The Training Needs Analysis and How to Identify Employee Performance Gaps

1. Identify the Organization's Shortcomings

This is the first step in training needs analysis. You cannot begin without knowing where your company falls short. Which department is lagging? To recognize your shortcomings as an organization, you can:

Conduct a customer satisfaction survey

• Conduct a customer satisfaction survey: Customers are the best people to give feedback about your business. In the study, ask questions about the services you provide. Customers will provide you with accurate feedback, depending on how they were served, which can help identify the weak areas in your organization.

Employee test

• Employee test: Run a quick real-time test where you get to know how much the employee knows and how much they still need to learn. If your business handles procedural services, conduct a live practice session with each employee to see if they can perform the whole procedure successfully. While watching them, you'll be able to see how good they are and where they need training.

Have an expert perform business analysis

• Have an expert perform business analysis: It is always helpful to get a third-party (someone outside the organization) to run a business analysis of your firm. An expert, to be precise, will help you identify factors that are slowing down the business. This includes analyzing the current training program to see if it is effective as per the organization's training needs.

Once you know what the organization needs, it becomes easy to pinpoint other factors that need to be addressed. In this step, you will  identify the desired outcomes of a training program so that you can successfully design training that will achieve these goals.

2. Identify Job Role Deficiencies

What necessary skills and knowledge are expected for each job role? As technology grows, many tasks become advanced, and this may be a pain point with employees. The previous training program may no longer be useful, and a new one that incorporates the role upgrades will be required. For example, if your marketing team is used to direct marketing methods and you would like to upgrade to or incorporate digital marketing, the job role expands to require new skill sets. The marketing team may or may not be familiar with digital marketing. However, updating job responsibilities will help you know what kind of training is required of the employees.

3. Discover Individual Performance Gaps

It is valuable to analyze each employee as an individual. Just because employees are in the same department does not mean they have similar knowledge, abilities, and skills. For example, in a customer service department, one employee may be good at responding to emails, but shy with phone calls or face to face conversations. Another may be good at explaining your company's products but is not courteous to clients. Evaluate each employee to identify where they fall short and the type of training needs they require.

4. Determine Available Online Learning Solutions

After noting performance gaps in the organization, find online learning solutions that will deliver your objectives. You also have the option to create an online program. It may be costly or complicated and even ineffective, depending on your skills in designing training solutions. Therefore, it is always advisable to have a digital design solutions company of experts create a custom-made online training program for your organization. If you opt to use an existing program, thoroughly assess it to ensure it will achieve your set goals.

5. Consider the Perfect Online Training Strategy

Knowing the type of outcomes you are looking for, it is important to analyze an online training strategy. For example, what form of training will you carry out? Theoretical or practical? You will also plan for things like online employee discussions where they can share knowledge during the training or even work on projects as a team to test their teamwork skills. Would you like an assessment test after the training? It is ideal to assess employees after training to ensure they have grasped the skills and are now well-equipped to fill out the performance gap. How long will the training be and how many sections will it have?

In this step, the strategy points will help in creating an effective custom-made online training program.

Training needs analysis will help you identify employee performance gaps in your organization. You can address your findings accordingly using your online training strategy. You may also need to consider company legislation when checking employee skill sets. If an employee does not have the required education or school training, such as a legal certification of competency, you can formulate a training plan to get them certified.

Have you discovered the performance gaps in your organization (or need help doing so) and would like online learning solutions that will improve your employee skills? If so, contact Designing Digitally for a free quote.