Part 2:
Conduct a Needs Assessment
Training
and development processes begin with a needs assessment. Given the economic
pressures that businesses face today, it is imperative that those needs be
connected to specific organizational performance issues. There are three
different forms of analysis you will need to complete.
- Organizational analysis involves determining the appropriateness of training given
the organization’s business strategy, its resources available for
training, and support by managers and peers for training activities. - Person analysis involves (1) determining whether performance deficiencies
result from a lack of knowledge, skill, or ability (a training issue) or
from a motivational or work-design problem; (2) identifying who needs
training; and (3) determining employees’ readiness for training. - Task analysis identifies the important tasks and knowledge, skill, and
behaviors that need to be emphasized in training for employees to complete
their tasks.
Hints for
a Successful Needs Assessment
As you
conduct your needs assessment, you may want to consider four potential sources
of information that may help you in your analysis. Information such as employee
turnover analysis, incident reports, long-range production goals, employee
satisfaction studies, and physical plant layout can tell us a lot. Examples of
other documents you may wish to consider include the following.
- Business documents: Key business documents can be used to determine areas of poor
performance and developmental needs. Such documents may include - unit
productivity reports; - customer
satisfaction surveys; - communication
survey reports; and - competitive
analysis reports.
- Organization survey: Questionnaires can be created that probe for areas in which
systems, structures, or processes are not functioning as intended. They
can be used to look toward group, departmental, or individual
issues. (Submit your survey to be used for gathering data by the
end of Week 3—70 points.)
For the
needs assessment, you will want to consider potential sources of information
that may help you in your analysis. This assignment is a building block toward
compiling the information for the project. You will create a survey or
questionnaire to be used for gathering the data.
Assessment
Questionnaires: Questionnaires can be created that probe for areas
in which systems, structures, or processes are not functioning as intended.
They can be used to look toward group, departmental, or individual issues. See
the information below regarding ideas for your Assessment Questionnaires.
Remember to place the paper in the Week 3 Organization Survey Dropbox by end of
day Sunday MT of the Week 3.
Potential questions include:
1. I am involved in decisions that directly affect my job.
2. My supervisor communicates with me on a regular basis.
3. I clearly understand what is expected of me.
4. I am rewarded for good performance.
5. My opinion has been asked regarding what needs to change in my work
area.
6. I understand why the decisions that affect my job are made.
7. My supervisor gives me information that is important to me.
8. I have the skills necessary to perform my job properly.
9. I am rewarded for working well with others.
10. I receive frequent feedback on my performance.
11. I believe the information that I receive from my supervisor.
12. I have the tools necessary to perform my job properly.
13. My job leaves me with a sense of accomplishment.
14. I understand the information that I receive from my organization.
15. I am encouraged to make decisions that affect my job.
16. I am encouraged to communicate with my supervisor.
17.Team goals are supported throughout my organization.
18. My organization treats all employees well.
19. I have the information necessary to make decisions that affect my
job.
20. I am encouraged to communicate with others.
21. The feedback that I receive is directly related to my job
performance.
22. My organization treats all employees fairly.
23. My supervisor allows me to communicate my thoughts without fear of
reprisal.
24. The feedback that I receive is constructive in nature.
25. My organization is interested in the growth and development of its
employees.
26. I believe the information that I receive from my organization.
Observations: Individuals can be observed onthejob and their interactions and
activities noted for further analysis. Observations can include
1. how individuals communicate (time spent, amount of detail,
responsiveness);?
2. how individuals make decisions (time spent, involvement sought, etc.);
and?
3. how work is performed (under pressure, in groups, etc.).
Interviews: Interviews can be conducted in person or via a distributed
questionnaire that probe for areas where performance may be improved. Potential
interview questions include the following.
1. What do you think the most important part of your job is? What is least
important?
2. What would you like to learn to make your job easier or better? What are
the programs, processes, or resources available for you to learn from?
3. How have you developed the skills that you have?
4. Who brings problems to you and what kind of problems are they? How do
you usually solve them? Who do you ask for help?
5. What do you find most frustrating about your job?
6. What would you like to be spending your time doing? What would need to
happen to let you do that?
It is up to you to determine the methodology to be
used in conducting the assessment. Considerations should include the
willingness of the organization and its employees to provide information, the
availability of information from the organization to be studied, and the
availability of individuals in the organization to be interviewed/observed.
The nature of the needs analysis, of course, also
should be based on the type of assessment desired. Given the broad coverage of
the course, assessment may include, but would not be limited to, the following.
1.
Group processes and group effectiveness
2.
Departmental effectiveness
3.
Decision-making process effectiveness
4.
Individual skills development
5.
Group skills development
6.
Career development
Needs Assessment Design, Implementation, and | 75 | Design a needs assessment that analyzes |
