HRM Training Need Assessment HRBP Manual

What is Training Needs Assessment?

Why do we need training?

Why do we need a Training Needs Assessment?

Five Steps of Training Needs Assessment

Step 1: Identify the Problem and Needs

Step 2: Determine the Design of the Needs Analysis

Types of Needs Assessment

Benefits and Weakness of Survey Methods

Style to follow for TNA

What is Training Needs Assessment?

Planning is the first step of the training management cycle. At the planning stage, the steps are divided into two: i) Training Needs Assessment (TNA) and ii) Training Planning. This manual takes up TNA.

Definition

“Training Needs Assessment” (TNA) is the method of determining if a training need exists and, if it does, what training is required to fill the gap. TNA seeks to identify accurately the levels of the present situation in the target surveys, interview, observation, secondary data and/or workshop. The gap between the present status and desired status may indicate problems that in turn can be translated into a training need

Training Needs=Desired Capability–Current Capability of the Participants

Training can reduce, if not eliminate, the gap, by equipping the participants with knowledge and skills and by encouraging them to build and enhance their capabilities. The data on the present status are vital to the evaluation or impact survey in the latter part of the training cycle. These shall serve as the baseline data. The following are some techniques for acquiring such data. These may be applied independently or in combination.?

Why do we need training?

Because training is a means to ensure that government officials have the knowledge and right skills to be able to do their work effectively and competently. Training may be needed when there is a gap between the desired performance, and the current performance, and the reason for that gap is lack of skill or knowledge.

• Lack of skills or knowledge, or experience
• Not having the right equipment or resource?
• Not being encouraged by managers and colleagues to do the right thing
• There are no standards or expectations that are set and communicated?
• Bad workplace morale or conditions?

(Source:MOI/DOLA,2004,Training!Needs!Assessment)

Why do we need a Training Needs Assessment?

First, identify dissatisfaction with the current situation and desire for change as similarities among the requests. Each request implies that a gap or discrepancy exists between what is and what could be or should be. A learning or performance gap between the current and desired condition is called a need. TNA aims at the following situations.

• Solving a current problem
• Avoiding a past or current problem
• Creating or taking advantage of a future opportunity?
• Providing learning, development or growth

The purpose of TNA is to answer some familiar questions: why, who, how, what, and when. The following are descriptions of the questions and what analysis can be done to answer them.

Five Steps of Training Needs Assessment

Five Steps:

The processes of Training Needs Assessment can be divided into five steps: i) identify problem and needs; ii) determine design of needs assessment; iii) collect data; iv) analyze data; and v) provide feedback.

Step 1: Identify Problem and Needs

The first step in TNA is to identify problems and needs. Before TNA is conducted, it should be probed whether training is needed. In the public sector, it is important to identify organizational context in such aspects as policy, goal, roles and responsibilities.

Step 2: Determine Design of Needs Analysis

The second step in TNA is to determine the following: i) target groups to be trained; ii) interviewees; iii) survey methods; iv) survey plan including schedule to be conducted TNA and persons in charge of TNA. Those items become the basis for a training course designer to either create a new training course, identify an existing one that can fulfill the need, or obtain one externally.

Types of Needs Assessment

Benefits and Weakness of Survey Methods

Style to follow for TNA

Generally, two types of roles are considered for TNA. One is a unique role and the other is representative (common or generic roles). The unique role generally refers to the specific role that staff is doing alone, for example, the head of the department or a person within a department who is only doing that job. Generic roles refer to all the staff who are doing common work. For example, the role of trainers is to provide training so all the trainers are conducting training or a machine operator is only operating a machine.