7 steps to identifying your organizations training needs

1.
Identifying Your Organizations Training Needs
7‐Steps Process
CapitalWave Inc. | White Paper
September 2010
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2.
Table of Contents:
Assessment and Measurement Methods ……………………………………………………………………….…3
Existing Training ……………………………………………………………………..4
Industry, Job, and Task‐Related Needs ..……………………………………………………..………………..5
Career Development …………………….……………………………………………………7
Leadership, Talent Management, and Succession Planning Needs ..…………………..….8
Recurring and Required Training Needs ……………………………………..……….……………………...…9
Future and Anticipated Training Needs ……………………………………………………………….……….10
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3. Assessment and Measurement Methods Although this is a very simple view of the needs
you may encounter, it serves as a starting point
An overall organizational training needs for your overall needs analysis.
assessment should be a very comprehensive
examination of what is currently being trained, You may also want to further separate the areas
what knowledge, skills, and abilities should be of need within the categories. For example,
added to the education program, and what may needs can be based on current training, that is,
need to be added in the future. Areas of if current training is not meeting the mark then
assessment and assessment methods can differ it will probably need to be rewritten. Needs can
from subject to subject within the organization, also be related to tasks or jobs. For example, ff
and most certainly differ between organizations an identified or critical incident need appears, it
themselves. Before we begin a discussion of may be because of gaps in job or task
various assessment areas of which to be aware, performance, which may point to training gaps.
let's explore the definition of needs as well as Keep in mind that many of the needs we will
some of the methods used in training needs discuss in this series can also be related to
assessment. issues other than training, such as
management, work environment, or even
You can easily categorize your organization's market or industry forces. With that in mind,
needs into a few areas. First, a felt or perceived your organization's needs may be related to
need is an overall desire for improvement in a development in areas such as leadership, career
certain subject area. For example, management progression, management, or human resources.
may point out that customer service complaints And if your organization is heavily regulated, its
have risen. There may not be a direct link to the needs may be recurring or required, such as
training program, but the identification of a rise training for regulatory compliance and legal
in complaints is a perceived need. Next, issues.
comparative needs are those needs that are
discovered by comparing the training audience Needs assessment and analysis methods vary
to a set of criteria, either internal or external. widely based on the organization, its goals, the
For example, hard‐number production reports timeline for the intervention, and even staffing
may tell you that a certain target audience is and budget. One of the most common needs
not meeting its goals. Third, an identified need assessment tools is a survey, either written or
occurs in response to a failure of some type, online. You can administer surveys to
such as not meeting sales goals for a set time employees, managers, customers, and
period. Identified needs can also be so‐called executives, and these surveys can give you an
"critical incident" needs, which occur because overall view of the needs (and types of needs)
of a catastrophic failure such as a factory that currently exist. Another common
explosion, a regulatory infraction, or even a assessment tool is job or task analysis, in which
natural disaster. The final needs category is you may observe a job being performed and
future or anticipated needs, which are compare it to job descriptions, manager
obviously needs that will occur based on description, and even the expected output of
organizational changes, such as new products, the job or task. Many times a job analysis points
new services, or mergers and acquisitions. directly to areas where the performer has a lack
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4. of knowledge or a low confidence level in the "secret" training, but to determine how training
task. can be made more effective.
Competency identification is another way to Existing training programs that are part of the
assess needs, especially if you are starting from training and development department are most
scratch. For example, you may be charged with likely the easiest place to start. Your programs
creating a comprehensive training program for probably have evaluations attached to them,
an entire department or family of jobs where such as level‐one participant evaluations. In
no training currently exists. In this situation, addition, you may also have evaluations that
stakeholders, managers, and the people who occur further down the road and cover both
perform the work can be asked to identify participants and their managers. Whatever the
competency areas and the skills that fall under situation, go back at least three months to look
those competencies. For example, customer at the evaluations and determine the state of
service representatives may have competency the courses. If you haven't been doing this on a
areas related to overcoming objections, closing regular basis, you may be surprised by what you
the sale, and making appropriate referrals. find. If things aren't going as well as you
Finally, operational measurements are great expected, place the courses in the overall
tools for needs assessment. These assessment as needs.
measurements may be goals, reports, or other
data that point to skills gaps. Many times, an When it comes to discovering training at
operational measurement may be the most departmental levels, you may need to use some
concrete identification of a training need. diplomacy, or at least your internal network.
