What is training needs analysis?
All learning and development trainers, professionals, and consultants could use training needs analysis. This tool is helpful when assessing which learning and development areas one needs to zero in on to manage performance gaps. Doing this can help achieve company goals more effectively. This article will review what training needs analysis is and guide you in performing the analysis.
So, let’s get started!
Training needs analysis, called TNA, determines the gap between actual and required knowledge, abilities, and skills in a particular position.
Such a study is typically required in response to an organizational issue. For example, the sales team may have experienced a lower-than-expected quarter. Or evolving technology may threaten train operators’ continued operations. It could be that persistently low customer satisfaction ratings may require the product team to become more adaptable and customer-focused. In any of these cases, training may be able to help fix the issues.
Put another way, performing a training needs analysis and providing subsequent training might be a workable solution when a lack of information, skills, or talents is the problem.
On the other hand, if the difficulties stem from more general organizational challenges, then training needs analysis will not be helpful. This could mean that low sales result from an imbalance between the job’s demands and benefits rather than a lack of skills, expertise, or abilities. Alternatively, the reason for the low level of customer satisfaction could be that the top-down, product-driven strategy does not align with what customers want.
Training alone is insufficient to address these issues. Organizational initiatives are needed.
One instance that comes to mind is assertiveness training, which a major county hospital was looking to buy from a reputable supplier. Medical errors brought on by nurses’ silence and increased harassment incidents were the root causes. The organization wanted to teach these nurses how to be assertive.
During the intake, the trainer discovered that there was a strong hierarchical culture within the company and that it was typical for those who spoke up to face consequences, including termination. The trainer declined to participate, stating that the hospital needed to focus on creating a culture where speaking up was acceptable before staff training. For the nurses, doing it the opposite way can have disastrous results.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
KSAs stand for knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for employees to carry out their duties in their respective roles. They are detailed in the job description and aid in evaluating an applicant’s likelihood of success by employers and applicants.
Knowledge
Subjects and Topics that the hired individual can use to carry out employment functions.
Examples include:
- familiarity with accounting concepts and procedures.
- familiarity with budget control guidelines and practices.
Skills
Most people learn or acquire manual or technical proficiencies through training. They can be measured and observed.
Examples include:
- analytical and problem-solving abilities
- proficiency with accounting software and Microsoft Excel.
Abilities
Capability to use abilities and expertise to carry out a task. It also encompasses social and personal characteristics learned naturally or without formal instruction.
Examples include:
- the capacity to handle massive volumes of numerical data, set priorities, and adhere to deadlines.
Levels of training needs analysis
Based on the objectives of your business and the knowledge and abilities needed to achieve each level of goal, there are three stages of training needs analysis:
TNA at the organization level
TNA determines the training needs concerning performance indicators, new hire knowledge at the corporate level, and ongoing training to maximize business performance and productivity and meet its objectives. It addresses the organization’s issues and shortcomings while enhancing its capabilities and advantages. Above all, it considers other variables such as changes and patterns in the political, technological, demographic, and economic spheres.
TNA at the group/job role level
This kind of analysis pinpoints the particular instruction required to advance the capabilities of a group, division, or company. Additionally, it identifies which job groups have gaps in abilities and how to close them.
TNA at the individual level
This evaluation of training needs is intended for a single person or several people working together. It is carried out in tandem with a project or adjustments that might affect every team member. Additionally, it helps employees grow personally in preparation for future career growth.
What is the purpose of carrying out a training needs analysis?
The training needs analysis aims to maximize performance by finding and closing the knowledge and skill gaps in the workforce. TNA also reveals the causes of the gaps and assists in identifying the various methods for filling them.
Training needs analysis also helps with:
Aligning training with company goals
Training should be in line with business objectives to ensure that money is being spent on programs that will advance your company’s objectives. It is easier for L&D professionals to concentrate on the breadth of the training when they are aware of the organization’s short- and long-term goals and the competencies required to attain them.
Identifying performance and skill gaps early on
Performance gaps arise, for example, during corporate transitions or the introduction of new technology. Employees must, therefore, continuously upskill to adapt to these developments. Through TNA, organizations may close these gaps before they become serious problems. According to a PWC survey, only 40% of businesses are upskilling their employees to address a lack of skills and labor shortages.
Making training a priority
A TNA will assist you in deciding which training, in terms of both time and money, must come first. “If you want to make sure you don’t waste money, time, or effort, training needs analysis is essential,” says Emily Chipman, a consultant at Rushman Consulting Solutions and executive coach. When done right, it improves job performance, speeds up learning, and lessens employee frustration when taking on new responsibilities and tasks, all of which affect employee engagement.
