Chapter – 01

Introduction of Human Resource

Development

Page | 1
1. Human Resource Development:
Human resource development is a process of developing skills, knowledge, and capabilities of
people in an organization. Human resource development is the framework for helping employees
to develop their personal and organizational skills, knowledge and abilities. Human resource
development includes such opportunities as employee development, employee career
development, performance management and development, coaching, mentoring, succession
planning, key employee identification and organizational development.
Human Resource Development is the part of human resource management that specifically deals
with training and development of the employees in the organization. Human resource
development includes training a person after he or she is first hired, providing opportunities to
learn new skills, distributing resources that are beneficial for the employee's tasks, and any other
developmental activities.
According to M.M. Khan, "Human resource development is the across of increasing knowledge,
capabilities and positive work attitudes of all people working at all levels in a business
undertaking."

2. The Different Stages in Human Resource Development Sides/Cycle:

Needs
Analysis

Evaluation Design/Plan

Delivery/
Implementation

Stage-1: Identification of HRD Needs:

Every work, need to HRD whether difficult or easy require good qualification to the task. Because
of that, if any employee doesn't have qualification enough to do a job/ to meet any changes that
becomes hard. So, HRD needs assessment very important to know what the trouble is and who
need improve? HRD needs assessment can be defined as determining the gap between what are
the capabilities of the current employee and what required to do. In this step must do ask questions
to ensure who needs training & developing and what essential needs? Depended on this
information that much necessary do analysis in deferent directions to identify essential needs:
Page | 2
Diagnose the performance requirements of the organization that can be improved through training
and document the expertise required to perform in the workplace.

The integrity of the TPS is in its connection to important performance goals and in answering one
or more of the following questions positively after the program: (1) did the organization perform
better? (2) Did the work process perform better? (3) Did the individuals (group) perform better? ,
Swanson and Holton (2001; 214). Based on that, there are three analyses are important to answer
these questions:

a) Organizational Analysis: Training needs can be diagnosed by analyzing organizational

outcomes and looking at future organizational needs. A part of planning for training is the
identification of the KSAs that will be needed now and in the future as both jobs and the
organization change. Both internal and external forces will influence training and must be
considered when doing organizational analysis. For instance, the problems posed by the
technical obsolescence of current employees and an insufficiently educated labor pool from
which to draw new workers should be confronted before those issues become critical.
b) Task analysis: A detailed study of a job to identify the specific skills required (Dessler,
2013; 249). Understanding shortcomings in performance usually requires knowledge about
the tasks and work environment as well as the employee. To carry out the task analysis, the
HR professional looks at the conditions in which tasks are performed. These conditions
include the equipment and environment of the job, time constraints (for example, deadlines),
safety considerations, and performance standards.
c) Person Analysis: Person analysis helps to identify employees who need training, that is,
whether employees’ current performance or expected performance indicates a need for
training. Person analysis also helps determining employees’

Readiness for training. Readiness for training refers to whether (1) employees have the personal
characteristics (ability, attitudes, beliefs, and motivation) necessary to learn program content and
apply it on the job and (2) the work environment will facilitate learning and not interfere with
performance.

Stage-2: Design of HRD Interventions:

The second phase of the training and HRD process involves designing the HRD program or
intervention. If the intervention involves some type of training or development program, the
following activities are typically carried out during this phase:

 Selecting the specific objectives of the program.

 Developing an appropriate lesson plan for the program.
 Developing or acquiring the appropriate materials.
 Determining who will deliver the program.
 Selecting the most appropriate method or methods to conduct the program.
 Scheduling the program.

