ll typically receive your number in minutes.

Get Appropriate Licenses and Permits

Legal requirements are determined by your industry and jurisdiction. Most businesses need a mixture of local, state and federal licenses to operate. Check with your local government office (and even an attorney) for licensing information tailored to your area.

• Best LLC Services
• How To Register a Business Name
• How To Register a DBA
• How To Get an EIN for an LLC
• How To Get a Business License

Start an LLC Online Today With ZenBusiness

Click on the state below to get started.

Open a Business Bank Account

Keep your business and personal finances separate. Here’s how to choose a business checking account —and why separate business accounts are essential. When you open a business bank account, you’ll need to provide your business name and your business tax identification number (EIN). This business bank account can be used for your business transactions, such as paying suppliers or invoicing customers. Most times, a bank will require a separate business bank account to issue a business loan or line of credit.

Hire a Bookkeeper or Get Accounting Software

If you sell a product, you need an inventory function in your accounting software to manage and track inventory. The software should have ledger and journal entries and the ability to generate financial statements.

Some software programs double as bookkeeping tools. These often include features such as check writing and managing receivables and payables. You can also use this software to track your income and expenses, generate invoices, run reports and calculate taxes.

There are many bookkeeping services available that can do all of this for you, and more. These services can be accessed online from any computer or mobile device and often include features such as bank reconciliation and invoicing. Check out the best accounting software for small business, or see if you want to handle the bookkeeping yourself.

Determine Your Break-Even Point

Before you fund your business, you must get an idea of your startup costs. To determine these, make a list of all the physical supplies you need, estimate the cost of any professional services you will require, determine the price of any licenses or permits required to operate and calculate the cost of office space or other real estate. Add in the costs of payroll and benefits, if applicable.

Businesses can take years to turn a profit, so it’s better to overestimate the startup costs and have too much money than too little. Many experts recommend having enough cash on hand to cover six months of operating expenses.

When you know how much you need to get started with your business, you need to know the point at which your business makes money. This figure is your break-even point.

In contrast, the contribution margin = total sales revenue – cost to make product

For example, let’s say you’re starting a small business that sells miniature birdhouses for fairy gardens. You have determined that it will cost you $500 in startup costs. Your variable costs are $0.40 per birdhouse produced, and you sell them for $1.50 each.

Let’s write these out so it’s easy to follow:

This means that you need to sell at least 456 units just to cover your costs. If you can sell more than 456 units in your first month, you will make a profit.

• The Best Business Checking Accounts
• The Best Accounting Software for Small Business
• How To Open a Bank Account

There are many different ways to fund your business—some require considerable effort, while others are easier to obtain. Two categories of funding exist: internal and external.

Internal funding includes:

• Personal savings
• Credit cards
• Funds from friends and family

If you finance the business with your own funds or with credit cards, you have to pay the debt on the credit cards and you’ve lost a chunk of your wealth if the business fails. By allowing your family members or friends to invest in your business, you are risking hard feelings and strained relationships if the company goes under. Business owners who want to minimize these risks may consider external funding.

External funding includes:

• Small business loans
• Small business grants
• Angel investors
• Venture capital
• Crowdfunding

Small businesses may have to use a combination of several sources of capital. Consider how much money is needed, how long it will take before the company can repay it and how risk-tolerant you are. No matter which source you use, plan for profit. It’s far better to take home six figures than make seven figures and only keep $80,000 of it.

Funding ideas include:

• Invoice factoring: With invoice factoring , you can sell your unpaid invoices to a third party at a discount.
• Business lines of credit: Apply for a business line of credit , which is similar to a personal line of credit. The credit limit and interest rate will be based on your business’s revenue, credit score and financial history.
• Equipment financing: If you need to purchase expensive equipment for your business, you can finance it with a loan or lease.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) microloans: Microloans are up to $50,000 loans that can be used for working capital, inventory or supplies and machinery or equipment.
• Grants: The federal government offers grants for businesses that promote innovation, export growth or are located in historically disadvantaged areas. You can also find grants through local and regional organizations.
• Crowdfunding: With crowdfunding , you can raise money from a large group of people by soliciting donations or selling equity in your company.