Focused training
Training plans specifically tailored to address the knowledge and skill gaps you have discovered can be created, ensuring that resources are allocated appropriately.
Choosing who receives training
You can use TNA to ensure that individuals receive the training they require. You can also optimize the advantages of your training programs by tailoring them to the requirements of your staff.
Training needs analysis benefits the organization and improves employee satisfaction. According to Karolina Kijowska, Head of People & Culture at PhotoAiD, a technology enterprise, training needs analysis is done regularly.
They also take employees’ requests for additional growth possibilities seriously, since they aim to provide them with the most specialized training possible. Their firm increased its eNPS scores from 57 to 65 points through L&D programs based on an examination of training needs. Kijowska notes that they give workers the training options they requested.
Best techniques for training needs analysis
We advise using the following three best practices when performing an analysis of training needs:
- Begin with the intended result: Before identifying training activities, ascertain which activities result in these organizational results. This result could be a departmental or organizational goal. Alternatively, it might be a person who requires improvement.
- Control your expectations: Advanced Stakeholder Management is required for training and training requirement analysis. Employees, service users (or consumers), program designers and providers, and internal sponsors who cover the cost of the educational event are all considered stakeholders. The success of the training depends on ensuring that all groups are satisfied. Put another way, you need to control a manager’s expectations when they believe that a communication workshop will address every issue they are having within the company.
- Make use of an integrated strategy. Studies indicate that training programs are more effective when they connect newly acquired abilities with other organizational procedures and tasks and frame them within a larger job or organizational perspective. This is not to say that you cannot give your training a narrow focus. Rather, it means you need to consider the lessons individuals acquire from an organizational standpoint.
Let’s now examine how to carry out an analysis of training needs.
How to Perform a Training Needs Analysis
Following a systematic procedure is the best practice when performing an analysis of training needs.
Using an example, we will walk through each step of the training requirements analysis process, outlining the many factors to consider and defining what is required to proceed to the next stage. For the purposes of our example, we’ll suppose that a training program can satisfy an organizational requirement.
Step 1: Establishing company objectives
As previously mentioned, an operational symptom always leads to a training needs analysis. In the video below, Filip Moriau refers to this as “organizational stress” in relation to future talents.
Usually, one of these symptoms is brought up by a (senior) management member who approaches the L&D team and requests assistance fixing it. Consider the following example. In response to a company losing its creative edge and a sales department having difficulty gaining market share for a rapidly expanding scale-up, the board has developed an organizational competency that all staff members must master.
An organization’s desire to prepare for new opportunities is frequently tied to the pain areas. Veena KV, Head of People Operations at FirstPriciples, cites the following as some instances:
- introducing new procedures or technologies that require training for staff members
- attempting to increase workplace safety or compliance
- wanting to improve the workforce’s competencies to better position the company for upcoming commercial possibilities or to maintain its competitiveness in the labor market
These challenges are all related to corporate objectives. In most cases, the difficulties are not worth solving if this is not the case. It is improbable that the manager will ask L&D for training assistance. Investigate the organizational aim if it isn’t apparent right away. Investigating it will assist you in identifying the issue and necessary training.
When discussing organizational objectives or results, we frequently bring up metrics such as:
- Financial performance
- Revenue
- Return on Equity
- Profit
- Return on Invested Capital
- Growth in earnings
- Share valuation
Customer loyalty, customer happiness, and organizational culture are examples of softer results.
Objectives and results of the organization are difficult to change because the entire organization works toward them. It is challenging to improve them through training because they are susceptible to the effects of outside employee behavior.
The ideal strategy is to concentrate on core competencies or divide the overall goal into departmental or individual goals (we shall do this later in this article).
All company personnel are required to possess core competences. Most companies have established clear guidelines for what constitutes satisfactory performance in these areas. Each employee ought to possess a foundational understanding of these abilities.
Since these fundamental skills are widely accepted, defining their relevant work behaviors is simple (step 2).
Before moving on to the next stage, the L&D professional should determine whether this company goal can be achieved just by acceptable job behaviors (step 2). These objectives may also be impacted by non-behavioral factors, which must be addressed in addition to the training solution.
The method of analyzing training needs is quite similar for each unique scenario. A departmental or individual goal is given in place of an organizational aim. The individual goal should be explicitly tied to an organizational or departmental goal for optimal impact.
Step 2: Outline appropriate job behaviors
Assume we are an L&D specialist employed by a sizable consulting firm. Large-scale projects are sold to clients by a limited set of partners. All consultants will, however, eventually have to pitch their skills to (possible) clients. To put it another way, everyone in the company must acquire this new core talent.
The next stage is to specify the suitable work behaviors that will enhance this ability and support the achievement of the organizational objective.
