Who Should Identify Training Needs: Department Heads or HR Professionals? Seeking Your Insights

Dear seniors and friends,

Can you please clarify about the training needs analysis? Is it to be identified by department heads or HR professionals? Please let me know how to identify.

Expecting your reply.

Thanks,
Muthu R

Dear Muthu,

HR professionals need to undertake a training needs analysis to identify the shortcomings and gaps that exist in an employee. The gaps identified will be the areas of development in terms of training and development. Please send me your email address so that I can email you the training needs analysis template.

Training Needs Analysis is the first step of HRD. To be effective, HRD must be based on the goals to be achieved by the company and the skills needed by various employees to achieve the short- and long-term goals. Once these skills are identified, the current skill levels need to be measured, and then a training/learning facilitation program drawn up to bridge the gap. Trainers need to be aware of the theories of adult learning, and employees need to be made aware of lifelong learning in order to make learning a mutually beneficial exercise.

The training needs identification is a process to be undertaken by both HOD and HR professionals. The 4-Q Toyota model is a very good model. You may try it.

Please find attached an E-Book on "How To Identify Your Organization's Training Needs". I hope it will be useful.

Training needs analysis is the responsibility of the line manager/departmental head. However, the HR professional assists the line managers in conducting it properly. The steps are quite simple.

1. Determine the targets/goals/objectives (TGOs) of the organization, reduce them into departmental TGOs, and further into sectional and individual TGOs.
2. Identify the skill sets required to ensure the targets are achieved.
3. Assess the current skill sets of your employees against the required skills.
4. Confirm training needs if any skill gaps are identified.
5. The line manager should also evaluate employees' performance against the set TGOs. If any shortcomings are due to the employees' skill sets, a training need is established.
6. Provide appropriate training to bridge the identified gaps.

NB: This process forms a cycle that only concludes when the employee retires.

Hello Muthu. To answer your question, there are a variety of options for conducting the TNA. These range from department heads doing it on their own to HR professionals doing it on their own to both doing it together collaboratively. My advice for maximum effectiveness and buy-in by managers is for the HR department to develop the TNA process, tools, and templates (that is, the TNA system) for managers to use. Along with this should go the necessary training for managers in how to identify what problems can be solved by training and in how to identify skill gaps.

My training needs analysis page at http://www.businessperform.com/html/..._analysis.html outlines three scenarios in which TNAs need to be conducted. This page also shows a training needs analysis questionnaire template that you can use. I trust you find this useful.

Les Allan
Author: From Training to Enhanced Workplace Performance
www.businessperform.com

Dear Poovendree,

This is Ashish Singh, working as an Executive HR. Can you please send me a sample of the "Training Needs Identification"?

Regards,

Ashish Singh

Training Needs Identification is a prerequisite for training needs analysis. It tends to be a workflow-driven exercise in mature organizations.

Training needs could pertain to technical/professional knowledge, behavioral competencies (including management & leadership skills), and general awareness. Some of these needs can be defined by the employee themselves and audited by their immediate boss, while behavioral needs can be better indicated by the boss.

Some organizations use the performance appraisal system to gather this information. A few others have elaborate systems for online collection and analysis of training needs. They deploy tools such as 'Training Management Information Systems' which collect the needs, carry out competency gap analysis, prepare development plans for all employees, and also generate a Training Calendar for the organization. Such systems also provide a facility for the nomination of employees on different programs included in the calendar (or on external programs), collect and analyze employee feedback after training is completed, and monitor that each employee undergoes training as per their Development Plan. Training is tracked by the HR (Training Coordinator) by utilizing the tools available in the system, and the system efficiency is continuously improved based on feedback collected from trainees as well as their immediate bosses.

Those interested in reading more may open the relevant pages of 'EmpXtrack,' an integrated human capital and talent management solution. For the improvement in the quality of their HR services, many organizations are already using the EmpXtrack platform.

B K Bhatia

Dear MUTHU,

I would suggest you visit www.businessform.com and read the Kirkpatrick model for evaluating the effectiveness of training programs. You will get a pretty good idea of what is required. In my opinion, evaluation has to be done jointly by the immediate supervisors with the assistance of HR as advisors.