Choose the right funding source for your business by considering the amount of money you need, the time frame for repayment and your tolerance for risk.

• Best Small Business Loans
• Best Startup Business Loans
• Best Business Loans for Bad Credit
• Business Loan Calculator
• Average Business Loan Rates
• How To Get a Business Loan

You need to have insurance for your business , even if it’s a home-based business or you don’t have any employees. The type of insurance you need depends on your business model and what risks you face. You might need more than one type of policy, and you might need additional coverage as your business grows. In most states, workers’ compensation insurance is required by law if you have employees.

Work With an Agent To Get Insured

An insurance agent can help determine what coverages are appropriate for your business and find policies from insurers that offer the best rates. An independent insurance agent represents several different insurers, so they can shop around for the best rates and coverage options.

Basic Types of Business Insurance Coverage

• Liability insurance protects your business against third-party claims of bodily injury, property damage and personal injury such as defamation or false advertising.
• Property insurance covers the physical assets of your business, including your office space, equipment and inventory.
• Business interruption insurance pays for the loss of income if your business is forced to close temporarily due to a covered event such as a natural disaster.
• Product liability insurance protects against claims that your products caused bodily injury or property damage.
• Employee practices liability insurance covers claims from employees alleging discrimination, sexual harassment or other wrongful termination.
• Workers’ compensation insurance covers medical expenses and income replacement for employees who are injured on the job.
• Best Small Business Insurance
• Best Commercial Auto Insurance
• How To Get Product Liability Insurance
• Your Guide to General Liability Insurance
• 13 Types of Small Business Insurance

Business tools can help make your life easier and make your business run more smoothly. The right tools can help you save time, automate tasks and make better decisions.

Consider the following tools in your arsenal:

• Accounting software : Track your business income and expenses, prepare financial statements and file taxes. Examples include QuickBooks and FreshBooks.
• Customer relationship management (CRM) software : This will help you manage your customer relationships, track sales and marketing data and automate tasks like customer service and follow-ups. Examples include Zoho CRM and monday.com.
• Project management software : Plan, execute and track projects. It can also be used to manage employee tasks and allocate resources. Examples include Airtable and ClickUp.
• Credit card processor : This will allow you to accept credit card payments from customers. Examples include Stripe and PayPal.
• Point of sale (POS) : A system that allows you to process customer payments. Some accounting software and CRM software have POS features built-in. Examples include Clover and Lightspeed.
• Virtual private network (VPN) : Provides a secure, private connection between your computer and the internet. This is important for businesses that handle sensitive data. Examples include NordVPN and ExpressVPN.
• Merchant services : When customers make a purchase, the money is deposited into your business account. You can also use merchant services to set up recurring billing or subscription payments. Examples include Square and Stripe.
• Email hosting : This allows you to create a professional email address with your own domain name. Examples include G Suite and Microsoft Office 365.

Many business owners spend so much money creating their products that there isn’t a marketing budget by the time they’ve launched. Alternatively, they’ve spent so much time developing the product that marketing is an afterthought.

Create a Website

Even if you’re a brick-and-mortar business, a web presence is essential. Creating a website doesn’t take long, either—you can have one done in as little as a weekend. You can make a standard informational website or an e-commerce site where you sell products online. If you sell products or services offline, include a page on your site where customers can find your locations and hours. Other pages to add include an “About Us” page, product or service pages, frequently asked questions (FAQs), a blog and contact information.

Optimize Your Site for SEO

After getting a website or e-commerce store, focus on optimizing it for search engines (SEO). This way, when a potential customer searches for specific keywords for your products, the search engine can point them to your site. SEO is a long-term strategy, so don’t expect a ton of traffic from search engines initially—even if you’re using all the right keywords.