To market their services, consultants must establish rapport, recognize and seize opportunities, offer solutions, and close deals on the business front.
The next stage is to dissect these high-level behaviors into the abilities and understanding needed to demonstrate them efficiently.
You can perform job analysis on a specific job to examine job behaviors. Here, the task inventory is the most often utilized method. For instance, among their many responsibilities is serving guests.
If the receptionist has additional responsibilities, there could be a lengthy list of various responsibilities and their associated tasks. The job analyst or L&D specialist can rate the frequency, significance, and difficulty of the task based on these duties. By reviewing the job description and speaking with the manager and staff, they get this data. This job analysis provides input for steps two and three of the process.
Step 3: Identify the necessary abilities and knowledge
We must first identify the relationship-building and marketing behaviors we previously identified before proceeding with the training program. Training programs that meet these behavioral aspects will be easier to develop the more specific these behaviors can be established.
Create connections and recognize opportunities
Necessary skills:
S1. Make a concerted effort to establish connections.
S2. Build rapport by identifying areas of agreement S3. Modify strategy to account for variations in clients’ requirements, goals, and objectives
S4. Find out from the client what kind of communication they prefer (e.g., phone, email, WhatsApp)
S5. Remaining focused and continually seeking fresh prospects.
S6: Confirm presumptions regarding the client’s financial situation and readiness for a purchase
S7: Apply data regarding the client’s decision-making procedure, organizational structure, and the characteristics of each person engaged in the purchase decision
S8. Create a plan for follow-up correspondence
S9. Maintain connections with influential and important decision-makers
Essential knowledge:
K1. Database or customer relationship management system
K2. The social style of the client (e.g., driver, expressive, affable, analytical)
K3. Emotional intelligence
K4. The value of a positive customer experience in fostering loyalty
K5. How to ask questions to uncover client needs and create chances
K6. Strategies for having sales conversations
As you will observe, we have divided behaviors into groups and specified the knowledge and abilities needed for each. For the fundamental knowledge and skill components, we modified a competence framework developed by the Canadian Professional Sales Association for consultative sales.
Consult with staff members who possess these abilities to finish this structure. Check with the assignment creator again to see if these actions, abilities, and understanding will support reaching the organization’s objectives. The personnel can ascertain to what extent the knowledge and abilities match the essential core competencies that the firm requires.
We now reach the final phase: evaluating the organization’s present skill set. Different people will require different instruction. The partners at the consulting firm, for instance, already have a great deal of sales expertise, so they won’t gain anything from this training. The training needs of a senior employee will differ from those of an associate or junior employee. Before proceeding to the following phase, all of these aspects must be considered.
You can specify the necessary knowledge and abilities for each position. The job inventory may be the foundation for this, with additional data coming from other sources.
Techniques for training needs analysis
Various training requirements analysis methodologies can be used to map the necessary and accessible abilities. Typical methods include the following:
- Observations: Paying close attention to how workers carry out their tasks to pinpoint areas of strength and weakness as well as talents they already possess.
- Surveys: Giving employees formal questionnaires to complete to learn more about their interests, perceived training requirements, and skill sets.
- Interviews: Speaking with staff members one-on-one or in groups to learn about their training requirements, difficulties, and recommendations for professional growth.
- Assessments: Using exams or role-playing exercises to gauge workers’ present proficiency levels and pinpoint areas in which training is required.
- Skills, audits, and inventories: Performing thorough assessments of the abilities and credentials now held by the company to pinpoint its advantages, weaknesses, and potential growth areas; also keeping an inventory of the information.
- Plans for the growth of employees: Locating staff groups with comparable KSA.
- Text mining of job postings or job descriptions: Figuring out the necessary skill levels for each function. Using data and text mining tools to analyze HRIS data, resumes, and CVs, one can find trends, patterns, and gaps in the abilities and credentials of the workforce.
- Job analysis: The process of dissecting a job into its component tasks and identifying the knowledge and abilities required for each.
Step 4: Design training
The training design is the last stage of the process. This is where you inform the training provider(s) of the necessary learning outcomes specified in step 3. Along with setting a budget, you also decide how much time the training will take and whether to use outside or internal trainers.
Remember to consider non-training options that can aid in acquiring the necessary information and abilities. This could involve highlighting and rewarding the specified behavior and including these fundamental skills in the performance management evaluation. Alternatively, you may include them in the employment process as selection criteria. All of these activities will strengthen and build upon the skills and knowledge.
You can use the ADDIE model throughout the training phase. Arguably, the most well-known model of training development is the ADDIE model. This is the process of analyzing, designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating. A well-designed training program must address each of the five phases.
The training requirements analysis is used in the first stage. During this stage, you:
- Describe your educational objectives and how they relate to your company’s objectives.
