What is a training needs analysis?

Proper training and development is vital to ensure that employees have the knowledge and right skills to be able to do their work effectively and competently. A training needs analysis is a powerful tool that can help organisations identify their priorities and develop a training plan that fits to their needs. In this CPD article, we will cover what a needs analysis is, the importance of effective training, and steps to conducting a training needs analysis.

What is a training needs analysis?

A training needs analysis is a process used by businesses to identify key areas in which staff require training, which is also delivered within a specific amount of time. The purpose being to improve employee job performance, including professional growth and progress. A training analysis reviews current methods within an organisation and can pinpoint any knowledge or skills gaps amongst staff. This allows a business to create fit-for-purpose learning and development rather than investing excess time and money in areas where this isn't needed.

Importance of a training needs analysis

Training needs analysis has an increasingly high importance as it can assist organisation’s with getting their learning and development priorities in order. However, this process is often overlooked when developing a training program for staff. Some of the benefits of creating an effective and efficient training program based on a learning needs analysis include:

• Better-performing employees - Reskilling employees is crucial for all companies as skills, service and motivation can be positively impacted. Learn more about the importance of upskilling and reskilling in our previous article.
• Employee Retention - Employee training is a key factor when it comes to employee retention. When learners are more engaged, they will likely find new roles within the company rather than look elsewhere, thus increasing retention rates.
• Helps identify employee needs - A training needs analysis can help give a clear view of what skills and experiences are needed for employees. Rather than hinder future company growth and waste budget, it allows organisations to create a learning and development plan based on facts rather than assumption.
• Budget wasting - Providing ineffective or surplus training is a mistake organisations make time and again. When a company has identified exactly where training is needed, costs are reduced as budget isn't being spent on training which is ineffective.

Steps to conduct a training needs analysis

At the heart of any good training analysis or program is an understanding of which skills need to be developed to get your company and people closer to your goals. For your training needs analysis to be effective, you will need to break down this down into some key stages to achieve the best possible results:

1. Determine your goals

Goals are constantly growing and changing within an organisation as well as the roles and responsibility that your employees hold. Your current training programs need to reflect the company’s short and long term goals and ensure they are aligned.

2. Run a cost analysis

When you are planning, you should include calculating costs and estimate the return on investment that you expect from creating and conducting the training programmes.

3. Select candidates

To ensure your budget is not going to waste, you need to determine what employees or departments require a training analysis. One way to understand who requires training is providing a survey to employees. The purpose of this is to gain insights into the level of skill they currently possess, and their training desires.

4. Identify necessary skills

Once you’ve chosen your candidate(s), you need to review their role and identify the skills required to perform the job successfully.

5. Assess skill levels

It would be advisable to measure current knowledge and skill of employees through assessments, quizzes and testing. 

6. Find the experts

Finding subject experts within your company who know the ins and outs of the training topic will be beneficial as they’ll be able to give the most recent and useful information.

7. Design and deliver your training

Once this is all done, it is time to build the training program that will not only cover any skill gaps your employees may have, but also increase their performance. The training approach should focus on what learning styles, goals and business goals the company is wanting to achieve.

What are the three levels of training needs analysis?

Organisational Level

Before taking a look at individual needs within a company, it is advisable to look at the overall organisations training needs. As companies have specific goals, what training programs can be used to help your company to reach its objectives? This doesn’t mean that employees are not taken into consideration, but by conducting a training needs analysis on an organisational level, it helps to determine areas of concern within the company and what necessary training is required.

Team Level

Analysis of training and company needs should also be undertaken at team level. This is important to a company as it is good to know what level of skill a team has, what objectives the team has set for themselves and what the desired business objective is. This takes into account both individual and organisational levels, however the main goal for a team level training analysis is to figure out how teams can work together as effectively as possible.

Individual Level

Conducting an individual level training analysis is useful to seeing how well employees are doing. This can be done via one-to-one meetings and can allow employees to reflect on their own training and learning needs in relation to their objectives at work. When there is more of an understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of employees, it allows organisation's to take relevant steps of action, whether that be a training programme that the employee has to complete or other forms of Continuing Professional Development.

Becoming an accredited training provider

We hope this article was helpful. The CPD Certification Service is the world's leading and largest CPD accreditation organisation, with over 25 years’ experience supporting certified CPD providers across all industry sectors. If you provide training courses, workshops, eLearning and virtual events that may be suitable for Continuing Professional Development, please contact our team to discuss in more detail.

Alternatively if you are looking for a free online CPD record tool to help manage, track and log your ongoing Continuing Professional Development, as well as store your personal training record and CPD attendance certificates in one simple place, please visit the myCPD Portal page.