Why it is essential to identify training needs at an individual and organizational level​

Training means the planned and organized activity to impart skills, techniques and knowledge to employees by their employers to assist them in performing outstandingly in their employment. Training also contribute to improve the Performance, Profitability, Productivity & Economic Performance of employee and organization as a whole

Well trained, knowledgeable employees are valuable resources for any business. When recruiting new employees, part of the recruitment process should be matching the prospective employee’s skills and experience to the job description and job specification. Training and development is not just increased knowledge. It offers the advantage of networking and drawing best from others experiences. Therefore, the businesses should pay utmost importance to how the training activity is carried out, right from the NEED IDENTIFICATION ( at functional, organizational and individual levels ) along with a proper establish system of evaluation that evaluates the effectiveness of training needs analysis at the immediate level, job level and outcome level.

Training Need Identification

The key idea of training need typically refers to a discrepancy or gap between organization expects to happen and what actually occurs. 

• Variations and gaps between employee’s skill and skills required for effective current job performance
• The conditions under which HRD activity will occur
• Thus it is obvious that need assessment forms the foundation of any training programmed.
• The main purpose of a systematic exploration of the way things are and the way they should be. The difference is called THE PERFORMANCE GAP

Exhibit 1 : Performance Gap 

Current level of performance                  Desired level of performance 

Types of Need Analysis

The need analysis helps to determine which needs analysis is appropriate for your situation are described below:

a)   Context analysis

An analysis of the business  training needs or other reasons the training is desired. This type of training is generally more connected with organization background, history, why the training programme is seen as the recommended solution and other management interventions.

b)   Cost benefit (Return on investment)

The cost benefit can be calculated through the analysis of the return on investment (ROI) of training

c) Training Suitability Analysis

Analysis of whether training is the desired solution. Because training is one of the several solutions of employment problems and training may or may not provide all solutions in one goal. Hence, it is essential to identify and analysis through proper process and tools as to derive the suitability and objectivity of conducting trainings

d) Work Analysis

Analysis of the tasks should be done through performance or outcome an employee. This is an analysis of the job and the requirements for performing the work. This helps ensure that the training, which is developed, will include relevant links to the content of the job.

e) User Analysis

Analysis dealing with potential participants and instructors involved in the process. The  questions being answered by these analyses are who will active during the training and their levels of existing knowledge on the subject matter, what are  their learning style is and who will contact the training.

Models Of Need Analysis

Needs gap exist at any of the three levels, considering the organization?

1. Organization / Strategic level analysis : organization analysis is a process used to determine where training and Human Resource Department efforts are need and the conditions within which they will be conducted
2. Job / task level analysis : results of the task analysis are typically included the appropriate standards of performance, how task should be performance to meet these standards and the knowledge, skills , abilities and other characteristics that employees need to possess in order to meet the standards.
3. Individual level analysis : in this type of analysis, the focus is typically on how well an individual employee is performance his task, i.e. whether he is competent to perform his job well as per the targets / objectives given to him.

Exhibit 2 : Model of Need Analysis 

                                      Note : To ensure the effective HRD efforts, needs must be analysed at all three levels

Conclusion

In today’s economy, where the market is evolving with a very rapid pace, and technology plays an important role to widen the circumference of organization arena, the training and development is becoming an important tool for ensuring success. If your business does not support learning, then you’re going to fall behind. And a business learns as, its people learn. Your employees are the once that procures, refine, protect, deliver and manage your product and services every day, year in, year out.

Hence, it is essential to identify their training needs at individual and organizational level in order to upgrade their skills, knowledge and attitude as per changing environment.