Chapter :3 Assessing Training Needs

Why?

—  Managers often choose training based on intuition or according to the latest hot topic.

—  Issues often not specific to organization.

—  This will be major reason for the failure of the training.

How it helps?

—  It focuses us to be aware that the problems exist.

—  Focus us to define the problem

—  It helps to be certain that the problem can be solved through training or not.

Need Assessment

—  Allows the manager to identify the organization's needs, identify the needs of employees, the needs of job and task, and establish criteria for developing training and measuring its success.

—  It determines the organizational gaps between ideal and actual performance.

—  Examination of gap focuses on the cause of the gaps the extent of the gaps and possible solutions to them.

—  It focuses on long term fix of the problem and allows to identify solutions that get at the root of the problem.

—  Training director or manger, or someone form training and development or human resources department conducts need assessment.

Identifying needs

—  The success of training program depends on how clearly the gaps between ideal and actual performance is identified.

—  The precise assessment will form basis for selecting training program.

A. Gap Analysis

—  It is process of comparing the operations standards to the actual performance of employees.

—  Ideal outcomes – actual outcomes = gap or problem.

—  We need to determine the gap is due to:

◦      Lack of skill

◦      Lack of knowledge

◦      Lack of appropriate system

◦       

Training problem or performance problem.

—  Performance problems and how efficiently employees do their jobs may be seen as training problem in the beginning.

—  First look out for the position of skills, knowledge and systems for employees

—  Closer examination may reveal that a performance problem is not related to training

—  It can be problem form management, working conditions, equipment, poor hiring. etc

—  Once it is conclude that the training is the solution, look how the problem can be addressed. It can be done through:

◦      Training needs survey

◦      Observation

◦      Employee surveys

◦      Guest comments

◦      Employee meeting

◦      Inspections

Vague standard

—  Clear identification and analysis of problem will provide strong base for developing standard.

—  While developing standards for the Training department must be confident that “What level of performance would yield the right response”.

—  To vividly analyze this situation help form department managers is indispensable.

B. Organizational Analysis

—  Here we focus on determining which factor are causing gaps in performance and what results the organization wants that is not yet achieving.

—  Organizational need analysis is influence by internal and external factors.

—  Training goals need to be aligned with the organizational goals

—  It will help to align the goals of individual departments with the organization's goals

What type of training initiatives are of high priority for the property?

—  Changing law or regulation

—  When larger group need training.

—  Pressure for the executive or corporate office

—  If the performance problem has a high cost or risk if not addressed.

C. Job and task analysis

—  Job is made up of a series of tasks and each task has a standard or best practice associated with the task.

—  This analysis begins with how the work should be done.

—  The job is broken down into smaller tasks that are recorded on a task list.

—  It is challenging to analyze, because ‘people accomplish same task in similar yet different ways’.

—  Standardization of the task by eliminating the variations during a job analysis can produce: increase in consistency and quality, and decrease in time and cost.

—  System approach is used to break each job into different processes and determines the best method for each.

—  This analysis is foundation for job description, performance evaluation and training a particular position.

The job analysis process can be broken into four phases

—  Develop a comprehensive list of tasks for each position.

—  Break each task into organizational standards.

—  Determine the best practice or performance standard.

—  Merge these components to construct a comprehensive job description.

1. Task list

—   When jobs is broken down into individual tasks duties, responsibilities and the frequency, the list of such task is called task list or job check list.

2.  The job Breakdown

—  In this phase we further break down each task listed into specific components, required equipment, supplies needed, procedures to be used and proficiency scores. The detailing depends upon organization standard, expertise of employees.

3.  Job Standards

—  They are the written document which prescribes certain standard to maintain to achieve the specific goals of the tasks and the training outcomes.

4. Job descriptions

—  It defines the various criteria that the job demands. It is the standard by which a job is evaluated and new employees are hired.

Data collection Methods

—  Data can be drawn from multiple sources which results in more information, more possible solution or alternative and more reliable decisions.

—  The methods of data collection are:

◦      Interviews, observation, focus group, expert opinions etc.

◦      Greater the number of sources, the greater will be the reliability of data, which can accurately reflect workplace behavior

◦      Factors to consider in determining sources are: cost, time, size of groups, location of groups etc.

Classification of Data:

—  Qualitative

—  Quantitative

—  Combination or blended

—  Extant data

Surveys and Questionnaires

—  It provides us with quantitative data.

—  It allows to ask specific question in a standardized format.

—  To encourage truthful responses, confidential must be assured.

Focus Groups

—  It helps in collecting qualitative data.

—  It focuses to have face to face interaction with number of participants simultaneously.

—  Group discussion skills determine the effectiveness of a focus group.

—  It is successful when discussion is carried in group of people with similar background, work areas, and having common goals.

Extant data

—  The data collected from the operational records are called extant data.

—  It requires high degree of skill to analyze and interpret the data correctly.

Nominal group technique

—  It gives both qualitative and quantitative data.

—  It is the process of data collection where the managers are gathered to brainstorm on a training issue.

—  This will ensure sharing of ideas, promote consensus and encourages management for further input.

Interviews:

—  It provides qualitative data.

—  The interview should be structured

—  It should focus on open ended questions

—  Need to consider number of factors before conducting the interview. i.e.  Schedule date, time, plan questions, send questions, etc.

Observations

—  It provides both quantitative and qualitative data.

—  The data is collected by observing at the work place.

—  It should be factual rather than judgmental.

—  It is important that the observer do not interfere with the work performance.

—  The observer should be detail-oriented, objective and accurate.

Objective Data collection

—  It states that the data for any kind of analysis should be done with the help of number of sources and methods to increase the accuracy of the finding.

Organizing Data

—  This will help in determining form where to extract the particular data. The sources are:

◦      Senior management

◦      Employees

◦      Department managers.

◦      Human resources personnel

◦      Suppliers

◦      Competitors

◦      Guests

◦      Experts

Analysis

·         It helps to identify trends and benchmarks.

·         Identify the problems from the data

·         While analyzing one must be very systematic and non-judgmental

·         After completion of analysis and determining the need make recommendation based on data.

Other classification of need assessment.

Deficiency or opportunity assessment

·         Deficiency needs assessments focus on a gap that exists currently in the organization.

·         Opportunity needs assessments look forward and try to predict gaps that may occur in future and take proactive steps in training to prevent them.

Known or unknown

Working with results

After the completion of need assessment and identification that the problem can be solved through training.

1. 1.     Plan your Initial training goals and objectives

• ·         Goals and objectives decides ‘where do you want to end up?’
• ·         It will also indicate the criteria for measurement and evaluation of the training program.

 2.      Gain support

• ·         In order to get support from the management , write recommendations based on data
• ·         Seek opportunity to present the proposal.
• ·         Fit the training to the organizational goal.

 3.    Get to know your audience.

• ·         Better design of a program can be ensured, when there is clear understanding about the audience.
• ·         Choose ways to know your audience.( pg117)
• ·         Factors to be aware in advance.( pg 117)