Page | 3
Stage-3: Delivery of HRD Interventions:
The goal of the assessment and design phases is to implement effective HRD programs or
interventions. This means that the program or intervention must be delivered or implemented
using the most appropriate means or methods (as determined in the design phase). Delivering any
HRD program generally presents numerous challenges, such as executing the program as planned;
creating an environment that enhances learning, and resolving problems that may arise (missing
equipment, conflicts between participants, etc.), (Werner & Desimone, 2012; 29). On the other
hand, many authors are explained that there are two ways for the training. Explains training
methods by following:
a. Off-The-Job Training Methods; training which takes place in environment other than
actual workplace is called off-the job training. Off-the-job training is usually designed to
meet the shared learning needs of a group rather than a particular Individual’s needs.
Lectures, computer-based training, games and simulations are the common forms of off-
the-job training methods. Lecture is best used to create a general understanding of a topic
or to influence attitudes through education about a topic. Computer Based Training can be
defined as any training that occurs through the use of computer. Games and Simulation is
designed to reproduce or simulate processes, events, and circumstances that occur in the
trainee’s job.
b. On-The-Job Training Methods; the purpose of the on-the-job training session is to
provide employee with task-specific knowledge and skills in work area. The knowledge
and skills presented during on-the-job are directly related to job requirements. Job
instruction technique, job rotation, coaching and apprenticeship training are the common
forms of on-the job training methods. Job Instruction

Training is a structured approach to training, which requires trainees to proceed through a series
of steps in sequential pattern. Job Rotation is the systematic movement of employees from job to
job or project to project within an organization, as a way to achieve various different human
resources objectives. Coaching is the process of one-on-one guidance and instruction to improve
knowledge, skills and work performance. Apprenticeship is one of the oldest forms of training
which is designed to provide planned, practical instruction over a significant time span.

Stage-4: Evaluation of HRD Interventions:

Finally, evaluation of HRD, that means the final outcome. Do HRD is successful or not (opinions
of partnership)? Do persons benefit from the HRD process or not (extend of learning, changing of
behaviors)? And do they achieve goals? Here (Kumpikaite & Sakalas, 2011) According to Phillips
(1996), explain evaluation can serve a number of purposes within the organization. Evaluation
can help to do following:
 Determine whether a HRD program is accomplishing its objectives;
 Identify its strengths and weaknesses;
 Determine its cost-benefit ratio;
 Decide who should participate in future HRD programs;
 Identify which participants benefited the most or leased from the program;
 Reinforce major points to be made to the participants;
Page | 4
 Gather data to assist in marketing future programs;
 Determine if the program was appropriate;
 Establish a database to assist management in making decisions.
Thus, the question here how we can know are HR enhance or not? Answer that, Pareek (1978)
according to Hamblin (1974) has summarized the various techniques (38) discussed under his
five-level model. These are:

Reactions: Session reaction scales, reactions notebooks and participation, observers records,
studies of intertrainee relationships, end of-course reaction form, post-reactions questionnaires
and interviews, and expectations evaluation.
Learning: Pre-course questionnaires to instructors, programmed instruction, objectives tests,
essay-type written or oral examinations, assessment by trainees of knowledge changes, skills
analysis and task analysis, standardized tests of skill, tailormade techniques for evaluating skill,
assessment by trainees of skill changes, standardized attitude questionnaires, tailor-made attitude
questionnaires, semantic differential scales, and group feedback analysis.
Job Behavior: Activity sampling, SISCO and Wirdenius techniques, observer diaries, self-diaries
with interviews and questionnaires, appraisal and self-appraisal, critical incident technique,
observation of specific incidents, depth interviews and questionnaires, open-ended depth
techniques, and prescription for involving management in the training process.
Organization: Indexes of productivity, labor turnover, etc., studies of organizational climate, use
of job behavioral objectives to study behavior of no trainees, and workflow studies.
Ultimate value: Cost-benefit analysis and human resources accounting.

3. Various Steps Involves in the Process of Human Resource Development:

Page | 5
1. Scanning the Environment: The process begins with the scanning of the environment, i.e.
both the external and internal factors of the organization. The external environment
encompasses the political, legal, technological, economic, social and cultural forces that have
a great impact on the functioning of the business. The internal factors include the
organizational culture, hierarchy, business processes, SWOT analysis, industrial relations, etc.
that play a crucial role in performing the business operations.

