Personal Growth Through Work
Although it may not always feel like it all the independent research shows that work is generally good for our mental and physical health. It can even be therapeutic and reverse the negative health effects of unemployment. In short work is good for us!
Just as importantly work offers the opportunity for personal growth and the vast majority of people will enjoy improved self esteem and confidence through the acquisition of new skills and experiences. Such skills and experiences don't have to lead to formal qualifications (although that may help career advancement) and may
take the form of helping out with new projects, mentoring younger less experienced people, accepting new and additional responsibilities etc.
Sometimes a failure to develop at work can lead to a feeling of stagnation and boredom so it is important to be proactive and see what you can do to help yourself improve. Don't sit back and wait to be invited and don't expect to get paid more straight away – sometimes you need to invest into yourself and prove that you have
the capability to move ahead.
A particularly effective way for you to take a more proactive approach is to have a personal development plan.
What is a personal development plan?
A personal development plan (PDP) helps to document goals you would like to achieve in your professional and personal life. It provides a structure by which you and your manager or HR support can agree, plan and track your development needs.
Your PDP will be unique to you even if sometimes the development needs are the same because you may achieve your needs in a different way to another colleague.
Why should we have a PDP?
Research shows that it is the best way manage your development
It provides a clear, structured and documented process of working with your manager and other colleagues
In conjunction with other tools such as personality assessments and the Wellbeing Manager it helps identify what you need to focus on, where you may wish to obtain feedback from and how to improve your learning
Research shows that the more time you spend with your development plan the more likely you are to succeed
It provides evidence of your continual development which, in turn, will support you in your career aspirations.
What is it NOT used for?
It is not used for:
comparing you to others – it is comparing you against your own plan
determining salary/benefits levels or other entitlements
agreeing store/organisational targets and goals.
How to make your personal development plan happen?
It is particularly important to take responsibility for ensuring you have a personal development plan even if your manager does not offer you the opportunity. It is not uncommon for managers to feel unsure as to how best manage pdps and the regular 1-2-1 process that should accompany the periodic review of how you are progressing in your role i.e. they may shy away from this aspect of their responsibilities. If you are more proactive about your pdp it will help both you and your manager.
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© 2012 7Futures Ltd. Please note that, at 7Futures, our role is to help educate and encourage our clients to take positive responsibility for their wellbeing. We are not medical doctors and are not able to offer individual medical advice. We always recommend you should discuss with your GP or other medical professional before making any changes you hope will impact your wellbeing, or that of your current/future family. 7Futures Ltd offers generic information which is for educational purposes only. The information we provided is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. As such our materials, videos products and communications are for general information purposes only and should not be read as a personal recommendation for specific changes in lifestyle behaviour, nutrition, or exercise. Please click here for a clear description of our services and the relationship with you as a client. You should not participate in any of our services until you have studied this link...it is for your benefit.