Create Relevant Content

Provide quality digital content on your site that makes it easy for customers to find the correct answers to their questions. Content marketing ideas include videos, customer testimonials, blog posts and demos. Consider content marketing one of the most critical tasks on your daily to-do list. This is used in conjunction with posting on social media.

Get Listed in Online Directories

Customers use online directories like Yelp, Google My Business and Facebook to find local businesses. Some city halls and chambers of commerce have business directories too. Include your business in as many relevant directories as possible. You can also create listings for your business on specific directories that focus on your industry.

Develop a Social Media Strategy

Your potential customers are using social media every day—you need to be there too. Post content that’s interesting and relevant to your audience. Use social media to drive traffic back to your website where customers can learn more about what you do and buy your products or services.

You don’t necessarily need to be on every social media platform available. However, you should have a presence on Facebook and Instagram because they offer e-commerce features that allow you to sell directly from your social media accounts. Both of these platforms have free ad training to help you market your business.

• Best Website Builders
• How To Make a Website for Your Business
• The Best E-Commerce Platforms
• Best Blogging Platforms
• Best Web Hosting Services

To scale your business, you need to grow your customer base and revenue. This can be done by expanding your marketing efforts, improving your product or service, collaborating with other creators or adding new products or services that complement what you already offer.

Think about ways you can automate or outsource certain tasks so you can focus on scaling the business. For example, if social media marketing is taking up too much of your time, consider using a platform such as Hootsuite to help you manage your accounts more efficiently. You can also consider outsourcing the time-consumer completely.

You can also use technology to automate certain business processes, including accounting, email marketing and lead generation. Doing this will give you more time to focus on other aspects of your business.

When scaling your business, it’s important to keep an eye on your finances and make sure you’re still profitable. If you’re not making enough money to cover your costs, you need to either reduce your expenses or find ways to increase your revenue.

Build a Team

As your business grows, you’ll need to delegate tasks and put together a team of people who can help you run the day-to-day operations. This might include hiring additional staff, contractors or freelancers.

Resources for building a team include:

• Hiring platforms: To find the right candidates, hiring platforms, such as Indeed and Glassdoor, can help you post job descriptions, screen résumés and conduct video interviews.
• Job boards: Job boards such as Craigslist and Indeed allow you to post open positions for free.
• Social media: You can also use social media platforms such as LinkedIn and Facebook to find potential employees.
• Freelance platforms: Using Upwork, Freelancer and Fiverr can help you find talented freelancers for one-time or short-term projects. You can also outsource certain tasks, such as customer service, social media marketing or bookkeeping.

You might also consider partnering with other businesses in your industry. For example, if you’re a wedding planner, you could partner with a florist, photographer, catering company or venue. This way, you can offer your customers a one-stop shop for all their wedding needs. Another example is an e-commerce store that partners with a fulfillment center. This type of partnership can help you save money on shipping and storage costs, and it can also help you get your products to your customers faster.

To find potential partnerships, search for businesses in your industry that complement what you do. For example, if you’re a web designer, you could partner with a digital marketing agency.

You can also search for businesses that serve the same target market as you but offer different products or services. For example, if you sell women’s clothing, you could partner with a jewelry store or a hair salon.

• Best Recruiting Software
• How To Hire Employees
• Where To Post Jobs
• Best Applicant Tracking Systems

To rank the best states to start a business in 2024, Forbes Advisor analyzed 18 key metrics across five categories to determine which states are the best and worst to start a business in. Our ranking takes into consideration factors that impact businesses and their ability to succeed, such as business costs, business climate, economy, workforce and financial accessibility in each state. Check out the full report .

Starting a small business takes time, effort and perseverance. But if you’re willing to put in the work, it can be a great way to achieve your dreams and goals. Be sure to do your research, create a solid business plan and pivot along the way. Once you’re operational, don’t forget to stay focused and organized so you can continue to grow your business.