The role of the HR department is to collect all the information about the immediate competitors
– their strategies, vision, mission, strengths, and weaknesses. This can be done through the
resumes being sent by the candidates working with the other rivalry firm. Through these, HR
professionals can identify the workforce, work culture, skills of the staff, compensation levels,
reasons for exit and other relevant information about the competing firm.

2. Identify Sources of Competitive Advantage: The next step in the strategic human resource
management process is to identify the parameters of competitive advantage that could stem
from diverse sources as product quality, price, customer service, brand positioning, delivery,
etc. The HR department can help in gaining the competitive advantage by conducting the
efficient training programmers designed to enrich the skills of the staff.

3. Identify HRM Strategies: There are major four strategies undertaken by an organization to
enrich the employees capabilities:
a) Learning as Socialization: This strategy includes the techniques as training courses,
coaching sessions, education programmers to ensure that the employees abide by the rules,
value and beliefs of an organization and are able to meet the performance targets.
b) Devolved Informal Learning: This strategy helps in making the employees aware of the
learning opportunities and the career development.
c) Engineering: This strategy focuses on creating and developing communities of practice
and social networks within and outside the organization.
d) Empowered Informal Learning: Through this strategy, the HR department focuses on
developing the learning environment such as knowledge about the new processes,
designing of new work areas and the provision of shared spaces.
4. Implementing HR Strategies: Once the strategy has been decided the next step is to put it
into the action. The HR strategy can be implemented by considering the HR policies, plans,
actions and practices.
5. Monitor and Evaluation: The final step in the strategic human resource management process
is to compare the performance of the HR strategy against the pre-established standards.

At this stage, certain activities are performed to evaluate the outcomes of the strategic decision:
establishing the performance targets and tolerance levels, analyzing the deviations, executing the
modifications. Thus, to have an effective HR strategy the firm follow these steps systematically
and ensures that the purpose for which it is designed is fulfilled.

Page | 6
4. What are the Barriers of Human Resource Development Strategy?
a. Lack of incentives to invest in HRD activities.
b. Lack of incentives to individuals.
c. Lack of well formulated business strategy.
d. The inability of HRD practitioners.
e. Lack of strategic understanding.
f. Prevailing organizational culture.
g. Continued dominance of short-term financial results.

5. Purposes of Human Resource Development

Four purposes of Human Resources Development are: (A) To Provide a Comprehensive Platform
For The Development Of Human Resources In The Organization (B) To provide a climate for
employees to discover, develop, and use their knowledge for the betterment of organization (C)
To retain, attract and motivate the talented employees (D) To facilitate systematic generation of
information.

(A) To provide a comprehensive platform for the development of Human Resources in the
organization:
Every HRD programmed starts with providing a framework within the organization so that
employees develop on their own-on the job. Employees would be given freedom to express their
feeling with the superiors. The superiors also respect the feelings of employees and suggest them
(not in a critical tone) so that they develop.

(B) To provide a climate for employees to discover, develop, and use their knowledge for the
betterment of organization:
Another basic purpose of HRD programmer is to create a work climate in the organization
whereby the employees contribute their best in the organization. Every employee, in an HRD
programmer, is given full freedom to exhibit his skills, talents and knowledge for the benefit of
enterprise. Innovative ideas and schemes would be encouraged and appreciated in the
organization.

(C) To retain, attract and motivate the talented employees:

An organization concluding HRD programmer has the tendency of attracting and retaining the
talented employees. People would get an impression that organization is providing a convenient
platform to fully stretch their capacities and the talented people would get motivated when their
intelligence and knowledge get recognized and acknowledged by the organization. Organizations
lacking in HRD programmers would least motivate the productive and effective employees.

(D) To facilitate systematic generation of information:

An HRD programmer facilitates the organization to get access to information on human resources
for planning, development, placement, career planning and succession planning.
Page | 7
6. Structure of Human Resource Development

Vice President for Human Resource Labor Relations Manager Training and Development
Manager Safety and Health Manager Recruitment Manager Manpower Planning Manager
Compensation Manager. Human Resource Director Labor Relations Manager Training and
Development Manager Administrative Manager. Oversees the employees in his own department
over whom he exercises a direct line of authority. He translates into action those parts of the
personnel policies and programs assigned to him.

