Training and HRD Process Model

Book

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 Definition and Purposes of Needs Assessment

Needs assessment (or needs analysis) is a process by
which an organizations HRD needs are identified and
articulated. It is starting point of the HRD and training
process. A needs assessment can identify:
An organizations goals and its effectiveness in reaching these
goals.
Discrepancies or gaps between employees' skills and the skills
required for effective current job performance.
Discrepancies (gaps) between current skills and the skills
needed to perform the job successfully in the future.
The conditions under which the HRD activity will occur.

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 What is a training or HRD Need?

The concept of need typically refers to a discrepancy or gap between
what and organization expects to happen and what actually occurs?
Levels of Needs assessment
Level
Strategic/ Organizational
Task
Person

What is Measured
Where is training needed and in what
conditions will the training be conducted?
what must be done to perform the job
effectively?
Who should be trained? What kind of
training do they need?

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 Strategic/ organizational analysis:

Needs assessment at the organizational level is usually
conducted by performing by an organizational analysis.
Components of a strategic/organizational needs analysis:

According to Irwin Goldstein, an organizational analysis

should identify:

1. Organizational goals
2. Organizational resources
3. Organizational climate
4. Organizational constraints

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 Organizational goals:
Understanding and organizations goals and strategies
provides a starting point in identifying the
effectiveness of the organizations.

Organizational resources:
- Obviously, the amount of money available is an
important determinant of HRD efforts. In addition,
knowledge or resources, such as facilities, materials
on hand, and the expertise within the organization,
also influences how HRD is conducted.

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 Organizational climate
For example if managers and employees do not trust
one another, employees may not participate fully and
freely in a training program.

Organizational constraints
Environmental constraints include legal, social,
political and economic issues faced by an
organization. Constraints often fall within the threat
area of an organizational SWOT analysis.

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 Methods of strategic/ organizational analysis

Goldstein provides a list of questions to ask during an
organizational analysis:
1.
2.
3.

4.

5.

Are there any unspecified organizational goals that should be

translated into training objectives or criteria?
are the various levels in the organization committed to the
training objectives?
Have the various levels of participating units in the organization
been involved with developing the program, starting with the
assessment of the desired end results of training?
Are key individuals in the organization ready to accept the
behavior of the trainees, and also to serve as models of the
appropriate behavior?
Will trainees be rewarded on the job for the appropriate learned
behavior?
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6.
7.

Is training being used to overcome organizational problems or

conflicts that actually require other types of solutions?
Is top management willing to commit the necessary resources
to maintain the organization and work flow while individuals
are being trained?

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 Task analysis:
Task analysis (Sometimes called operations analysis) is
a systematic collection of data about a specific job or
group of jobs uses to determine what employees should
be taught to achieve optimal performance.
1. Develop an overall job description
2.Identify the task
a. Describe what should be done in the task
b. Describe what is actually done in the task

3. Describe KSAOs needed to perform the job.

4. Identify areas that can benefit from training
5. Prioritize areas that can benefit from training

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 Person analysis
Person analysis is directed at determining the training
needs of the individuals employee.
The sources for person analysis data include performance
evaluation, direct observation, tests, questionnaires and critical
incidents as sources of information available for person
assessment.

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 Prioritizing HRD Needs

Assuming that a needs assessment reveals multiple
needs, management and the HRD staff must prioritize
these needs.
The projected impact on organizational performance
must always be kept in mind when prioritizing HRD
needs.

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