Conceptual Framework for the Study
3.3. Proposed Framework for Essential Strategic T&D Practices
3.3.3. Training and Development Needs Analysis (TNA)
Training needs analysis is the first and most important step in any training process. The aim is to improve training and company effectiveness as it makes no sense for an organisation to embark on a training programme that is not relevant to its needs (Obisi, 2011). Needs analysis involves the proper diagnosis and prioritising of unique information to establish the training needs of employees, the organisation and the tasks in order to identify appropriate
training and avoid wasting resources (Akinfolarin and Alimi, 2011, p. 104; Opperman &
Meyer, 2008; Ching-Yah, Phyra & Keomony, 2007, p. 845). Many organisations do not have sufficient information to determine what should be included or excluded in a training programme. In Nigeria, training is usually designed by public institutions other than the organisation conducting the training (Sehindemi, 2010; Adamu, 2008). Repeating what an employee already knows can be very boring for trainees as well as frustrating for trainers.
Training needs analysis allows T&D choices to be made (Clarke, 2011, p. 141). An organisation examines what is lacking or the gaps between what they have and what they don‘t have or what they need to have in order to improve performance (Edralin, 2011;
Stringfellow, 2011; Fowler, 2009; Business Performance Pty Ltd, 2008). It identifies the deficits in the skills and knowledge of individual employees that hamper them from achieving a certain level of proficiency (Husain, 20011; Balogun, 2003; Brown, 200;
Erasmus, 1999, p.53). It helps to determine the gap between what an organisation is able to produce now and what it needs to produce to remain competitive and make a profit (Onuka, 2006).
Effective needs analysis is essential in today‘s changing workplace, where employees need to come to grips with new technology and flexible production processes; this requires that they upgrade their skills and knowledge on a constant basis (Patton & Pratt, 2002, p. 465; Kunder, 2000). Training can impact positively and effectively on organisational performance when it is guided by the results of TNA (Chi & Lin, 2008). Like feasibility studies, TNA is an important tool that provides the information necessary to provide effective training opportunities (Rycus & Hughes, 2000). In the context of the current global economic meltdown and financial downsizing, organisations must make optimum use of their training time and resources. This requires that they identify training needs before training takes place (Sriyan de Silva, January 1997). Cau-Bareillea, Gaudartb & Delgouletc (2012) found that problems encountered by older workers in adapting to new work methods were more a sign of ―organizational problems to do with the management of change rather than training problems due to age‖. The T&D department should identify employees‘ current skills, knowledge and abilities and compare these with the desired levels for the company and employees to be successful (Husain, 2011; Meyer, 2002). TNA provides answers to questions like: why is training needed in the organisation? What training do employees need to perform
their tasks effectively; which individuals or group of individuals need training; and what type of T&D method/s should be used? (Wexley & Latham, 1991).
Training need analysis also provides a basis for evaluating training and helps the organisation align T&D with its strategic plan (Blanchard and Thacker, 2010). In the absence of such analysis, T&D outcomes will rest on mere speculation and the training offered may serve little or no purpose (Fowler, 2009). Needs analysis is necessary because it helps planners to determine the conditions under which T&D activities will take place. Not all organisational problems can be addressed through training; some may just require advice from managers or a change in an individual‘s attitude and/or the organisational culture. Different types of organisational problems call for different measures; furthermore some call for specific training methods (Bratton, 2003).
It has been noted that the majority of organisations in Nigeria do not normally conduct training needs assessment before training takes place (Obisi, 2011; Akinfolarin & Alimi, 2011, p. 104), especially those that make use of external consultants. This may result in the training budget being reduced because management does not realise the need for T&D.
Furthermore, little learning transfer will take place because the needs of employees and the organisation were not properly diagnosed prior to training taking place. The result is that employees‘ skills and knowledge are not upgraded and their performance levels remain unchanged.
3.3.3.1. Importance of Needs Analysis
Training needs analysis helps HR managers to obtain facts to solicit support from top management for the implementation of T&D. An obvious means of obtaining management‘s attention and support is to demonstrate that training directly affects activities in the organisation‘s various departments. Management tends to support training when it is demonstrated that trainees perform better on the job after the exercise. Both employers and employees need to be motivated and this can be achieved by giving them reasons why training should be conducted and why they need to participate in it. Such information can only be obtained through conducting TNA. The TNA report provides a point of reference for the performance levels, skills and knowledge of the organisation and its individuals before
the training. It helps to highlight any shortfall in the skills and attitude employees need to perform their jobs effectively (Akinfolarin & Alimi, 2011, p. 104).