He serves as counselor, guide, and confidant to management. He brings action all activities:
regulates and combines diverse efforts into a harmonious whole. He usually asked either to
represent management in negotiating labor contracts or to attend negotiations with unions in an
advisory capacity. His educational functions are to sell the employees’ point of view to the
employers and supervisor.

The HR manager occupies a position in a company which best provides certain services to all
employees. One of the functions of a Hr. manager is employee counselling.

The HR manager must be well informed of the activities and developments in the environment
where the enterprise operates. The HR functions require him to deal with various publics of the
company. Psychology Research and Statistics Human Resources Management Sociology
Economics

Page | 8
7. Functions of HRD
Training and development:
Training and development is aimed at improving or changing the knowledge skills and attitudes
of the employees. While training involves providing the knowledge and skills required for doing
a particular job to the employees, developmental activities focus on preparing the employees for
future job responsibilities by increasing the capabilities of an employee which also helps him
perform his present job in a better way. These activities start when an employee joins an
organization in the form of orientation and skills training. After the employee becomes proficient,
the HR activities focus on the development of the employee through methods like coaching and
counseling.

Organization development:
OD is the process of increasing the effectiveness of an organization along with the well-being of
its members with the help of planned interventions that use the concepts of behavioral science.
Both micro and macro changes are implemented to achieve organization development. While the
macro changes are intended to improve the overall effectiveness of the organization the micro
changes are aimed at individuals of small groups. Employee involvement programs requiring
fundamental changes in work expectation, reporting, procedures and reward systems are aimed at
improving the effectiveness of the organization. The human resource development professional
involved in the organization development intervention acts as an agent of change. He often
consults and advising the line manager in strategies that can be adopted to implement the required
changes and sometimes becomes directly involve in implementing these strategies.

Career development:
It is a continuous process in which an individual progresses through different stages of career each
having a relatively unique set of issues and tasks. Career development comprises of two distinct
processes. Career Planning and career management. Whereas career planning involves activities
to be performed by the employee, often with the help of counselor and others, to assess his
capabilities and skills in order to frame realistic career plan. Career management involves the
necessary steps that need to be taken to achieve that plan. Career management generally focus
more on the steps that an organization that can take to foster the career development of the
employees.

8. Role and competencies of Human Resource Development professionals

Roles of HRD practitioners
According to Clardy (2008), the issue of roles and competencies has been a theoretical and
research focus for a number of years in the HRD field. The primary reason for this is the obvious
connection between roles and competency and performance. In one such study in 2004, the
American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) identified the roles and competencies
of training professionals in the so-called “competency model” (Noe 2008). The ASTD defined
roles as “groupings of targeted competencies” (www.astd.org). They are not job titles but a set of
skills needed to empower the individual. An individual’s job may encompass one or more roles,

Page | 9
similar to different “hats” we might have to “wear”. At the top of the model, the ASTD study
identified four unique roles for the HRD practitioner (Noe 2008), namely learning strategist,
business partner, project manager and professional specialist. The learning strategist determines
how HRD programs can be best utilized to help meet the organization’s business strategy. The
business partner uses business and industry knowledge to create training programs that improve
performance. The project manager plans, coordinates and monitors the effective delivery of
training programs that support the business. The professional specialist designs, develops,
conducts and evaluates training and development programs. These four roles are considered
essential for an individual to be successful in the field of training and development.

Competencies of HRD practitioners

Coupled with the various roles are certain foundational competencies that HRD practitioners need.
The ASTD study defines competencies as” clusters of skills, knowledge, abilities and behavior
for job success” (www.astd.org). The Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)
defines competencies as “attributes that are necessary for a person to possess in order to complete
a particular job. These include knowledge, skills and abilities” (Google 2006). Foundational
competencies refer to relevant behaviors for training and development professionals. These
competencies include interpersonal, business and personal competencies. Table 1 reflects the
required competencies that were identified in the ASTD study (www.astd.org; Noe 2008).

