by Kris Kennedy

Created on: July 12, 2010   Last Updated: July 13, 2010

Needs Assessment

Without a needs assessment, employee might waste time in an unnecessary training program. With a needs assessment an employer can target training to where the true need exists.

Discussions

At first, the problem for which training might cure opens the discussion. It is wise to start with a task analysis of the task.  It is wise to interview individuals who supervise the work and the ones who accomplish the task. A discrepancy can illustrate a problem not know by one or the other stakeholder in the task. Most likely management and employees have ideas why the deficits in training. Frequently, hiring a consultant to complete the needs assessment reaches a truer picture of the deficit.  Political climate may prevent disclosure of known information to supervisor but discloses to an outside source if offered confidentiality.

The trainer will log down the ideas presented and develop a .pretest to determine the true deficit.  In some cases the greatest needs proves to be diplomacy when management and employees have valid and invalid disagreement.  It becomes important to have the pretest to documents where the needs exist and avoid duplication of previously mastered skill.  It also provides evidence of benefit of train the trainer opportunities.  Train the trainer provides opportunity for accomplished employees to receive through mentoring training as an onsite trainer for future needs or new employee orientation. The skill of the employment might have been unknown to management or other employees due to other deficits

Pretest

The pretest is the final step of needs assessment.  It determines whether the interview placed training in the right direction and the beginning level of all employees. Administer the pretest to all possible training participants.  Passing of a majority of employees prompts reexamination of problem and need. It might mean the stated training will not solve the problem.  If the pretest shows that the employees possess serious deficits, a recommendation of a long-term training program that will include development of onsite trainers, mentors and follow up training and testing appears in the final plan.

Final Plan

Once the preliminary interviews, task analysis and pretest reach completion, a final proposal of the best training provides the center stone of a needs assessment.  From this point, the business does not begin a training program without some assurance of success. When the training program is completed and the post-test discloses the training hit the target the needs assessment proves time well spent and provides for future goals and objectives

Business provides expensive training options to employees. Without using a well-planned system, training  might prove futile.  A needs assessment remain an important portion of the process.

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