CTFP
Chapter Three
Needs Assessment
Objectives
Discuss the role of organization analysis, person analysis, and task analysis in needs assessment
Identify different methods used in needs assessment and identify the advantages and disadvantages of each method
Discuss the concerns of upper- and mid-level managers and trainers in needs assessment
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Objectives
Explain how person characteristics, input, output, consequences, and feedback influence performance and learning
Create conditions to ensure that employees are receptive to training
Discuss the steps involved in conducting a task analysis
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Objectives
Analyze task analysis data to determine the tasks in which people need to be trained
Explain competency models and the process used to develop them
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Why Needs Assessment?
Training may be incorrectly used as a solution to a performance problem
Programs may have the wrong content, objectives, or methods
Trainees may be sent to programs for which they do not have the basic skills, prerequisite skills, or confidence to learn
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Why Needs Assessment?
Training will not deliver the expected learning, behavior change, or financial results
Money will be spent on training programs that are unnecessary
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Pressure Points
Pressure points may signal the need for training (but not always)
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legislation
lack of basic skills
poor performance
new technology
customer requests
customer dissatisfaction
new products and innovations
higher performance standards
Needs Assessment Outcomes
It is important to consider the outcomes of needs assessment
what trainees need to learn
who receives training
type of training needed
frequency of training
buy versus build training decision
other HRM solutions
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Who Should Participate?
It is important that all relevant stakeholders be involved
Different stakeholders bring unique and needed perspectives to the process
Company leaders
Mid-level managers
Trainers
Employees
Subject matter experts (SMEs)
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How should data be collected?
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Various methods may be used to collect information. No one method is necessarily superior to another. There are strengths and limitations of each, and each may be more relevant in some contexts than others.
Assessment Methods
Observation
Advantages: relevant data, minimizes interruption of work
Disadvantages: requires skill in observation, employee behavior may be affected by being observed
Survey
Advantages: inexpensive, can collect data from a large number of individuals, data easily summarized
Disadvantages: potentially low response rates, may lack detail
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Assessment Methods
Interview
Advantages: good at uncovering detail, can explore unexpected issues
Disadvantages: time consuming, socially desirable responses, difficult to analyze
Focus Groups and Crowdsourcing
Advantages: useful for complex or controversial issues, can explore unexpected issues
Disadvantages: time consuming, potentially socially desirable responses, difficult to analyze
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Assessment Methods
Existing Documentation
Advantages: good source of information, objective
Disadvantages: may be difficult to understand, potentially obsolete
Online Technology
Advantages: objective, minimizes work interruption, limited human involvement
Disadvantages: low response rates, may threaten employees
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Assessment Methods
Historical Data Review
Advantages: provides data related to performance and practices
Disadvantages: data may be inaccurate, incomplete, or not fully reflective of performance
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Three Levels of Analysis
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Person
Task
Organization
Organization Analysis
There are three factors to examine to determine if training is the appropriate solution
The company’s strategic direction
Social support to ensure that individuals are motivated to attend training, learn, and transfer
Training resources, time, and expertise
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Person Analysis
Helps to identify who needs training
Also known as gap analysis, which involves determining what is responsible for the differences between current and expected performance
Involves obtaining a variety of information on person characteristics, inputs, outputs, consequences, and feedback
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Basic Skills
Basic skills are those necessary for employees to perform successfully on the job and learn training content
A literacy audit can be used to indicate employees’ basic skill levels
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Cognitive Ability
Cognitive ability relates to intellectual capacity and general intelligence
Includes verbal comprehension, quantitative ability, and reasoning ability
Assessing cognitive ability is important because it is one of the strongest determinants of training success
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Readability
Training material should be evaluated to ensure that its reading level does not exceed that required by the job and trainees’ abilities
If trainees’ reading ability is low:
use other training methods
reassign trainees to different positions
provide remedial training
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Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy relates to trainees’ beliefs that they can master training content and perform on the job