Find out who has training, what kind of training
Now that we have explored general needs it is, and how it's going. While you're
categories and measurement methods, we can conducting this fact‐finding, stress that the
move on to specific needs areas. motive is not to expose any kind of "skunk
work" training, but to see if the training and
Existing Training development organization can help make the
programs effective and possibly take them to
Before you begin assessing various
other audiences. After all, if something is going
organizational areas for training needs, it's a
on "under the radar" but is extremely effective,
good idea to start with training that already
doesn't it stand to benefit the organization,
exists. Existing training can be centralized, that
either in its current or a modified format?
is, run by the training and development
department. On the other hand, individual
Next, determine the framework for the needs
departments may have training programs going
assessment in relation to existing programs.
on at those levels, as well. These programs can
What is the scope of changes required? For
be well known, or perhaps they may be
example, a simple departmental checklist could
"covert". For example, some departments may
become a full‐blown on boarding course that
have an on‐the‐job training program that may
reaches across various levels of the
be as simple as a first day or first week
organization. Or, it may be something that can
checklist. The idea behind the determination of
stay within its individual department. Also, look
existing training is not to expose any kind of
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5. closely at the current delivery method. Can of these evaluation suggestions will work for
anything that currently exists in a classroom any of the types of needs we will discuss in the
format be converted to a blended or online remainder of this series.
format? Consider this question in the opposite
form: are blended, online, or classroom courses Now that we have examined existing training
wasting time that could be spent on‐the‐job programs, let's move into specific needs areas,
with a checklist and daily coaching sessions? starting with job, task, and industry‐related
Another aspect to consider is whether existing training needs.
training programs should be discontinued
altogether in order to make room for new or Industry, Job, and Task‐Related Needs
improved programs? These are difficult
When you begin your organizational needs
questions to answer, but in order to begin your
assessment, you'll find that many of the needs
organizational assessment on strong footing
you discover are related to the overall industry
they are necessary.
and the jobs within the organization. This
information can certainly overload you if you
After you've determined the state of existing
are looking at the organization's training needs
training, think about the timeline and staffing
as whole. So the best way to tackle these needs
necessary to complete the changes. In some
is to break them down based on industry, job,
cases, you may have the staffing in place to
and task. Let's define each area and then look at
start changes that are going to be a necessary
some of the best ways to assess needs in those
part of the outcome of the overall assessment.
areas.
On the other hand, you may not have the time
or staff to start. In this case, it may be a good
First, industry related needs are fairly simple
idea to hold off on any changes pending the
but can be hard to narrow down for your
results of the entire assessment. This way, you
training program. Are there certain pieces of
can get a good picture of the changes that need
industry knowledge that employees should
to be made, as well as the additions that will
have, both as a whole and by department? If so,
have to be made as part of the overall
this type of knowledge is sometimes based on
assessment.
