Skip to content
  • info@rootshr.org.uk
  • 01562840060
  • About Us
  • Services
    • HR Advice and Support
    • HR Project Management
    • HR Learning and Development
  • Free Resources
    • Webinars
    • Toolkits
    • Factsheets
    • Blog
    • Employment Law Bulletin
    • 1 Hour Free Consultancy
    • Events and Offers
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Search
  • Log In
  • About Us
  • Services
    • HR Advice and Support
    • HR Project Management
    • HR Learning and Development
  • Free Resources
    • Webinars
    • Toolkits
    • Factsheets
    • Blog
    • Employment Law Bulletin
    • 1 Hour Free Consultancy
    • Events and Offers
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Search
  • Log In

Where to Start? A Simple Guide to Identifying Development Needs in Small Teams

learn letters
Picture of Jimmy van Santen
Jimmy van Santen
Service Manager – COMPLY
  • Date Article Posted: July 21, 2025
Employees & Workplace Employers Management & Leadership

For small social sector organisations, people are your biggest asset. But with tight budgets and packed diaries, structured learning and development often slips down the list. 

We know that feeling. You want to invest in your team’s growth, but you’re not sure where to begin. The good news is you don’t need a big budget or a full-time learning & development (L&D) lead to create a meaningful development plan. Just a clear, step-by-step approach. 

Whether you’re a small charity, CIC, or voluntary sector employer, here’s how to identify training and development needs in your team in a way that’s simple, practical, and aligned with your mission:

 

Step 1: Understand Your Organisation’s Goals 

Start with your strategic objectives. What are you working towards in the next 12 to 24 months? Are you aiming to expand your services, improve outcomes for service users, or increase operational sustainability? Having clarity here is essential.  

Your development efforts should directly support your mission and impact, so ask yourself: what will success look like, and what do we need from our people to get there? In development planning for social sector organisations, aligning learning with these goals ensures training is not only purposeful, but measurable. 

 

Step 2: Turn Strategy into Operational Goals 

Once you’ve clarified the big picture, translate it into specific, practical goals at team or departmental level. What are the day-to-day tasks and deliverables that will drive progress?  

For example, if you’re expanding a service, do you need more digital skills, better project management, or improved stakeholder communication? Identifying these needs helps link organisational vision to team development. This step is key to meaningful learning and development for small teams. 

 

Step 3: Review Job Descriptions 

Next, take the time to revisit your team’s job descriptions. Are they up to date and reflective of what’s really required? Do they clearly outline the skills, behaviours, and competencies needed for success in each role?  

Often, especially in smaller organisations, roles evolve but documents stay the same. A thorough review not only supports compliance, but it also lays the foundation for an accurate staff training needs analysis. 

 

Step 4: Assess Current Skills 

Before deciding where development is needed, take stock of the skills your team already has. This doesn’t have to involve complex tools. In many small charities and voluntary sector organisations, informal methods such as one-to-one discussions, feedback from managers, or a quick skills audit can give you the insight you need.  

Look at both technical skills and softer competencies like leadership, communication, or teamwork. 

 

Step 5: Identify the Gaps 

Now compare what’s needed with what’s already in place. Are there areas where capability is low or missing altogether? Are there future skills you’ll need to start building now? This is a vital part of identifying development needs at work, it gives you a clear picture of where to focus your efforts.  

Remember to consider not just what’s missing, but also what’s emerging as priorities shift or services grow. 

 

Step 6: Prioritise Training Needs

Not every gap needs to be filled straight away. Some may carry more weight depending on their link to outcomes, risk, or strategic importance. Focus on areas where development will have the biggest impact on service users, team effectiveness, or compliance. This step helps you make the most of limited time and resources, a common challenge in development planning in social sector organisations. 

 

Keep Development Aligned with Your Mission 

Development planning isn’t just a process; it’s a chance to build a culture where learning is valued and aligned with your purpose. When training supports your mission, employees feel more connected, capable, and confident. For learning and development in the voluntary sector, this alignment strengthens both performance and retention, creating a more motivated and resilient team. 

Supporting Learning and Development on a Budget 

We know many small teams don’t have a training budget. But that doesn’t mean you can’t invest in people development. Consider: 

  • Job shadowing or mentoring across departments 
  • Online learning platforms, many of which are free or low cost that gives you access to high-quality content 
  • Lunch and learns or informal peer learning sessions where staff share their expertise 

When budgets are tight, it’s about being resourceful—and the social sector is full of creative, adaptable people. With the right planning, your approach to learning and development for small teams can reflect that spirit, making meaningful progress possible even with limited resources. 

 

How Roots HR Can Help 

At Roots HR, we specialise in supporting learning and development in the social sector, helping small charities and not-for-profit organisations to build confident, capable teams. Whether you need help identifying development needs, designing a practical training plan, or delivering workshops for your people managers, our consultants can support you every step of the way. 

If you’re still weighing up the value of investing in development, take a look at our previous blog on The Importance of Learning and Development at Work which explores why even small steps can make a big difference.  

Or, to explore how we can support your team more directly, visit our Learning and Development services page. We’re here to help you build a strong foundation for growth, even with limited resources. 

 

Start Planning Your Team’s Development with Confidence 

At Roots HR, we offer free learning and development resources to help you plan with confidence. You can also use your free one-hour HR consultancy session to: 

  • Talk through how to align staff development with organisational goals 
  • Explore tools for reviewing team skills and identifying gaps 
  • Get tailored advice for low-cost development planning 

 

Claim your free hour here – Charity HR | Free HR Consultation for Charities | Roots HR

You don’t need a huge HR department to support your people. Just a little structure, a clear focus and the right support.

Employees & Workplace Employers Management & Leadership

Related articles

pexels-vie-studio-7005332
Employees & Workplace Employers Wellbeing

18th August, 2025

Why should you consider signing up to the Mental Health at Work Commitment?

Written by Alison Smith

Read More

hybrid
Employees & Workplace Wellbeing

04th August, 2025

The Evolution of Hybrid Working: From Emergency Response to Strategic Advantage

Written by Jimmy van Santen

Read More

Employment Law Bulletin
Employment Law Bulletins

07th July, 2025

Employment Law Bulletin – July 2025

Welcome to your Quarterly Employment Law Bulletin from Roots HR. This quarter we update you on… Employment Rights Bill, Fixed-Term Contracts, Redundancies, Key Issues for Employers and Volunteers in the Workplace and more.

Written by Alison Smith

Read More

Load More

NEWSLETTER

HR in your inbox

Get insights on HR for the social sector directly in your inbox.

Subscribe to our newsletter

After signing up for the newsletter, you will also receive occasional special offers from Roots HR CIC via email. We will not sell or distribute your email address to any third party. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time.
Roots_HR_VECTOR_LOGO-03

UK’s specialist consultancy for human resources for the social sector.

SERVICES

  • Advice and Support
  • Project Management
  • Learning and Development
  • Free Resources
  • Reviews
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Advice and Support
  • Project Management
  • Learning and Development
  • Free Resources
  • Reviews
  • Terms & Conditions

COMPANY

  • About Us
  • Social Impact Report
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Events and Offers
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Social Impact Report
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Events and Offers
  • Privacy Policy

CONTACT

  • info@rootshr.org.uk
  • 01562840060
Monday to Friday
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
(except bank holidays)
Website logo strip 25
All Rights Reserved. Company Number: 6793479