How can you identify training needs across departments?

Defining clear goals is indeed a foundational step in designing an effective training program. It establishes a roadmap for aligning organizational strategies with departmental objectives and ensures the focus on the most pertinent areas of improvement. By articulating specific training goals and relevant indicators, organizations can not only bridge skill gaps but also measure the impact and effectiveness of their interventions accurately. This strategic approach not only enhances the overall efficiency of training programs but also contributes to the broader success of the organization by addressing critical areas of development in a targeted manner.

Defining goals unfortunately has a generalized process of top-down engagement. Sun Tzu would probably be enraged his war tactics were adapted into business tactics decades ago, but it tracks. War strategies completely overlooking those on the front lines lead to losses. Human lives are at risk at work as well. A company can have revenue goals, but teams need to create the human goals. Individuals know what they need to be connected, to feel valued, to have authority to take risks & fail as they stumble to the next greatest innovation on behalf of their employer. Any good general understands their eyes from the front lines can lead to less loss, as long as they empower them & protect them. Front line needs to define the human goals.

In training and development, a shift from traditional goal-setting to prioritizing anticipated value challenges conventional thinking. Understanding value expectations, especially in diverse contexts, proves crucial. Whether in upskilling for a corporate canteen or Starbucks, the derived value goes beyond monetary gains. Defining value creation parameters guides expectations and aids in accurately assessing the investment needed for effective training. The key question: Are we truly considering value in proportion to our training investments and objectives setting?

Identify training needs tailored to address barrier to organisational growth is critical and could be done in so many ways. However, I will like to dwell on some modules of organisational change management process viz a viz gap analysis and change readiness - people and systems. Identifying gaps at each unit of an organization using a tool that projects an holistic look at the future, detailing what should be done, how, who and when is a sure way to go by. The change readiness domain accesses the human and systems (structure). The need to now develop a comprehensive organisational wise training plan that looks at the objectives of each tailored training, articulating critical outcomes to the organization, cost etc. to align with gaps ide

In my experience, outlining goals proves to be one of the most challenging aspects of conducting training needs analysis. Without a well-defined and clear goal, the attainment of organizational and personnel training objectives becomes unattainable. We fail to consider that a precise and articulated goal serves as the foundation for shaping the direction and focus of the training process, ensuring that the identified needs align effectively with the objectives of the organization. Therefore, the absence of clearly defined goals hampers the strategic planning and execution of training initiatives, hindering the organization from realizing its desired outcomes and maximizing the potential development of its personnel.

Carry out an honest 360 SWOT with the team, highlight positive skills and past achievements, agree the need to adopt, develop, change, enhance both behaviour and aims as a team, set out agreed plans, strategies and what the outcomes need to be, set timescales, measuring points, review effort, praise, praise and when you succeed it's the team that's done it... Led by you

By assessing the skills of employees in each department and comparing them to the attributes the brand wishes to have, gaps can be identified. How ? Conduct skills audits, reviewing performance metrics, focus groups with department leads to understand the strategic objectives of the brand. Example: training programs can then be tailored to bridge these gaps to enhance your organization's reputation as an employer of choice ;-)

Employing multiple sources is essential to obtain a thorough and accurate insight into training needs across departments. Utilizing performance reviews, surveys, interviews, observations, and various other methods such as tests, job descriptions, and organizational policies helps triangulate data. This approach enables the identification of common themes, patterns, and discrepancies among different groups and individuals, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the diverse training requirements.

Multiple sources is a key in understanding the training needs. HR review, line managers, KPI review and interviews are among the sources. An anonymous survey also can be mentioned as a solution, since not every employee is ready to share what he thinks he is not good at.

Assessing current technological trends can save much time. Updating tools can be just as important as training employees. This avoids wasting time and energy training employees on outdated processes and technology.

We at Zillionite are firm believers that all transformation trickles from the top. Therefore, it is imperative for the top management and leadership team to be keenly involved right from being eager to address the challenges to providing key information in identifying challenges. This should not be restricted to the particular department but the stakeholders of the company has to take acute interest to make it impactful.