Regards,
THAKUR

There are two sets of developmental needs for any employee. One set is behavioral, where they may need to undergo training in teamwork, interpersonal behavior, cross-functional awareness, stress management, etc. The other set is skill development training. This will be decided based on any identified deficiency in their present job and preparing them for future responsibilities in case the management has worked out their career planning.

Training needs should not be unilaterally decided by the boss, but they should be discussed with the concerned employee, and a consensus training needs package should be arrived at.

Having worked in a large corporation, I know that this activity is often taken as a ritual ("KHANA PURTI"), and enough interest is not taken in arriving at the training needs. In some cases, the training package is decided first ("SQUARE HOLE"), and then candidates ("ROUND PEGS") are frantically searched to attend the program. In such cases, money is wasted.

Hi,

Please find attached our monthly newsletter on training needs analysis, which was published last month. Kindly review it and feel free to reach out for any further queries. The template may vary from organization to organization and process to process.

Thank you.

Hi,

Sorry for not attaching the file in my earlier reply. I have now attached the file. Thank you.

Hi,

Training Needs Analysis (TNA) cannot be conducted in isolation by the HR division. It must involve collaboration with line managers, specifically the immediate supervisor, rather than necessarily the Division head. Once the TNA is discussed with the immediate supervisor, it should be verified and confirmed with the divisional head.

Other sources of TNA also depend on the industry you work in. For instance, customer feedback or surveys are crucial, along with regular references to customer service if you are in the service or retail industry. Additionally, TNA varies based on the grade you hold within the organization.

I hope this information is helpful.

Cheers,
Meetali

Hi,

I agree that HR will start with TNI drive, but the role of dept. HOD is also important parallelly. That's why training is required. Questions to consider include whether any changes will be made, what expectations there are from the department after training, whether the training and development align with business/company goals, and how the training will benefit individuals, departments, and the company.

Dear Muthu R,

Training needs to be identified by heads, but the whole process needs to be taken care of by the HR team. It's basically a mutual process where department/process heads recommend members for specific training, and the HR team leads the further process.

The training branch of the HR team can prepare a training calendar in advance and send it to all departments and heads so that they can refer to their team members accordingly. This is for general routine training.

For specific trainings, we can seek help from monthly or quarterly review meetings where management or the head of the department can suggest conducting specific trainings to bridge the gap and achieve the upcoming targets.

Regards,
Varun R.

Dear Mr. Muthu,

The analysis of training needs and follow-up actions need to be well planned and executed. This teamwork needs to be done by all functional heads, HR professionals, and in consultation with individuals concerned for whom the training is being planned. The appropriate time for planning this activity is during appraisals and evaluation of performance either at the time of completion of initial training and probation as applicable. There is no doubt that HR has a role in this and it needs to be done in consultation with all concerned, keeping in view the performance evaluation.

Thank you,
Sagala Amarnath

Hello,

Training needs analysis is the first step in ensuring effective training delivery. In my opinion, it should be first done by the employee himself, the immediate supervisor, or both through mutual discussion to identify the individual's needs in reference to what the employee is expected to contribute. A prime example is when the company introduces new products, and salespeople are required to completely understand the product to effectively sell it in the market.

THAKUR

Training Needs Analysis/Identification (TNI) is identified as follows. This is how I have drafted it according to the ISO 9000 department procedure. We are implementing the TNI one year in advance (TNI for 2010-2011 is identified in 2009-2010 at BHEL):

- By the boss for his subordinate
- By the subordinate themselves
- By the HoD for their department
- By the CEO for the organization
- By the concerned department head depending on the function

Based on the above needs, we freeze the annual training calendar. We conduct approximately 350 programs per year, available to all employees in the month of April annually.

Dr. Sunderam

Hi everyone,

If possible, please send me the details of any training related to the pharmaceutical sector offered by any company. The information I am looking for includes:

1. Training needs analysis.
2. Training design.
3. Cost-benefit analysis of any training provided by the company.

Thank you.

Hi everybody, I would like to request a sample of a training needs analysis questionnaire. I am new to the training department and would appreciate some tips on conducting TNAs and developing SOPs. Please assist me with this. Thank you.