How do I start a small business with no money?

There are several funding sources for brand-new businesses and most require a business plan to secure it. These include the SBA , private grants, angel investors, crowdfunding and venture capital.

What is the best business structure?

The best business structure for your business will depend entirely on what kind of company you form, your industry and what you want to accomplish. But any successful business structure will be one that will help your company set realistic goals and follow through on set tasks.

Do I need a business credit card?

You don’t need one, but a business credit card can be helpful for new small businesses. It allows you to start building business credit, which can help you down the road when you need to take out a loan or line of credit. Additionally, business credit cards often come with rewards and perks that can save you money on business expenses.

Do I need a special license or permit to start a small business?

The answer to this question will depend on the type of business you want to start and where you’re located. Some businesses, such as restaurants, will require a special permit or license to operate. Others, such as home daycare providers, may need to register with the state.

How much does it cost to create a business?

The cost of starting a business will vary depending on the size and type of company you want to create. For example, a home-based business will be less expensive to start than a brick-and-mortar store. Additionally, the cost of starting a business will increase if you need to rent or buy commercial space, hire employees or purchase inventory. You could potentially get started for free by dropshipping or selling digital goods.

How do I get a loan for a new business?

The best way to get a loan for a new business is to approach banks or other financial institutions and provide them with a business plan and your financial history. You can also look into government-backed loans, such as those offered by the SBA. Startups may also be able to get loans from alternative lenders, including online platforms such as Kiva.

Do I need a business degree to start a business?

No, you don’t need a business degree to start a business. However, acquiring a degree in business or a related field can provide you with the understanding and ability to run an effective company. Additionally, you may want to consider taking some business courses if you don’t have a degree to learn more about starting and running a business. You can find these online and at your local Small Business Administration office.

What are some easy businesses to start?

One of the easiest businesses to start also has the lowest overhead: selling digital goods. This can include items such as e-books, online courses, audio files or software. If you have expertise in a particular area or niche, this is a great option for you. Dropshipping is also a great option because you don’t have to keep inventory. You could also buy wholesale products or create your own. Once you create your product, you can sell it through your own website or third-party platforms such as Amazon or Etsy.

What is the most profitable type of business?

There is no one answer to this question because the most profitable type of business will vary depending on a number of factors, such as your industry, location, target market and business model. However, some businesses tend to be more profitable than others, such as luxury goods, high-end services, business-to-business companies and subscription-based businesses. If you’re not sure what type of business to start, consider your strengths and interests, as well as the needs of your target market, to help you choose a profitable business idea.

• Best Registered Agent Services
• Best Trademark Registration Services
• Top LegalZoom Competitors
• Best Business Loans
• Best Business Plan Software
• ZenBusiness Review
• LegalZoom LLC Review
• Northwest Registered Agent Review
• Rocket Lawyer Review
• Inc. Authority Review
• Rocket Lawyer vs. LegalZoom
• Bizee Review (Formerly Incfile)
• Swyft Filings Review
• Harbor Compliance Review
• Sole Proprietorship vs. LLC
• LLC vs. Corporation
• LLC vs. S Corp
• LLP vs. LLC
• DBA vs. LLC
• LegalZoom vs. Incfile
• LegalZoom vs. ZenBusiness
• LegalZoom vs. Rocket Lawyer
• ZenBusiness vs. Incfile
• How to Set Up an LLC
• How to Get a Business License
• LLC Operating Agreement Template
• 501(c)(3) Application Guide
• What is a Business License?
• What is an LLC?
• What is an S Corp?
• What is a C Corp?
• What is a DBA?
• What is a Sole Proprietorship?
• What is a Registered Agent?
• How to Dissolve an LLC
• How to File a DBA
• What Are Articles Of Incorporation?
• Types Of Business Ownership

Next Up In Business

• Best Online Legal Services
• How To Write A Business Plan
• How To Start A Candle Business
• Starting An S-Corp
• LLC Vs. C-Corp
• How Much Does It Cost To Start An LLC?
• How To Start An Online Boutique
• Most Recession-Proof Businesses In 2024

Best Hawaii Registered Agent Services Of 2024

Best Arizona Registered Agent Services Of 2024

Free Mission Statement Template (With Examples)

How To Start A Print On Demand Business In 2024

HR For Small Businesses: The Ultimate Guide

How One Company Is Using AI To Transform Manufacturing

Katherine Haan is a small business owner with nearly two decades of experience helping other business owners increase their incomes.