Business competencies Interpersonal competencies Personal competencies

 Analyzing needs and  Building trust  Demonstrating

proposing solutions  Communicating effectively adaptability
 Applying business acumen  Influencing stakeholders  Modelling personal
 Driving results  Leveraging diversity development
 Planning and implementing  Networking and partnering
assignments
 Thinking strategically

9. Challenges of Human Resource Development professionals

a) Culture or attitude: Different countries have different culture and as the world has
become a global village HRD Professionals have to face the cultural challenges in different
countries or with the employees belonging to the different countries.
b) Technology or skills: The pace of technological development is very high and the new
technologies are replacing the older ones quickly. Same is the case with techniques and
technologies use for training. An HR professional has to upgrade his skills and knowledge
to meet the requirements of the new generation.
c) Values of behavior: The HRD professionals have to adjust themselves to the emerging
new values as principle centric leadership is becoming trend in the corporate world. Values
like trust credibility timeliness and the simpler rules are becoming the corners stone of many
businesses.

Page | 10
 d) Knowledge or information: Enhancement of knowledge is also a big challenge for HRD
professional as they have to understand the different philosophies demonstrated at different
places in the world. For example the philosophy related to leadership changes dramatically
in organizations from different parts of the world.
e) Life style or habits: The life style of an employee is also important for HRD professionals
because they have to understand the habits of the employees and then decide the training
that needs to be imparted for bringing a change in the habits of the employees.
f) Knowledge of new practices: An HRD professional has to be aware of the new practices
adopted by the organization around globe. An HRD professional should know about the
practices like dignity of individual, retention of employees, leadership by examples, and
clear conscience relationship with employee’s shareholder, vendors, suppliers, customers
and society at large.
g) Environment: An open environment is required for the success of an organization. The
organizational environment should have meritocracy, fearless, justice, speed imagination
and accountability. It is the job of the HRD professional to inspire the employee to perform
better ones this environment is created in the organization.

10. What are the core beliefs of Human Resource Development?

HRD professionals, functioning as individuals or work groups, rarely reveal their core beliefs.
This is not to say that they do not have core beliefs. The reality is that most HRD professionals
are busy, action-oriented people who have not taken the time to articulate their beliefs. Yet almost
all decisions and actions on the part of HRD professionals are fundamentally influenced by
subconscious core beliefs. The idea of core beliefs is discussed in a number of places throughout
this book. To describe what motivates and frames the HRD profession, we reveal for now one set
of HRD core beliefs and a brief interpretation of each.

1. Organizations are human-made entities that rely on human expertise to establish and
achieve their goals. This belief acknowledges that organizations are changeable and
vulnerable. Organizations have been created by humankind and can soar or crumble, and
HRD is intricately connected to the fate of any organization.
2. Human expertise is developed and maximized through HRD processes and should be
applied for the mutual long-term and/or short-term benefits of the sponsoring organization
and the individuals involved. HRD professionals have powerful tools available to get
others to think, accept, and act. The ethical concern is that these tools can be used for
negative, harmful, or exploitative purposes. As a profession, HRD seeks positive ends and
fair outcomes.
3. HRD professionals are advocates of individual/group, work process, and or-generational
integrity.

Page | 11
 Chapter – 03
Training Needs Assessment

Page | 12
1. Define Training Needs Assessment:
Training needs assessment (TNA) can be defined as determining the gap between what are the
capabilities of the current employee and what required to do.
Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is the process in which the company identifies training and
development needs of its employees so that they can do their job effectively. It involves a complete
analysis of training needs required at various levels of the organization.

2. Why is Training Needs Assessment?

Needs assessment is the first step in the instructional design process, and if it is not properly
conducted any one or more of the following situations could occur:
1. Training may be incorrectly used as a solution to a performance problem (when the
solution should deal with employee motivation, job design, or a better communication of
performance expectations).
2. Training programs may have the wrong content, objectives, or methods.
3. Trainees may be sent to training programs for which they do not have the basic skills,
prerequisite skills, or confidence needed to learn.
4. Training will not deliver the expected learning, behavior change, or financial results that
the company expects.
5. Money will be spent on training programs that are unnecessary because they are unrelated
to the company’s business strategy.

