TRAINING NEED ASSESSMENT:

CONCEPT & METHODS

Dr. Parveen Agaz

Senior Management Counselor
Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM)
 TRAINING NEED ASSESSMENT: CONCEPT & METHODS

Training may be defined as the process of increasing

knowledge, developing skill and molding attitude of
an individual so that his/her job performance is
improved in a predetermined direction. It simply
implies that training does not exit for its own sake
rather it aims at changing the job behavior of an
individual to improve his/her job performance at a
desired level. To be effective, a training program
should be tailored to the needs of an individual or to a
particular target group. Therefore, to design a need
based training program, training needs assessment is a
prerequisite.
TRAINING NEED ASSESSMENT: CONCEPT & METHODS

The phrase ‘need’ implies that something is lacking-

there is a shortfall somewhere. The word ‘training’
further implies that this lack can be supplied by
systematic training. It can thus be said that a training
need exists when the application of systematic training
will serve to overcome a particular weakness.

Training need assessment is a process of identifying

the performance problem and making a distinction
between those that are responsive to training solutions
and those that require other forms of solutions.
 Training needs which may be expressed as the gap
or difference of the actual performance from the
standard performance. A few of them are given
below:

Training Needs = Desired performance-actual

performance
Training Needs + (Importance- level of Competence)
+ Interest
D = M-I 
Where D = Deficiency, M = Mastery and I Initial
skill Repertories
 TRAINING NEED ASSESSMENT:
CONCEPT & METHODS

The above formula relating to training needs do

not take the complex organizational system into
consideration. It is pertinent to mention that an
organization is a system which is composed of
multiple sub systems. All or any of them any be
responsible for poor performance of an
individual part from his lack in knowledge, skill
and attitude to perform a job satisfactorily.
 The organizational sub systems are follows:
•Human sub-system •Organizational sub-system
knowledge structure
skills leadership
attitudes performance assessment
  etc.
•Technological sub-system  
equipment •Social sub-system
methods groups
processes teams
work-flow norms
•  informal communication
•Financial sub-system  
liquidity •Information sub-system
cash flows communication channels
payment structure communication procedures
etc. budgeting procedures control procedures etc
 performance of a particular Manager which may be
lower than that planned for due to the possible
reasons as specified below.

1) Imrea;ostoc target-setting (Technological system)

2) Lack of competency (Human system)
3) Lack of motivation (Human system)
4) Inappropriate office procedure and method
(Technological system)
5) Working environment (Technical system)
6) Poor leadership (Organizational system)
7) Group norms (Social system)
In the light of the above, it may be said that poor
knowledge, skill and attitude are not solely
responsible for undesired performance of an
employee. All other sub-systems may be
contributory to this performance deficiency. Some
experts term these factors that affects an
employee’s performance at job as restraining
forces. So while identifying the training needs, one
must segregate the restraining forces from the gross
deficiency to identify the net deficiency which can
be put right by imparting systematic training.
 The managers or the practitioners may use the following
set of equations to identify the training needs of the
employees of their respective organization.
D = Rp – Ap .. .. .. I
Ap = C – Rf .. .. .. II
or D = Rp – (C-Rf)
or D = Rp – C + Rf
or D – Rf = Rp – C = D
 
Where D = Gross Deficiency or Gap;
Rp = Required Performance;
Ap = Actual Performance;
Rf = Restraining forces, such as motivation, pay structure, etc
D = Net Deficinecy of the required and actual performance arising
out of skill and knowledge deficency;
C = Competencies.
 There are in fact three main areas to which the
term ‘training need’ may be applied
1) Needs at organization Level
Here we are talking about general weaknesses. We are trying
to highlight where, in the organization, training is most
needed.
2) Needs at Employment / Task level
By this we mean what is needed, in terms of skill,
knowledge and attitude, to carry out the various duties
related to a particular job or occupation.
3) Needs at individual level
Here deficiencies in particular skill, knowledge and attitudes
on the part of individuals are determined.
 Methods of Training Needs Assessment are follows: 
Methods for Organization Analysis:
• Comparison of the achievement with the goals and objectives of the
organization
• Analysis of manpower inventory.
• Analysis of skill inventory.
• Examination of complaints
• Analysis of efficiency indices such as, productivity, costs quality,
wastes, downtime, late deliveries, repairs and so on.
• Changes in technology
• Analysis of organization climate indices namely, labor – management
data, e.g., strike. Lock-outs etc., Grievance, absenteeism and turnover
rate, house keeping and safety data, employee suggestion and attitude
surveys.
• MBO workshops
Methods for Employment/Task Analysis:
• Job analysis
• Comparison between actual performance and
performance requirements in term of knowledge,
skills and attitudes.
• Work sampling.
• Questionnaire for supervisors, incumbents and sub-
ordinates.
• Analysis of operation procedure.
• Review of reports, records, research publication
and other literature.
 Methods for Individual Analysis:
• Performance appraisal • Surveys
• Interviews • Dairies
• Questionnaire • Observations
• Tests • Self analysis
• Analysis of behavior • In-basket analysis
• Check list • Role playing
• Counseling • Case study
• Informal talks • Assessment center
• Critical incidents
 Plan for Training NeedAssessment:

– What information we need to gather.

– What are the best sources.
– Who will get the information.
– What method we should use.
– How to compile the information
THANKS