- Identify the intended audience.
- Determine learning limits and behavioral outcomes.
The technique of training needs analysis discussed in this article takes care of each of these components.
The subsequent phases involve your group creating, refining, and executing educational initiatives. Lastly, you assess their efficacy. After you have completed the training requirements analysis, each of these steps will be much easier to perform successfully.
The CEO of the leadership development firm Entelechy, Terry Traut, emphasizes that regardless of whether training is ultimately necessary for the perfect solution, it’s critical to remain focused on performance improvement at every stage.
It’s possible that knowledge and abilities are not the main problems if they are at all. Sometimes all that’s needed to improve performance is to tell people what’s expected of them. Other times, employees might benefit from a mentorship or coaching program, says Traut.
Examples of training needs analysis
- Example of an email marketing executive
Let’s examine a real-world example of a training requirements analysis for an email marketing executive position.
We must first establish an objective. What goals should a worker in this position strive for? Next, we examine the work habits necessary for an employee to accomplish this objective. Specific information, skills, and abilities are needed for each conduct.
Once the job behaviors have been broken down into KSA, you may assess the present state of each KSA in your company or a specific individual to see if any training is required. At last, you can determine the precise kind of instruction needed to acquire the necessary information, expertise, or capacity.
- Training needs analysis at the organizational level
Another example is an organizational-level analysis of training needs. Let’s look at a straightforward illustration of a training needs analysis (TNA) carried out at the organizational level for a business that has seen a drop in sales performance over the previous quarter.
According to an examination of sales statistics and employee feedback, the sales crew lacks sophisticated negotiating skills and current knowledge of the newest product features, which are essential for closing agreements.
Objective:
- To boost overall revenue and reverse the recent drop, improve quarterly performance in sales by 15%.
Workplace conduct:
- Skillful client negotiation to ensure sales
- Presentation of product information and benefits that are accurate and convincing
Skills and expertise:
- Proficiency in sophisticated negotiation strategies, such as surmounting obstacles and completing agreements
- Proficiency in communication to effectively showcase product characteristics in an engaging manner
Knowledge:
- Current details on the newest features of products and how they stack up against rivals
- Knowledge of the needs of the consumer and how the company’s products fulfill those needs
Requirements for training:
- The sales staff has to be trained in sophisticated negotiation strategies and receive regular updates on product knowledge, which should include competitive analysis.
Training suggestions:
- Arrange for a guest lecturer to lead a series of sessions on advanced negotiation techniques.
- Organize training sessions for the staff on the newest features, advantages, and product competitive positioning.
- An example of a hiring manager
Steve Dion, the founder and CEO of Dion Leadership, a leadership consulting firm, provides an example of a training needs analysis from a customer. The business intended to introduce interview training for their recently established procedure. According to an analysis of training needs, hiring managers’ lack of knowledge or comprehension of the process was not the issue.
According to Dion, they too frequently “freestyled” their interview strategy to fit their level of competence, ignoring important areas the process was intended to cover and leading to unsatisfactory hires. So, Dion designed a training solution that addressed not only the process mechanics but also the “whys” behind every detail, the “unlearning” of ingrained habits, and a better understanding of expectations and support.
Questions for training needs analysis
You can ask targeted questions at every stage of the training requirements analysis process to facilitate an efficient assessment process.
Step 1: Establish the goals of the organization
What issues are the organization facing?
What goals does the group want to accomplish?
Which corporate objectives call for the largest behavioral shift from employees?
Which departmental objectives are not being met?
Which personal performance objectives need to be enhanced?
Can alternative behaviors be used to alleviate these problems?
Step 2: Identify suitable job practices
Which work-related behaviors support the first step’s objectives?
Does “fixing” the mentioned job habits get us closer to the first step’s objectives?
Are the job habits in line with our organization’s basic values?
Which cultural cues support inappropriate conduct?
What additional factors contribute to the reinforcement of unwanted behavior?
Step 3: Identify the necessary abilities and knowledge
Which abilities are necessary to exhibit the actions we listed in step two?
Which knowledge elements must be present to exhibit the actions that we outlined in step two?
Will the necessary job behaviors always be demonstrated after instruction in the specified knowledge and skill components has concluded?
Step 4: Provide instruction
Is everything needed here to begin the process of designing and developing the training?
Are there any non-training options we might use to get the same result?
In summary
Training needs analysis is essential to helping firms identify the unique learning requirements of their workforce and enable them to be more productive and effective in their responsibilities. It can also reveal skills currently underutilized in the workforce but in high demand.
Even though TNA can be difficult, without it, your training programs will probably fail, and you will probably waste business funds on unrelated training projects.
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