TNA should determine how the training programme will fit with future organisational strategic plans and objectives, by identifying the skills needs and specifying the strengths and weaknesses of the organisation. Lack of TNA not only contributes to a lack of application of the skills learnt, but also has the potential to waste resources and time. Some organisations spend substantial amounts of money on training more employees than they actually need or on training the wrong employees (Capps & Capps, 2005).
Table 3.1.: Essential Areas for TNA
Source: Adopted and modified from Fowler (2009) and Mello (2006, p.406) through secondary research findings
3.3.3.2. Levels of Needs Analysis
In any organisation there are different levels of needs; these should be considered when developing and implementing T&D programmes (Rycus & Hughes, 2000). It is important to analyse the organisation‘s skills availability in relationship to current job needs, as well as
future tasks prior to T&D activities (Meyer, 2007). There are three different levels of needs:
individuals, the tasks and organisational needs. A proper needs analysis at all three levels will guarantee the consideration of the overall needs of the organisation, the specific needs of individual employees and the tasks (NCVO, 2011). Training and development is not meant to exclusively correct skills and knowledge challenges; other more subtle factors impact on an employee‘s performance which can only be identified through TNA.
Details of each of the following levels of need are discussed because of their importance to T&D success:
a. Operational level analysis b. Job/tasks level analysis c. Employee level analysis
3.3.3.3. Organisational Level Analysis
TNA at the organisational level studies the organisation as a whole. This requires a study of the entire organisation‘s work environment. Existing level of employees performance are measured against industry standards (Erasmus, Leadolff, Mda, & Nel, 2008; Wexley &
Latham, 1991). TNA at the organisational level reviews the organisation‘s strategy and operational plans and requires that trainers have a strategic picture of the organisation‘s business objectives, performance and future direction. Other important factors include the organisation‘s mission statement, philosophy, values, structure, goals and task demands (Hayes, 2007). At this stage, the TNA starts with an evaluation of actual organisational performance with the aim of identifying problems in performance, skills, and knowledge and comparing these with the desired standard (Husain, 2011).
Furthermore, TNA at organisational level looks for problems that might be solved through training interventions; examples include production problems, job dissatisfaction, low organisational commitment and so forth (Husain, 2011). Other issues to consider are the quality of human resources and constraints so that an appropriate training programme can be developed that matches workplace requirements (Meyer, 2007). Needs analysis at organisational level should examine the availability of competences in various departments and divisions as well as indicators of organisational ineffectiveness such as labour output,
accidents, loss of profit, absenteeism, customer complaints, low quality products and poor service delivery. Generally, organisational level analysis should reveal problems or potential problems in the organisation, which will help to determine where training is needed. The failure of training to change employee behaviour and improve organisational performance has been attributed to weak connections between the content of the training and the actual needs of the organisation (O‘Driscoll, 2007).
Needs analysis at organisational level must pay attention to changes in the laws and regulations of the host country (Brown, 2002). Any change in the laws or rules governing T&D will partly determine an organisation‘s training needs. Employees and management alike may need to be sensitised about new laws and regulations and the consequences of violating them.
3.3.3.4. Task Level Analysis
Task or job analysis is a reputable method of identifying the skills and knowledge required to carry out tasks in an organisation (Wilson, 2005). T&D‘s impact on performance or return on investment largely depends on whether the T&D programme is designed in such a way that the skills learnt can be applied to current task requirements. In other words, the knowledge and skills learned during T&D must be relevant to the tasks that employees will perform in the workplace (Eramus et al., 2008). Needs analysis at this level starts with an analysis of job requirements regardless of the person doing the job and is mainly concerned with the analysis of the specific content or information of current jobs. It asks questions like: what are the job requirements in terms of human resources? (Opperman, 2008, p.13). TNA considers the following questions: what jobs are to be performed and what are the prerequisite skills and knowledge to perform the task at hand? (Meyer, 2007). Task needs can be obtained by considering job descriptions, and duties or responsibilities relating to both tasks and sub- tasks.
