What makes a good Action Plan?
Collecting feedback is only the first step. The real value comes from what happens next.
Research consistently shows that when employees see their feedback leading to meaningful change, trust increases and engagement improves. When action doesn’t follow insight, surveys and 360 feedback can quickly feel like a “tick-box exercise” -and participation and confidence often decline over time.
A good Action Plan bridges the gap between insight and improvement. It turns feedback into focused priorities, clear actions, and measurable progress.
What does good Action Planning look like?
Strong action planning is practical, targeted, and owned. The most effective plans share several key features:
Clear goals
Start by defining the outcomes you want to achieve. The best Action Plans focus on a small number of priorities and set goals that are:
Specific
Measurable
Relevant
Time-bound
Clear goals provide direction and make success easier to evaluate.
Specific actions
Break each goal into concrete, achievable steps. Effective plans move beyond general intentions and answer the question:
“What will we do differently as a result of this feedback?”
Ownership and accountability
Assign responsibility for each action to an individual or team.
Change is far more likely to happen when people know what they own, and accountability is clear across the organisation.
Realistic timelines
Set deadlines and milestones to maintain momentum.
Without timescales, actions can lose priority as day-to-day pressures take over. A strong plan builds in structure and pace.
Prioritisation and sequencing
Not everything can happen at once.
Good action planning prioritises actions that:
address the biggest issues
are achievable
create early visible improvements
Sequencing helps teams focus effort where it will have the greatest impact.
Monitoring and review
Action planning is not a one-off task.
Regular check-ins help track progress, measure outcomes, and adjust where needed. Sustained improvement comes from continuous follow-through, not isolated activity.
Clear communication
Communication is essential to maintaining confidence in the process.
Employees should understand:
what is being addressed
what actions are planned
who is responsible
what progress is being made
Even small updates build trust and reinforce that feedback is taken seriously.
In summary
A good Action Plan is focused, achievable, and visible. Organisations that act consistently on feedback are far more likely to strengthen engagement, improve performance, and build a culture where employees feel heard.
Action planning is where feedback becomes progress.