Strategic Training Needs Assessment Steps

Oct,2019

 

Needs assessment is an initial step before conducting a training program and an important way to allocate training effectively (Schuler, 1993). To produce the right training program should be based on the right initial step. In addition to being the basis for determining training, needs assessment also provides a measure to anticipate future problems (Cline, 1993). Like a doctor, a doctor will not treat the patient until he knows what causes the disease and what is needed to overcome the disease. Management cannot determine training just without analyzing first what needs and goals to be achieved. Needs assessment is a "road map" to achieve a defined goal (Doliver, 1993). Determining the right training program for employees will value the organization as a result of the training program. There are three stages of needs assessment to identify training needs, namely organizational analysis, operations analysis, and individual analysis (Cascio, 1992; Schuler, 1993).

1. Organizational Analysis Organizational analysis determines where training can be conducted and where it should be done within the organization. This analysis focuses on the organization as a whole, including the analysis of organizational goals, resource analysis, efficiency analysis, and organizational climate analysis. At the organizational level, training needs should be analyzed in accordance with organizational goals and strategies. If this is not done, the time and cost of running the program will be in vain and the goals are not met. For example, it is possible that employees are trained to have certain skills that they have mastered. Employees only learn a little of the program that followed. The expertise or knowledge provided does not meet the actual needs of employees and organizations. Thus, training costs incurred will not be beneficial during the training period. Analysis of the external and internal environment of the organization is also very important. This analysis is necessary to obtain information such as business strategy trends, productivity, attendance, turnover, and employee behavior in the workplace. This information is useful for determining the training objectives to be achieved. The important question that arises is: "Will training lead to changes in employee behavior and will contribute to organizational goals?" As an initial step it is necessary to link the assessment of training needs with the achievement of organizational goals. By linking these relationships, training needs will be identified. Without knowing the goals of the organization, the organization cannot determine whether training is necessary.

 

2 Operation Analysis Operational analysis determines how employees perform a job. The purpose of this analysis is to determine what should be given to employees so that employees can do the work in accordance with the level to be achieved. Operational analysis requires careful testing of the work to be performed after the training. This analysis includes: 1) systematic information collection that accurately describes how a job or group of work is performed. 2) Determination of performance standards (performance) for a job. 3) Determining how work should be done to meet the standards. 4) Determination of the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics required for an effective performance.

3 Individual Analysis The third analysis is individual analysis. This analysis is needed to know how each employee performs when doing the job. At this stage the training needs of each employee are determined. The difference between the desired performance and the actual performance is the need for training for the individual. Standard performance that has been set at the level of operation is the performance to be achieved. While information about the actual performance of employees can be obtained from individual performance data, supervisor assessment, attitude survey, interviews, and so forth. The gap between actual performance and performance to be achieved will be filled with training. From these stages of analysis it can be said that organizational analysis is the basis for conducting operations analysis, and operation analysis as the basis of individual analysis. All three needs analysis needs to be integrated. The disadvantage that a training program does not coordinate with the goals and objectives of the organization is the time and cost of much spent without producing performance improvements.