the premise that people should know how they
fit into the big picture, both at the
As you are examining existing training needs,
organizational and industry levels. The need for
start to think about how you'll measure
this knowledge may also stem from the need to
effectiveness of programs that are rewritten or
understand how the organization itself fits into
redesigned. Level one surveys are always a
the overall industry. For example, a
good idea, but don't stop there. You may want
manufacturing group that creates parts for
to add evaluations of both participants and
commercial airliners may need to know where
managers at intervals after the training in order
those parts go, what airplanes they end up on,
to examine effectiveness. Plus, your
and how those airplanes and the company that
stakeholders may be able to identify concrete
builds them affect the industry itself. When you
measurements, such as operational reports,
are looking at industry‐related knowledge,
sales goals, customer complaint incidences, and
remember to keep it to the "need to know"
regulatory evaluations. And remember that all
information, versus the "nice to know". If you
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6. have both, you'll end up swamping your Let's briefly examine some of the assessment
audiences with knowledge that does not apply methods that can help you find needs in these
directly to them. areas quickly and effectively. To begin with, a
stakeholder or executive may simply express a
Next, job related needs are self‐explanatory: perceived industry‐related need. For example,
they relate directly to the jobs within the the aircraft parts manufacturing CEO may
organization. One of the best ways to look for simply decide that all employees need to know
job‐related needs is to determine if training how the organization fits into the overall
exists for certain jobs or job families. If not, you picture. Many times this type of expression may
may have to create "A to Z" training for a job. be a bit stronger than a "suggestion" and simply
We will discuss assessment methods in a needs to be included in the training program.
moment, but remember that the purpose of
job‐related needs assessment is to determine When it comes to job related needs,
the final outputs of the job itself, whether it is a observation and survey may be very effective.
completed call with a customer or the For example, if no training currently exists for
production of a 100% error‐free commercial the customer service reps, you may want to
airliner part. The key to job‐related needs is to observe them doing their jobs for a few days to
determine what can be taught as part of a determine the tasks within those jobs. In
training program, what aspects of the job addition, you may want to survey managers and
belong to management, and what aspects of stakeholders to determine what the final output
the job may be related to coaching or on‐the‐ of the jobs should be, such as a certain score on
job learning. the customer satisfaction survey. However you
assess for job‐related needs, you may end up at
A task related need is usually a particular part the task level anyway.
or output within a job or job family. Think about
your job: there are many different tasks and At the task level, a process known as task
processes that come together to create your job analysis may be the most helpful. In a task
on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis. analysis, you take your observations of the
Every job is similar in that aspect. For example, person doing the job and then break them
customer service reps may be performing at down into the task areas. For each area, you
very high levels in customer satisfaction and can determine the individual tasks, such as then
sales, but they are having trouble inputting data determine its frequency. From there, you can
into the CRM system. This problem may be determine which tasks have more importance
causing issues with customer contact, the by their frequency as well as which tasks will
customer's next logical product, and even require more detailed knowledge. Finally, you
recording closed sales. This particular part of can determine if adequate training exists on
the job, or task, should be analyzed to each task and task area.
determine where the breakdown occurs. Many
times task‐related needs occur inside a job or Next, we will look at career development
job family where training currently exists ‐ it related needs.
just may be one of those areas that need to be
revamped in order to be more effective.
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7. Career Development required for anyone wishing to progress from
customer service level 1 to customer service
Career development training needs typically fall level 2. Next logical career level skills can also
outside of the black‐and‐white specifics of a take the form of management knowledge to
particular job or job family. Or, they can be prepare a person for a supervisory position.
related to one job family such as managers and These needs can be in areas such as
supervisors. Career development needs can be interviewing, hiring, corrective action, payroll,
soft skills, skills that are needed to move to the etc. The overall key of next logical level
next logical job or job family, or skills that may assessment is that you should look at what may
be needed to move to the next logical be missing from the job or task related level and
horizontal job or job family. Let's look at each add it to the training plan. This way, as a person
skill area and then discuss how you can best plateaus in his or her job level, he or she can
assess those needs. begin taking courses that apply to the next job.