JavaScript is disabled in your browser. To view the website properly, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings and refresh the page.

Apply for and manage a grant or program for your business.

Manage your interactions with the R&D Tax Incentive program.

• Business plans

Develop your business plan

On this page

Why you need a business plan

Use our business plan tool, download a detailed business plan template, tips to help you write your business plan.

Whether you've just started out or have been running your business for years, business planning can be the key to your success. Having a business plan:

• helps you to prioritise – it gives your business direction, defines your objectives, maps out how you'll achieve your goals and helps you to manage possible bumps in the road
• gives you control over your business – the planning process helps you learn about the different things that could affect your success. If you're already in business, it helps you to step back and look at what's working and what you can improve on
• helps you seek finance – if you're seeking finance for your business, you'll need to show banks and investors why they should invest in your business.

It will help you to develop a shorter business plan to:

• evaluate a new business idea
• set some goals for the year ahead
• keep your business on track.

Use this template if you are seeking finance for your business or want to include more detail in your business plan.

Business plan template

1. Determine what your plan is for

Does your business plan have more than one purpose? Will you use it internally, or will you share it externally, for example with potential investors or banks?

Deciding what the purpose is, can help you develop your plan for the right audience. If the plan has been developed for third parties, you will need to determine what they’ll be most interested in.

2. Prepare your finances

Use our detailed business plan template if you are seeking finance.

Lenders and investors will want to know if your finances are in order and your business is in a strong financial position. They'll want to know how much money you currently have, how much money you need and how much you expect to make in the near future. While a bit of extra funding will help you ensure you’re covered for unexpected costs, be realistic and avoid asking for more than you need.

If you're starting out and don't have financial information yet, our template provides resources to help you get your finances ready.

3. Write your summary last

Summarise the main points of your business plan using as few words as possible. You want to get to the point but not overlook important facts. This is your opportunity to sell yourself, but don't overdo it. The summary should include details about your business, market, goals and what makes you different from other businesses.

4. Get help

Don't leave your business plan to the last minute. It takes time, research and careful preparation to develop an effective business plan.

If you aren't confident in completing the plan yourself, consider getting a professional to look over it and provide advice.

There are a number of government services available to help you plan, start or grow your business. These services can provide general advice, workshops, seminars and networking events, and can even match you with a mentor or business coach.

Get expert help from a business adviser in your area .

5. Review your plan regularly

As your business changes, your plan will need to change to ensure your business is still heading in the right direction. Having your plan up-to-date can keep you focused on where you are heading.

It's a good idea to keep a record of each version of your business plan.

6. Protect your plan

Having an understanding with third parties when distributing a plan could be enough protection for some businesses. But if you have innovative business practices, products or services, you may want people to sign a confidentiality agreement to protect your innovations.

It may also be a good idea to include some words in your plan asking the reader not to disclose the details of your plan.

Start writing and developing your marketing strategy.

Find out what you need to register for when starting a business., was this page helpful, thanks for sharing your feedback with us..

Our live chat service is open from 8am - 8pm, Monday to Friday, across Australia (excluding national public holidays ).

Learn about the other ways you can contact us .

All our experts are busy now. Please try again later or contact us another way

We're open from 8am - 8pm, Monday to Friday, across Australia (excluding national public holidays ).

We use cookies to give you a better experience on our website. Learn more about how we use cookies and how you can select your preferences.