3. Who should participate training needs assessment?

Because the goal of needs assessment is to determine whether a training need exists, who it exists
for, and for what tasks training is needed, it is important to include managers, trainers, and
employees in the needs assessment process. Traditionally, only trainers were concerned with the
needs assessment process. But, as Chapter 2 showed, as training increasingly becomes used to
help the company achieve its strategic goals, both upper- and top-level managers are involved in
the needs assessment process.
Upper-level managers view the needs assessment process from the broader company perspective.
They do not focus on specific jobs. Upper-level managers are involved in the needs assessment
process to identify the role of training in relation to other human resource practices in the company
(e.g., selection, compensation). That is, upper level managers help to determine if training is
related to the company’s business strategy— and if so, what type of training is required. Upper-
level managers are also involved in identifying what business functions or units need training
(person analysis) and in determining if the company has the knowledge, skills, and abilities in the
work force that are necessary to meet its strategy and be competitive in the marketplace. Mid-
level managers are more concerned with how training may affect the attainment of financial goals
for the units they supervise. As a result, for mid-level managers, organizational analysis focuses
on identifying (1) how much of their budgets they want to devote to training, (2) the types of
employees who should receive training (e.g., engineers, or core employees who are directly
involved in producing goods or providing services), and (3) for what jobs training can make a
Page | 13
difference in terms of improving products or customer service. As discussed in Chapter 2, trainers
(including training managers and instructional designers) need to consider whether training is
aligned with the business strategy. However, trainers are primarily interested in needs assessment
to provide them with information that they need to administer, develop, and support training
programs. This information includes determining if training should be purchased or developed in-
house, identifying the tasks for which employees need to be trained, and determining top-level
and mid-level managers’ interest in and support for training. Upper-level managers are usually
involved in determining whether training meets the company’s strategy and then providing
appropriate financial resources. Upper-level managers are not usually involved in identifying
which employees need training; the tasks for which training is needed; or the knowledge, skills,
abilities, and other characteristics needed to complete those tasks. This is the role of subject-matter
experts (SMEs). Subject matter experts (SMEs) are employees, academics, managers, technical
experts, trainers, and even customers or suppliers who are knowledgeable in regard to (1) training
issues including tasks to be performed; (2) knowledge, skills, and abilities required for successful
task performance; (3) necessary equipment; and (4) conditions under which the tasks have to be
performed. A key issue with SMEs is making sure they are knowledgeable about the content that
training must cover as well as realistic enough to be able to prioritize what content is critical to
cover in the time allotted for the subject in the training curriculum. SMEs also must have
information that is relevant to the company’s business and have an understanding of the
company’s language, tools, and products. There is no rule regarding how many types of employees
should be represented in the group conducting the needs assessment. Still, it is important to get a
sample of job incumbents involved in the process because they tend to be most knowledgeable
about the job and can be a great hindrance to the training process if they do not feel they have had
input into the needs assessment. Job incumbents are employees who are currently performing the
job. For example, Netg, an Illinois company that develops courseware for training information
technology skills, uses academics or trainers who are familiar with course content.

