Training Needs Analysis

Transcription

1 Training Needs Analysis The purpose of training is to help participants learn in order to perform more effectively. Ultimately the goal of all training interventions is to impact performance and to help the organisation achieve its business goals. To be successful training needs to be carried out in a planned and systematic way. To be successful training must be relevant to performance issues and be based on a sound diagnosis of need. Organisational payoffs for effective training include less waste, increased productivity, increased customer satisfaction, improved quality and increased efficiency and effectiveness. The systematic training cycle involves the four stages: diagnosis of need design of the intervention delivery evaluation If the diagnosis is not correct then the intervention may not deal with the performance issues and if the performance issues are not caused by a learning need, training may not help. Remember training needs analysis is carried out in relation to the context of the organisation and the content of the job or role. Training needs assessment is done by having the individual assessed against the competence framework that the analysis has produced. Four approaches to Training Needs Analysis 1. Organisational / performance analysis (context analysis) 2. Job Analysis (content analysis) 3. Felt needs: (user analysis) asking people what they need help with in terms of training. (This approach produces the greatest receptivity to the training 4. Mixed methods: means using a combination of organisation analysis, job analysis and felt needs. This is normally preferable.

2 Diagnosis of Need 1. Carrying out an organisational or context analysis Organisational Analysis: Studying training needs from the perspective of realising the organisation s vision and mission. Step 1: Preparation for the analysis & assessment. Training must prepare by ensuring there is a clear brief and specifying the precise objectives of the analysis. This brief should cover such points as the scope, time span of the analysis & assessment, the degree to which it is confidential, access to company information, when the results will be ready and to whom the report should be sent. It is important to prepare the target audience that an analysis will take place. The trainer will in effect be acting as a consultant asking searching questions and people may need to be prepared for this. The organisational climate can help or hinder the assessment process. Step 2: Data collection. Information can be obtained from analysing business plans and policy statements on business goals and future developments. The trainer will use formal and informal methods. The following are likely to be the main sources of organisational information: External influences: The external environment in which the organisation operates will impact on its effectiveness. Political, economic, social, technological legislative and environmental changes will all impact on the organisation and often lead to learning needs. Environmental scanning is an important part of strategic assessment and helps set the context of change in which the organisation operates. A SWOT and PESTLE analysis will uncover issues. Top management: They will provide the strategic direction for the organisation and identify both short and long term goals. The business plans of the organisation and it s departments will help the trainer to assess short and long term learning needs in relation to these plans. Current Performance Issues: Performance issues that already cause heartburn for the organisation are part of the analysis. Talking to others within the target group is important. They can be asked about present

3 training arrangements, the quality of the present training, attitudes to training and future training requirements. Cost benefit analysis: More often applied to the evaluation of training some training needs are being identified in this way. There may be a statutory obligation on the organisation to carry out certain types of training. The penalty or failure to do so could be considerable in terms of court action or fines. An example would be: Health and safety training Legislation- equal opportunities or employment law. Step 3: Interpretation of data At this stage the trainer reviews the information collected and begins to piece together the results of the organisational training audit. Material is sifted and the key competencies identified their relative importance in terms of urgency & importance will be determined later during the assessment process. Step 4: Implementation. When the assessment report is completed the trainer has two tasks to perform. First, to follow up recommendations and to help to get them implemented. This will often involve the trainer working collaboratively with management and may involve a great deal of time discussing, persuading and selling training services to senior management. 2. ASSESSING NEEDS AT THE JOB AND INDIVIDUAL LEVEL Job/role Analysis: (content analysis)- Determining the training requirements of particular jobs or roles. Training needs analysis here is carried out against the job not the individual. The focus starts with an analysis of the job. Below is a process that combines both job analysis and felt needs: Identify the job requirements: What specific tasks or job functions must be accomplished? You can collect data from job descriptions,

4 performance plans and objectives. These can be determined by talking to job experts. Determine the critical tasks: How important is each job requirement to successful performance in the job? Determine the skill, knowledge and attitude required. What do you need to know, to be able to do, or to recognise the value of in order to fulfil each job requirement? Describe the level of competence required. By asking those that are recognised as outstanding in the job we can get a specific picture of the person specification- the required knowledge, skill and attitude and to what level it is required. Training needs Assessment After you have completed the analysis we assess or have the participants assess themselves against the critical competencies or the required knowledge, skills and attitudes. Here we are attempting to find the training gap between the required competence and the existing competence of participants. Assess the individual s current level of skill, knowledge and attitude. This can be accomplished in a number of ways, by observation, surveys and questionnaires, focus groups and interviews. Increasingly it is also being done by 360-degree assessment. Many leadership and management development programmes are using 360 assessment processes were individuals are assessed by their peers. Some organisations weight needs in relation to their strategic importance to the organisation. Searching for the significant learning needs-the fundamental few that will impact most on the business-becomes a matter of decision-making and judgement. The ranking of the training priorities is an important part of the assessment. Recommendations should be: justified, with supporting evidence feasible, in that the resources are available costed, in terms of a cost /benefit analysis acceptable to senior management practical and specific

5 Performance problems When diagnosing individual performance problems the trainer will be trying to establish whether the performance issue is caused by: 1. a don t know ( lack of knowledge) 2. a can t do (lack of skill) 3. a won t do (wrong attitude) The success of the intervention will be determined by our ability to diagnose correctly. Delivering knowledge objectives when the problem is attitudinal will not solve the performance problem. Competencies Increasingly organisations are using competence frameworks to help individuals assess themselves against the competencies regarded as essential for outstanding performance in the work role. There are many different interpretations of competence, many go beyond skill and knowledge but also emphasise the importance of traits and personal characteristics. All however are derived from a sound analysis of the job role. Assessments that use a 360-degree format can be challenging for some, however this information is relevant to the learner and can inform the learner in a more valid and reliable way of their development needs.