Training Assessments

Has this ever happened to you?  You are have been contacted by your C-Suite team, asking you to 'do a training' to fix what they perceive as a problem.  You politely smile, agree to the challenge.  You head back to your office and wonder, "Where to begin?

Let's start at the beginning ... (cue the Sound of Music soundtrack...) "A very good place to start!"

 

Where DO you begin? The Training Needs Assessment

 

 A Training needs assessment is a crucial process for every business looking to maximize employee potential and increase overall productivity. The success of a training program is largely dependent on identifying the skills, knowledge and/or motivational gaps and choosing the appropriate learning interventions.  Below is a guide I use when I conduct an effective training needs assessment for your businesses. 
 

Introduction
Training programs are essential for keeping employees updated with new technology, work processes and equipment as well as developing new skills that are critical for achieving business goals. However, it is crucial to identify the training needs of employees and provide them with the correct training programs. Conducting a training needs assessment is the first critical step towards designing a successful program. 
 

Step 1: Determine the Purpose of the Training Program 
The training program's purpose should be clearly defined before conducting a training needs assessment. This will ensure that the focus of the assessment is on the specific skills, knowledge and/ or motivational gaps that need to be addressed.  I typically as 'Why?' five times.   

 

For example, the Operations Manager of a Service Company comes to me and asks for a Customer Service Training for her team.  I ask, "Why? What are your 'pain' points?"

She replies, "Well, the guest satisfaction scores are lower than we'd like and I think a good customer service training will fix that." 

I ask, "Why are guests ratings for customer service low?" 

She states that she is unsure why the ratings are low. She just knows what the survey scores are indicating; guests are giving the service 3 out of 5 stars. 

Again I ask, "Why?  Why are the questions on the survey not specifically asking guests to give more detail concerning the satisfaction scores they give?"   Another 'Why?' question is, "What are you observing from the employees interactions with the Guests that makes you believe a change is needed?" 

"Well, they aren't engaging with the Guests.  The Guests arrive and the employees aren't smiling and they do not appear as though they want to even be there." 

"Why is that?" I ask.

"Well...  I don't really know. " she states in a flat tone.

"Have you done an Employee Satisfaction Survey?" I reply.

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You already see where this is heading.   Sometimes in our quest to give leadership what they are asking for ends up being the very thing they do not need.  Worse yet, they don't know what they need.  They, like so many other business leaders, assume they know, judging by their observations and customer survey results.  

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This is why asking 'Why' at least 5 times will help uncover the root cause of issues that need fixing.  In the scenario above, the root cause was not a lack of customer service knowledge.  Therefore, spending money to create a customer service training would be an ineffective use of resources, time and energy.  

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Once the Business Leadership has a full understanding of the root causes, a purpose for the training can be clearly identified.  Only then can the creation of the learning program begin.  However....  in this scenario, we still don't know what the root cause truly is.  That is why a Training Needs Assessment can help all stakeholders see the problem, define the root causes and develop the 'fix' to the skills, knowledge and/or motivational gaps.

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Step 2: Identify the Skills, Knowledge and/or Motivational Gaps 
It is crucial to identify the current capabilities of employees and areas where they require improvement. A variety of techniques can be used for this purpose, including interviews, surveys, focus groups, observation, performance evaluations and training needs assessment templates. 

Here are some great tools.

Step 3: Prioritize the Skills, Knowledge and/or Motivational Gaps  
Prioritizing the skills, knowledge and/or motivational gaps  is critical in developing training programs. Some skills may be more important than others, and it is essential to focus on the critical skills (or the lack thereof) that will have the most significant impact on the business. This reminds me of a conversation I had with a General Manager who raised the concern about training his team only to have them leave to go somewhere else with all that new-found knowledge.  My reply was simple, "Imagine not training them and they stay..."  

 
Step 4: Determine the Learning Objectives 
After identifying gaps, learning objectives should be developed. Objectives should be specific, measurable, and achievable. These objectives should help define the learning needs of the organization and be aligned with the overall organization's strategic goals.  To create an objective that is anything less is missing the bull's eye.  And, in an economy where organizations are operating with extremely lean budgets, a learning objective that does not support the organization's strategic goals is a waste of resources.  

Step 5: Identify Training Methods (Modalities)
After defining the learning objectives, the organization can identify relevant and feasible training methods based on resources available.  Here are 14 of the most commonly used training modalities used in businesses, today:

1. eLearning

2. On-the-Job Training

3. Instructor-Led Learning

4. Roleplaying

5. Coaching

6. Simulation Training

7. Collaborative Training

8. Video Training

9. Cross-Training

10. Job Shadowing

11. Case Studies

12. Peer-to-Peer Learning

13. Spaced Learning

14. Gamification

 

The cost of modalities used can vary greatly so if your company does not have resources allocated to these modalities, it might be a good idea to hire Creative Learning Solutions to build a solution to fit your budget.

Step 6: Evaluate the Effectiveness of Training 
The sixth and final step in creating a training needs assessment is evaluating the training effectiveness. This is essential to determine if your training program has achieved its objectives. Evaluation can be done through pre and post-training assessments, surveys, focus  groups, interviews and formal / informal observation. 

 

This evaluation goes far beyond the 'smile face' that indicates if Participants enjoyed the class.  We must look at the business' bottom line.  Are employees implementing the new skills and knowledge that were taught?  Do we see practical evidence of improvement in performance? Are Guest satisfaction scores going up? Are revenue streams increasing? Is business profitability on the rise? If the answer to all those questions are "Yes!", that is awesome! Next, we ask, "By how much?"  To prove a solid ROI (return on investment), we need quantifiable numbers by converting the data of evaluation into monetary figures.  

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How to Calculate ROI

ROI is a commonly used metric to evaluate the profitability of an investment. It is an important tool that provides a clear picture of how successful a Learning & Development program investment has been.  It is calculated by comparing the benefits of the training program to the costs associated with implementing the program. The formula for calculating ROI is essentially (Benefits - Costs) / Costs x 100, which gives you a percentage value. 
 

To calculate the benefits, we must consider the tangible and intangible benefits. Tangible benefits may include

• increased productivity 

• new revenue streams gained since the training

• higher Guest satisfaction resulting in higher sales and repeat business

• new skills implemented that reduce critical errors

• cost savings gained by reduced turnover rates 

• improved employee motivation or job satisfaction

 

The costs of implementing the program, on the other hand, may include:the cost of :

• hiring trainers,

• technology used during the training,

• related administrative expenses incurred during the program's implementation. 

 

Overall, we must compare these benefits with the costs to determine whether the training program is worthwhile or not. Ideally, we want to see a positive ROI, meaning that the benefits outweigh the costs.

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                                                >>> (Benefits - Costs) / Costs X 100 = ROI % <<< 

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Conclusion
Conducting a training needs assessment is an important process that ensures employees have the skills and knowledge required to achieve organizational goals. In conducting a training needs assessment, it is important to determine the purpose of the training program, identify skills, knowledge and motivational gaps, prioritize these gaps, determine learning objectives, identify training methods, and evaluate the program's effectiveness. Training programs customized based on training needs assessment is essential for business success, and it ensures a positive return on investment. 

Contact us, today, in the form below to see how Creative Learning Solutions can provide your company with a Training Needs Assessment and a positive return on your learning investment!
 

 

 

Reference
Noe, R. A. (2020). Employee training and development (8th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.