3.3.3.5. Individual Level Analysis
Needs analysis at the individual level aims to determine whether individual employees need training or additional training, or to establish any shortfall in an employee‘s skills and knowledge that are required to perform his/her job. It basically aims to discover the gap
between an employee‘s current capacities/skills and the capabilities necessary for his/her job (Wilson, 2005). It enables the HRD unit to establish the extent to which each employee‘s skills are developed or need to be updated and whether there is any need for T&D. Needs analysis at individual level enables an organisation to determine what skills employees need at present and for the future (Opperman & Meyer, 2008). Unless the organisation accurately evaluates individual training needs, the skills acquired may not be related to their task. The inability to properly identify employees‘ training needs weakens the quality, efficiency and importance of on-the-job training and also prevent learning transfer; this undermines job performance and organisational outcomes (Rycus, Hughes, 2000).
The focus here is on the individual and it involves the diagnosis of individual employee performance to determine the level at which he/she is performing and why. Comparing an employee‘s job performance and expected job performance could determine whether there is a need for training or not. Performance data can be obtained using a performance appraisal technique and diagnostic achievement tests, as well as employee review feedback, amongst others. If deficiencies emerge, training can be designed to help the individual meet performance criteria. Needs analysis allows individual employees to reflect on their training needs and takes their career ambitions and development needs into account (NCVO, 2011).
Employees need to think about specific skill/s that they need to improve on.
Establishing the T&D needs of individual employees is not sufficient. The best T&D method/s to fulfil these needs also need to be established. Effective T&D also involves finding out how individuals have learnt in the past, what was beneficial and what they enjoyed.
3.3.3.6. Methods of Needs Analysis
Whether the training analysis is based on overall job performance or a particular aspect of a job, a number of methods can be applied to identify the training needs of the organisation, individual employees and for tasks. The methods adopted depend on the size of the organisation and the knowledge that needs to be instilled. Surveys, observations, tests, the examination of staff performance records and interviews can all be used (Akinfolarin &
Alimi, 2011, p. 104). Surveys are commonly used, primarily because they gather lots of information from a large number of employees and the data collected can be analysed using
the readily available inferential statistical method. This method is easy to administer and has minimal bias.
Performance appraisal is another commonly used method in TNA. It is usually conducted by the line manager in collaboration with the HR department. Performance appraisal exposes strengths and weaknesses in employee and organisational performance; therefore, it helps to determine whether there is a need for T&D. Performance appraisal evaluates the performance of all employees (Patton & Pratt, 2002, p. 468). Training needs can also be established through observations. This is best done by the supervisor or ―skill subject matter expert‖
(Patton & Pratt, 2002, p. 468). This method provides firsthand information about the work situation. Its disadvantage is that it is time-consuming and can only be used for a limited number of workers at a time.
Interviews are another important technique for gathering information. They help to obtain information from persons in strategic positions on the training needs of a department or group. Exit interviews provide an opportunity to gather additional information. For instance, a high staff turnover rate may indicate that an organisation has a problem. This method is favoured because it allows employees to participate fully in seeking solutions to solving their own career problems and is accepted by managers and supervisors. The main disadvantage of interviews is that they are time-consuming and require expertise on the part of the interviewer (Eramus, 2008, p. 133).
An ―assessment centre‖ can also be used to determine training or development needs. This does not refer to a physical place; rather, it depicts an approach or method. More and more organisations are using assessment centres mainly to Europe and in Africa to analyse employee competence (Byham, 2009). Assessment centres usually involve employees or participants in a range of exercises, which resemble the activities carried out in the actual job.
Assessment centres assess employees on tasks that are similar to those they perform in the workplace, and enable management to place the employee in the most appropriate training programme. This method helps the organisation to seek out good and poor behaviour and to establish more accurately which T&D activities are required. Assessment centres provide quick answers to training needs and save the organisation time and effort in placing employees in the right training programme. While it differs from traditional approaches, it is
a reputable method. The advantage of this method lies in its ability to obtain results faster than other diagnostic methods (Byham, 2009).
Questionnaires are another widely used method of needs assessment. They provide different kinds of information which include the ―needs, problems and potential problems, employees‘
perceptions, attitude, opinions ...‖ (Erasmus, 2008, p. 132). Both structured and unstructured questionnaire can be used. Questionnaires are able to reach large groups of employees and they are cost effective.
Other methods of needs analysis include the use of advisory committees. This is a group of individuals that identifies problems that require training to rectify and which need urgent attention. Skills tests are another means of detecting the availability of required skills and competencies for current and future tasks in an organisation.