4. Different methods used in training needs assessment

Several methods are used to conduct needs assessment, including observing employees
performing the job, utilizing online technology, reading technical manuals and other
documentation, interviewing SMEs, conducting focus groups with SMEs, and asking SMEs to
complete questionnaires designed to identify tasks and knowledge, skills, abilities, and other
characteristics required for a job. Texas Instruments was trying to determine how to train
engineering experts to become trainers for new engineers. All the engineers had technical
expertise. The problem was that their level of instructional expertise varied. Some had no
experience teaching, whereas others taught courses at local colleges. When new engineers became
inexperienced instructors, both the trainees and the instructors were frustrated. In assessing the
engineers’ training needs, training and development specialists used five of the six methods. They
collected information that was useful for organization and task analysis. Training course listings
and mission statements were used to identify the engineering department mission, and current and
previous course offerings were used to develop engineers. Competency studies and project
checklists were used to identify relevant tasks. Classroom observation of new and experienced
instructors was used to identify strengths and weaknesses of instructors’ presentations (person
analysis). Both instructors and no instructors were interviewed to validate the information
gathered through the written documentation and surveys. Another example is Boeing, which uses
a process borrowed from the field of artificial intelligence. Experts are observed and interviewed
Page | 14
to identify their thinking processes for solving problems, dealing with uncertainty, and minimizing
risks. The expert practices that are uncovered are then included in the training curriculum. For
newly created jobs, trainers often do not have job incumbents to rely on for this information.
Rather, technical diagrams, simulations, and equipment designers can provide information
regarding the training requirements, tasks, and conditions under which the job is performed.
Another source of information for companies that have introduced a new technology is the help
desk that companies often set up to deal with calls regarding problems, deficiencies in training, or
deficiencies in documentation, software, or systems. Help desk management software can
categorize and track calls and questions by application, by caller, or by vendor. Report creation
capability built into the software makes it easy to generate documents on user problems and
identify themes among calls. Analyzing these calls is practical for identifying gaps in training. For
example, common types of call problems can be analyzed to determine if they are due to
inadequate coverage in the training program and/or inadequate written documentation and job aids
used by trainees.
Online technology is available to monitor and track employee performance. This information is
useful for identifying training needs and providing employees with feedback regarding their skill
strengths and weaknesses. In call centers, for example, technology provides an ongoing
assessment of performance. An employee who triggers the online system by failing to meet a
defined standard, such as receiving more than five callbacks on an unresolved issue, is
automatically referred to the appropriate job aid or training event. 0nline technology has several
advantages: It provides an objective report of behaviors, the data can be quickly summarized into
reports, it does not require a trainer or SME to observe or interview employees, and it minimizes
work interruptions. However the use of online technology in needs assessment is best suited for
only a small number of jobs requiring interactions with customers through the use of a computer
or telephone. Also, for online technology to be effective, managers need to ensure that the
information is used to train and not to punish employees. Otherwise, employees will feel
threatened, which will contribute to employee dissatisfaction and turnover. Because no one
method of conducting needs assessment is superior to the others, multiple methods are usually
used. The methods vary in the type of information as well as the level of detail provided. The
advantage of questionnaires is that information can be collected from a large number of persons.
Also, questionnaires allow many employees to participate in the needs assessment process.
However, when using questionnaires it is difficult to collect detailed information regarding
training needs. Face-to-face and telephone interviews are time consuming, but more detailed
information regarding training needs can be collected. Focus groups are a type of SME interview
that involves a face-to-face meeting with groups of SMEs in which the questions that are asked
relate to specific training needs. It is important to verify the results of interviews and observations
because what employees and managers say they do and what they really do may differ. For
example, the author was involved in a needs assessment project for the educational services
division of a financial services company. The company wanted to determine the training needs of
3,000 employees including managers, no managers, and regional trainers in the needs assessment
process. The company had five regional sites geographically dispersed across the United States
(e.g., Midwest region, West region). One of the potential training needs identified by the corporate
training staff was that employees were unable to use new technologies such as the Internet to
access training programs. Questionnaires administered to all 3,000 employees to help determine
their training needs included questions related to skills in using new technology. Because there
were too many skills and tasks related to the use of technology to include all of them on the
questionnaire (e.g., how to use the personal computer operating system, Web browsers, CD-ROM,

Page | 15
spreadsheets), several general questions were included—for instance, “To what extent do you
believe you need training to use new technologies that the company is implementing at your
workplace?” Phone interviews were conducted with a small sample of the employees to gather
more detailed information regarding specific skill needs. With the increasing emphasis on Total
Quality Management, many companies are also using information about other companies’ training
practices (a process known as benchmarking) to help determine the appropriate type, level, and
frequency of training.8 For example, Chevron, Federal Express, GTE, Xerox, and several other
companies are members of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD)
benchmarking forum.