If trainees lack confidence, motivation will suffer
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Enhancing Self-Efficacy
Let trainees know the goal is to improve performance and not reveal incompetence
Providing information about training prior to the program
Describe the success of peers
Emphasize that learning is under trainees’ control
Emphasize that trainees have the ability to overcome obstacles
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Needs, Career Interests, & Goals
Awareness of training needs, career interests, and goals enhances motivation to learn
The link between training and areas where employees need to improve should be emphasized
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Age
There is biological evidence that certain mental capacities decrease from age twenty to age seventy
However, with age comes experience
Trainees may need to adapt training design and delivery accordingly
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Generational Differences
Millennials are optimistic, embrace technology, and appreciate diversity
Gen Xers need feedback and flexibility and dislike close supervision
Baby Boomers are competitive, hardworking, and concerned with fairness
Traditionalists are patriotic, loyal, and have a great deal of knowledge
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Inputs
Inputs relate to resources employees need to help them learn
Situational constraints include lack of tools, equipment, materials, supplies, budgetary support, and time to perform
Social support refers to manager and peer willingness to provide feedback and reinforcement
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Enhancing Support
Provide materials before training begins
Speak positively about the company’s training initiatives
Reinforce employees using new skills
Provide feedback to encourage employee support
Provide opportunities to practice and transfer
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Outputs
Outputs refer to a job’s performance outcomes
Therefore, it is important to assess employee perceptions of performance expectations
Trainees need to understand the level of expected proficiency
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Consequences
Consequences refer to the type of rewards that employees receive for performing well
If employees do not believe rewards adequate, motivation will suffer
Motivation to learn can be enhanced by communicating the job, personal, and career benefits of learning
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Feedback
Feedback refers to the information that employees receive
Employees need specific and detailed feedback
Feedback also needs to be frequent to influence performance
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Is training the best solution?
Is the performance problem important and potentially costly?
Do employees know how to perform effectively?
Can employees demonstrate the correct knowledge or behavior?
Were performance expectations clear?
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Is training the best solution?
Were positive consequences offered for good performance?
Did employees receive appropriate feedback?
Were other solutions too expensive or unrealistic?
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Task Analysis
Results in a description of the tasks to be performed and the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform
A job is a specific work position involving the completion of a defined set of related tasks
A task is a specific work activity that is a component of a job
Key Point
A task analysis should be undertaken only after the organization has determined that it will devote time and energy toward training.
KSAOs
To complete a task, employees must possess the necessary KSAOs
Knowledge includes facts, figures, and procedures
Skill is the competency to perform a task
Ability refers to physical and mental capacities
Other requirements include conditions under which tasks are performed
Task Analysis Steps
There are four primary steps in a task analysis
Select the jobs to be analyzed
Develop a preliminary list of tasks to be analyzed
Validate the list of tasks with SMEs
After the most important tasks have been identified, identify the most important KSAOs
Competency Models
Identify the competencies necessary for a given job
Refer to sets of KSAOs that enable employees to perform their jobs
Provide descriptions of competencies that are common for an entire occupation, organization, or job
Competencies may vary with business strategy
Why Competency Models?
They identify behaviors needed for effective performance
They provide a tool for determining what skills are necessary to meet current and future needs
They help to determine what skills are needed at different career points
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Why Competency Models?
They provide a framework for ongoing coaching and feedback
They create a “road map” for developing employees for managerial positions
They provide a common set of criteria to identify training activities for employees
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Developing a Competency Model
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Scope of Needs Assessment
Often managers and trainers may avoid conducting a needs assessment
They may provide a variety of excuses
Without conducting a proper needs assessment, training will not be well targeted
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Scope of Needs Assessment
A needs assessment in practice would not collect all information presented in the text, but should be tailored to situation at hand
Due to time constraints, sometimes a rapid needs assessment would be appropriate
A rapid needs assessment refers to a needs assessment that is done quickly and accurately without sacrificing the quality
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