Soft skills can be located both within a job and Horizontal mobility may also be a part of career
outside of a job. For example, customer service development related needs. For example, your
skills may almost certainly be required of organization may hire most of its population
customer service reps who face the customer into the first level jobs, such as customer
population. But what about "back office" service. After time and proof of ability, the
employees who never face customers but have organization may begin to look for candidates
their own internal customers? What about the who exhibit skills and interest in other areas,
overall customer service philosophy of the such as IT, human resources, or even training. If
organization? Does this knowledge need to be there is an established "track", i.e. IT looks for
imparted to all employees at all levels? The its entry‐level technicians in the customer
overall philosophy also leads to areas such as service rep population, then training should be
the organization's mission, values, and overall offered for those people. This doesn't even
goals. These types of skills and knowledge can have to be in house training ‐ the IT
be considered to be part of the overall career management may point out the basic
development plan for all employees. Soft skills certifications they want a person to have,
can also include human resources, such as interview that person, and then pay for his or
policies and organizational HR philosophy. her certification. The point here is to include
Consider how all of these pieces of knowledge needs assessment for established or logical
fit together: this could be your organization's horizontal movement that makes someone in
new‐hire orientation program that goes out to the organization mobile. Keep in mind that this
all employees. Nonetheless, it should be part of possibility of mobility may even assist in
the career development portion of your needs retention. It's easier to keep someone if they
assessment. know that the organization is concerned about
their future.
Next logical job or job family skills can also fall
outside of a particular job or task. For example, Assessing for these areas may be a little more
the organization may want an advanced complicated than job or task related needs
customer relations and negotiation course to be assessment. One of the first places to start is a
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8. simple conversation with department or between management and leadership training
program managers. For example, some while you are conducting an overall needs
organizations have a customer relations assessment. You've already identified
program manager. This person can be very management needs, such as hiring processes or
helpful in identifying career development needs corrective action procedures. But these are
that should go to all associates regardless of functions and not attitudes and abilities. This is
their position within the organization. where the leadership needs assessment picks
Managers, such as the IT department managers, up ‐ and keep in mind that leadership training
can help you determine what needs exist for and development can occur at all levels of the
horizontal mobility between departments. In organization, not just at the management or
addition, stakeholders such as human resources supervisory level.
can be valuable in determining career
development needs. And you may not even One of the first parts of a needs assessment in
need to create elaborate surveys to conduct relation to leadership is to identify the
this type of assessments. Many times the needs leadership competencies that exist within the
are clear after a conversation with one of these organization. Further, attempt to define a
managers or stakeholders. leader in terms of your organization. Of course
there are general leadership competencies and
Next, we will explore leadership, talent definitions, but the task of the needs
management, and succession planning needs. assessment is to choose those competencies
and definitions and modify them to fit the
Leadership, Talent Management, and organization's culture. After "the leader" is
Succession Planning Needs defined, the needs assessment should go
deeper into identifying the skills, knowledge,
As you are assessing your organization's training
and attitudes that exist within each of the
needs, don't forget about leadership, talent
chosen competencies. This also includes
management, and succession planning. It's true
defining levels of leadership within the
that you've probably identified some leadership
knowledge base, that is, entry‐level versus
and management training needs in the other
management level.
areas of assessment. But remember that an
organization is most likely going to need
Talent management training needs are those
training that is specifically for the purpose of
that can help managers and supervisors manage
retaining talent, building a leadership pool, and
the talent that comes out of leadership training.
ensuring that skills exist to cope with loss of
For example, are managers currently prepared
leadership, whether sudden or not. Obviously
to assess their teams for leadership potential,
this area of skills and knowledge works hand‐in‐
coach them, and prepare them for a future
hand with career development and job‐related
leadership role? Does the manager and
training to form a full development
supervisor group have the ability to identify a
complement for the population. Let's examine
person's strengths and coach those while at the
these areas and then discuss assessment
same time developing opportunities? Is there a
methods.
section of the HRIS system that is specifically
developed for talent management? Again, you
It's important to maintain the distinction
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9. may have identified some of these needs as you and coach opportunities for the potential
moved through management and leadership. talent. If there is the slightest bit of hesitation,
The question is: do they belong in those areas the manager and supervisor group may be able
or should they be part of an overall talent to help you identify their biggest training needs.
management "school" or broad‐based
competency area? Next, we will explore the assessment of
required and recurring training needs.