In my experience Training is requested from Senior Leadership in response to a deficit of strategic KPI’s. What comes with this is normally training that is developed based on their feedback, but the audience receiving the training isn’t consulted until after training is given in feedback models. This is a big miss because the audience can help to direct what should be addressed to help correct deficiencies. Stakeholders aren’t just senior leadership but everyone involved in the work process.

Engaging stakeholders is crucial in conducting a comprehensive Training Needs Analysis (TNA) across departments. This entails involving managers, supervisors, employees, trainers, customers, partners, and suppliers. Their active participation not only secures their input, support, and buy-in for the training program but also provides a deeper understanding of their expectations, preferences, and challenges. Furthermore, this collaborative approach fosters a culture of learning and collaboration across the organization, ensuring the TNA process is inclusive and aligned with diverse stakeholder needs.

The stakeholders, particularly the persons for whom a program is designed namely, the practitioners will have invaluable input that will cause a higher possibility of buy-in and success of any such program. It is often the case where various levels of management design some bespoke TNA without the involvement of the practitioners thereby leading to grave issues at the implementation and operational stages. It is therefore imperative to not omit any stakeholders.

After gathering data from diverse sources and stakeholders, the next step is analysis and drawing conclusions. Employ tools like SWOT analysis, gap analysis, Pareto analysis, prioritization matrix, and force field analysis. These tools assist in identifying organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Furthermore, they aid in pinpointing gaps between current and desired performance levels, knowledge, and skills. Ultimately, the analysis facilitates prioritization of the most crucial and feasible training needs and corresponding solutions.

While conducting SWOT analysis is important. There are things that may not be apparent from such exercises. It is also imperative that organizations conduct employee engagement assessment/analysis. Knowing how motivated an employee is to conduct their job, the reason why they come to work and the reason they want to remain in the employ of the organization is the life blood of the organization.

EBIT Enhancement is very important in communicating the results. In many companies, Procurement is the linchpin for EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) development. Any company should recognize the pivotal role procurement plays in shaping your company’s financial future. Every deal Procurement negotiates can become a driving force behind their company’s financial success!

Concluding the Training Needs Analysis (TNA), effective communication of results across departments to stakeholders is vital. Employ diverse formats and channels such as reports, presentations, dashboards, newsletters, emails, meetings, workshops, webinars, and podcasts. Through this communication, share findings, recommendations, and action plans, inviting feedback, suggestions, and questions. Additionally, motivate stakeholders to actively participate in and derive benefits from the training program, fostering a collaborative and responsive approach to organizational development.

At the end of the TNA remediation will need to be conducted to get staff at the expected levels. An addition to the numerous ways of communicating the results is the addition of ongoing monitoring. Whenever any analysis is conducted things evolve and as such, having a continuous monitoring process provides live updates on where the organization is in the process. Ongoing monitoring will also keep all stakeholders accountable. This is particularly true for probationers and persons on development plans. I have witnessed persons being fired after their agreed period without having had any monitoring but then are told they didn’t make the cut. Ongoing monitoring provides dual accountability.

Empowering Professionals Through Training: I recognize that negotiation capabilities have emerged as the most significant financial impact driver for companies. To secure better deals and drive success, investing in training is paramount. Training programs should be meticulously designed to equip companies with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel. Through an innovative combination of e-learning tools and classroom training, companies should be offered a flexible and comprehensive learning experience that empowers them to build excellence from the ground up!

It’s important to understand HOW people learn just as much as the content itself. As you involve different stakeholders and use multiple sources, ensure you are providing different types of training that will resonate with your stakeholders/trainees. Some people are audio learners, others visual, many through experience. When offering training, provide different formats to adhere to different learning styles. If time and resources permit, create video to go along with live training, and the written deck. Include practice exercises and opportunities for breakout sessions to accommodate those who learn while working in groups and alone. Variety is important part of ensuring all are represented when learning.

Ensure the action identified from the training needs are followed through. Make stakeholders realise the benefit the training has had at an individual, team and strategic level. Therefore the training evaluation is as important as identifying the training needs.

A. Specify your objectives. B. Make use of several sources. C. Engage the parties involved. D. Examine the information. E. Share the outcomes. F. Here's something else to think about.....