To many HR professionals, Workplace Skills Planning (WSP) is a dreary imposition – something to “get over” and then forget about until next year. But it doesn’t have to be this way; CONTRACT’s Judith Haupt has two ideas that will turn all that paperwork into a culture of improvement.

Let’s be honest: many HR professionals see a Workplace Skills Plan (WSP) as a purely administrative task – which is a pity because a thoughtfully compiled WSP is fundamentally about a beautiful principle: the growth and development of people.

Throughout my career, I have encountered passionate and dedicated HR managers who naturally and consistently embrace WSPs because they understand the importance of skills development. I have also met many motivated managers and business leaders who instinctively know that one of their primary roles is to develop the people around them. At the same time, I’ve met many line managers who get tied up in operational management – forgetting or not realising that people development is the cornerstone of day-to-day leadership.

Make no mistake: a WSP is not – and should not be – the be-all and end-all of workplace skills development. Not all employee development is covered by the WSP. But it is one that is officially sanctioned and therefore required. However, the reams of paperwork and hours of admin involved in that process can quickly snuff out one’s enthusiasm and inspiration.

Here are two simple but fundamental points to bear in mind that will help to prevent a sense of bureaucratic box-ticking:

1. Remember why you are doing this in the first place

The WSP is a major part in the system that helps to create better people. The principle behind it is that of bettering yourself and others.

This is not limited to the workplace, but what better place to start since this is where we spend so much of our time?

If you are genuinely inspired by the principle of skills development, then the admin hassle will simply be a step along the way to its implementation. The end will truly justify the means.

2. Put the right people in place

So often, the WSP is drafted and implemented by a Skills Development Facilitator (SDF) who might be junior or lacking in organisational clout and credibility., A SDF’s voice can sometimes be drowned out if they are not backed up by a more senior strategist. The senior will give the employees and management an indication of how important skills and personal development is, and place the WSP as part of a bigger Development / HR strategy that shows why it is important for the business.

The first tip is more underlying, while the second is a key practical consideration. Both, however, will make all the difference to your workplace skills development.

At CONTRACT, we are guided by our motto: “Inspiring a humane economy.”

Skills development is a huge part of that because it is part and parcel of personal development. So often we see that professional workshops and programmes lead to a general improvement in the personal lives of the individuals we work with.

Therefore we need to reframe a somewhat bureaucratic process as something that can genuinely improve the lives of people – and make the world a better place. Because if the powder keg of frustration that we read about in the news can be poured into the right mould, we will be blasting off in a rocket ship of untapped potential.

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