Succession planning needs border directly on
talent management and leadership, and may Recurring and Required Training Needs
even be a part of those needs assessment
While you are conducting an overall needs
areas. What is the organization's philosophy on
assessment, you may find that certain training
succession planning? For example, does the
needs must be repeated, while some of them
organization believe in both high‐professional
are requirements of a job or a job family. In
and high‐potential leadership? What is the
fact, you may have already uncovered some of
process for creating a succession plan? Do
these needs as you delved into the areas of job
managers and supervisors need special skills or
and task related training. But it's a good idea to
training in order to create that plan? These are
categorize these needs separately so that they
all questions that you should ask during your
can be integrated into the overall training plan
leadership, talent management, and succession
on a regular or required basis. For the purposes
planning needs assessment.
of this discussion, let's work with training needs
in the following categories: recurring, required,
But what are some good ways to conduct the
and both recurring and required.
needs assessment for this area? As you would
imagine, this is a somewhat special situation.
First, what is a recurring training need?
One way to assess in these areas is to gather
Typically, a recurring training need is a set of
the current leadership team or pool and lead
knowledge, skills, or abilities that the
them through a brainstorming session. Have
organization wants its associates to repeat on a
this group identify the organization's leadership
regular basis, usually annually. This type of
competencies and also identify (at a high level)
training could be a products and services
the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that fall
certification, a customer service or customer
under each of the competencies. During this
relations training program, or even an annual
needs assessment session, consider using
industry update. Recurring pieces usually serve
whiteboards or flip charts around the room,
to put everyone on the same footing in terms of
which will provide a visual picture of the
knowledge and ability in that particular group of
training needs as they are being built. In fact,
competencies.
you may see a training program begin to
emerge during the brainstorming session. In
Required training can fall under the same
terms of talent management and succession
category, that is, a group of competencies that
planning, one of the best ways to assess is
the organization requires. But required training
through survey. Ask managers if they feel
by itself is usually a one‐time offering, such as a
comfortable identifying the talent in their areas.
new product rollout, new service standards, or
Find out if they feel able to identify strengths
training for mergers and acquisitions. On the
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10. other hand, a regulating body or agency can cases, you may not need to conduct a "formal"
levy training in many different areas, and needs assessment ‐ a series of conversations
require that the organization certify its results. may help you uncover the need. And most
For example, financial service providers may be likely, the legal department has already
required to provide and certify training related organized a listing of required training
to the latest overhaul of that industry. In some components. If that is not the case, there are
areas, organizational associates may be usually legal experts within the various
required to take training when they first come departments of an organization and they should
into a job. For example, new‐hire flight not be overlooked. In regard to organizationally
attendants are required by the FAA to take and required training needs, set up conversations
pass a comprehensive safety course based upon with division executives and stakeholders in
the airline's aircraft, rules regarding passenger order to determine what pieces of knowledge
safety, and even first aid. You may have they would like to see as requirements or
discovered some required needs in your job and recurring requirements. Again, it may be as
task analysis, but be sure to make the simple as a conversation versus a formal needs
distinction between those needs that are assessment. Another way to reach for these
required by a regulating agency and those that training needs is to include this aspect in your
are not. job and task analysis that we've already
discussed. Many times the employees
Recurring and required training is a themselves are the ones who will be able to tell
combination of both types of needs, i.e. you about the most important recurrent and
competency areas that are required by either required features of training.
the organization or a regulating body and are
given on a regular basis. For example, flight Our next area, future and anticipated training
attendants are required to take training and be needs, is the final area of needs assessment.
certified on safety features on an annual basis
in order to maintain employment. This is also an Future and Anticipated Training Needs
FAA requirement. In financial services, certain
It is a given in training and development that
employees are required to take and pass
your best‐laid plans tend to change. But having
regulatory training every year ‐ and the
an idea of the organization's future needs can at
organization must certify its results within a
least prepare you for what might be coming. In
given time period.
fact, a future training needs assessment is
probably something that should occur on a
Assessing these needs can be difficult, because
regular basis, even after you've initially
you may uncover bits and pieces of them within
assessed the organization. For example, you
your job and task assessments. For example,
may want to assess for future or anticipated
certain parts of person's job may be related to a
needs at the beginning of every calendar or
particular regulation or group of regulations.