5. Major stages in training needs assessment process?

Training Need Assessment is the essential part of an organization as for an employee. When there
is gap exist between what is required of person to perform job proficiently and what they exactly
know so we conduct the Training Need Assessment Process.
There are three major steps in training needs assessment. Those are –
 Organization analysis
 Person analysis
 Task analysis

 Organization Analysis

It is the broader term that interlink between business strategic goals and person analysis, it
supports the managers, peers and employees. It determine the training resource provide them
material allocating the budget.
 Person Analysis

It refers how well an employee is doing the job and who need the training so we have several
aspects included:
Person characteristics: It shows the readiness for training their capabilities and abilities.
Input: it refers to provide the material and allocate the budget and it also tells instruct how, what,
when opportunities to perform.
Output: It is the expectation of learning and performing.
Consequence: It refers to norms, values benefits and motivation. Accepted standards of behavior
for work group members.
Feedback: It is most important whereas information that receive employees

 Task Analysis

Examines the skill and knowledge. Task analysis is result in description of work activity. It is
specific position requiring for the completion of task under certain conditions.

Page | 16
6. What are scope of training needs assessment?
 Review of current training
 Task analysis
 Identification of training gap
 Statement of training requirement
 Assessment of training option
 Cost benefit analysis of training option
 To determine causes of poor performance
 To determine content and scope of training
 It reduces gaps between employee skills and the skills required by the job
 To gain management support
 To ensure the continuing motivation, interest and satisfaction levels of organization staff

7. Some questions to be answered to make training needs assessment

successful?
The questions those should be answered are given below-

 Why do people need training?

 Who needs the training?
 When will they needs the new skills?
 Where the training may be conducted?
 How many new skills are required?

8. Systematic approach of training needs assessment?

A comprehensive training program involves the systematic development of various competencies
and facilitating the development of the knowledge, skills and attitude required by the employees
at work. It includes specific interrelated and interdependent steps which progress systematically
for getting the desired outcomes from the training & development efforts.

1. Understanding Organization’s Aims and Objectives

The systematic framework starts with the stage of understanding the organization’s aims and
objectives and the determination of the crucial strategies which will lead to the achievement of
the predefined goals/objectives. In other words, the first stage of a systematic approach to training
begins with the determination of a blueprint or a training & development roadmap.

Page | 17
2. Assessing/Analyzing Training Needs
Training Needs Assessment essentially involves assessment of the gap between the desired level
of competencies and existing competencies required for handling a job. Training Needs Analysis
aims at assessing the discrepancy between what an employee should be doing at work and what
he or she is capable of doing.

3. Determining the Aims and Objectives the Learning & Development Programmed:
Determination of the training objectives while formulating a training plan is as important as
analyzing the budgetary permutations for conducting a comprehensive training program. It details
what the trainees will be able to learn at the end of the training program and how they will be able
to apply the learning at work. If training objectives are specified well in advance during the
planning stage itself, it will improve the effectiveness of the training program and maximize the
ROI.

4. Training Strategy Design:

The Training Strategy Design stage is again a very crucial stage of the Systematic Framework of
Training & Development process. During this stage, the various possible alternatives are assessed
and compared for reaping the optimum benefits from a training & development exercise. It
includes analysis of the multiple parameters such as designing course modules/content framework,
deciding upon the training pedagogy or methodologies (Experiential or Classroom exercises),
Preparation of the Preview Learning Materials/Handouts for the trainees and identifying the
critical learning pointers for the trainees at the end of the training programmer.

5. Implementation of the Training Strategy:

During the training implementation stage, the trainer gives maximum importance to the selection
of the right training methodology for maximizing the learning experience and imparting value
with the help of the training program. The methods may vary from outdoor training to in-house
sessions, experience sharing, counseling & feedback sessions, experiential or practical training,
on the job training, job rotation, case studies, deliberations and a lot more. It is mainly about
putting the training into actual practice.

6. Evaluating the quality and effectiveness of the Training:

One of the most crucial stages of the Systematic Approach to Training is the evaluation of the
effectiveness of the training program and implementing corrective actions for overcoming the
lacuna and ensuring the achievement of the Training & Development Goals.

Page | 18