Designing a career development framework
If you are looking to develop a well-structured, effective career development framework there are a number of factors you need to consider.
The table below covers our suggested approach which can be tailored to your individual needs.
Phase/Tasks | Responsibility | Timeframe | Dependencies | RACI | What | Why | How |
Phase 1: Research and Needs Analysis | |||||||
Conduct employee survey | HR Team | Week 1 | None | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: All Employees, I: Management | Online survey targeting all employees. | Understand employee needs for career development. | Utilise survey software; distribute via company email. |
Analyse current policies | HR Team | Week 2 | None | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: Legal | In-depth analysis of existing policies. | Identify gaps and areas for improvement. | HR team to review policy documents and consult with line managers. |
Market benchmarking | External Consultant | Week 3 | None | R: Consultant, A: HR Manager, C: HR, I: Management | Research career frameworks in similar organisations. | Ensure competitive positioning and identify best practices. | External consultant to conduct interviews and collect data. |
Phase 2: Framework Design | |||||||
Draft preliminary framework | HR Team | Week 4 | Phase 1 complete | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: Legal | Initial draft of career development framework. | Set up structure for stakeholder review. | HR team to create draft based on research and needs analysis. |
Stakeholder review | Management Team | Week 5 | Preliminary framework | R: Management, A: CEO, C: HR, I: All Departments | Review session with senior management. | Get feedback and endorsement. | Scheduled meetings to discuss the draft framework. |
Finalize framework | HR Team | Week 6 | Stakeholder feedback | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: Legal | Finalized career development framework. | Proceed to implementation phase. | HR team to incorporate stakeholder feedback. |
Phase 3: Implementation | |||||||
Develop communication plan | HR Team | Week 7 | Phase 2 complete | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: All Departments | Detailed communication plan. | Ensure consistent and effective messaging. | HR team to draft emails, presentations, and plan meetings. |
Train managers | HR Team | Week 8 | Communication plan | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: All Managers | Training sessions for line managers. | Equip managers to facilitate career development. | HR team to conduct workshops or webinars. |
Roll out to employees | HR Team | Week 9 | Manager training | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: All Employees | Official launch of the framework. | Enable employees to plan their career paths. | Announce through company-wide email and intranet. |
Phase 4: Review and Feedback | |||||||
Conduct feedback sessions | HR Team | Week 10 | Phase 3 complete | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: All Employees, I: Management | One-on-one or group feedback sessions. | Gauge initial impact and make adjustments. | HR team to schedule and conduct interviews or focus groups. |
Analyse feedback | HR Team | Week 11 | Feedback sessions | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: Legal | Compilation and analysis of feedback. | Understand the effectiveness of the framework. | HR team to use data analytics tools. |
Make necessary adjustments | HR Team | Week 12 | Feedback analysis | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: All Employees | Refinements and updates to the framework. | Continuously improve its effectiveness. | HR team to implement changes based on feedback. |
Phase 5: Ongoing Monitoring | |||||||
Quarterly reviews | HR Team | Quarterly | Phase 4 complete | R: HR, A: HR Manager, C: Management, I: All Departments | Regular review meetings. | Keep the framework up-to-date. | HR team to set up quarterly meetings with stakeholders. |