fiscal year. Let's define future and anticipated
But in regard to training needs that are required
training needs and then look at some ways to
by a regulating agency and may be recurring,
assess them.
the best place to start is with the organization's
legal counsel or legal department. In many
Obviously future or anticipated training needs
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11. are those that will come with organizational or overall organization? As always with mergers
departmental changes in the future. To further and acquisitions, the "people" aspect should be
define these types of needs, you may need to something that is considered as part of a future
break them down into functional categories. training need. In other organizational areas, will
Let's start with policy and procedure needs. The the overall mission, goals, or organizational
question here is: are any policies and objective undergo a transformation at any point
procedures slated for a major change or during your assessment period? If these key
overhaul any time in your future assessment organizational measurements are going to
period? For example, are customer service change, training should attempt to share the
policies going to be made "tighter" or more changes, prepare the population for what the
stringent? Perhaps there is a new customer change means, and show them how to move
relations model planned that will change the forward.
entire customer handling procedure. Are
processes slated to change because of a merger Assessing future and anticipated needs can be
or acquisition? Or are processes going to tricky. Many times the departments involved
change because of new rules and regulations? are reluctant to "take the lid off" of their
Answering these questions can at least point anticipated change. But, as with any training
you in the right direction when it comes to initiative, your job is to position yourself as a
future policy and procedure training needs. strategic partner and not a watchdog. For policy
and procedure changes, a good way to start is
A second area to look at is systems. Is the to survey the department that writes or creates
organization or an individual department those P&P's. You can conduct this formally, that
planning to implement a new technical system? is, through written or online survey, or
This could be your own LMS, an HRIS, a new informally by simply scheduling brainstorming
customer relationship management system, or sessions at the right time. From these surveys
a new overall operating system such as or conversations, you may get an idea of the
Windows. In relation to system changes, are changes that will require new or upgraded
any existing systems scheduled for changes or training. You should also survey overall division
upgrades? Some system changes are subtle heads and stakeholders to determine what their
enough to be a slight update to training, while plans are for the future time period. In fact, a
other system changes can cause a pretty heavy written survey can be a starting point, and then
chain reaction in multiple departments, at the when you review your results schedule
same time affecting various policies and meetings to sit down and talk with those key
procedures. people. As you will discover, system change
information can come from both the P&P
A third area of assessment is organizational and groups and the department heads. Once you
departmental needs. We've already discussed know about a system change, consider having a
the possibility of mergers and acquisitions, conversation with the IT department to
which is always a big training need. Will the determine how those changes are going to
merger or acquisition significantly change the affect existing or planned training.
way the organization does business? How will
new employees be "on boarded" into the As with any of your needs assessment areas,
11

12. plot the results from a future and anticipated present time. Once you have assessed needs in
needs assessment into the overall developing all of the areas we have discussed in this series,
training plan. You'll find that certain needs can you'll soon be able to develop an overall
be placed further out in the timeline, while training plan and feel certain that the major
others may need to be pulled closer to the needs have been uncovered and identified.
© Copyright 2010 CapitalWave Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Bryant Nielson – Strategic Alliance & Acquisitions Director at Financial Training Solutions a division
of CapitalWave Inc – offers 20+ years of training and talent management for executives, business
owners, and top performing sales executives in taking the leap from the ordinary to extraordinary.
Bryant is a trainer, business & leadership coach, and strategic planner for many sales
organizations. Bryant’s 27 year business career has been based on his results‐oriented style of
empowering.
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Finaancial Training Solution (FTS), the instructor-
ns e -led division of CapitalW Wave Inc,
is a firm made of up industry profes
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Blennded learning is the p philosophy o which th company was found
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For further informa
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e
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g Wave Inc.
Bryant Nielson, Direc
B ctor
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apitalWave
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Solutions.c
com
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/www.Your rTrainingEdge.com
Tele US: +1 (917) 477-3
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