4 Tips on How to Better Assess Training Needs

Sometimes when we are called in to help a company solve an important performance problem, we recommend a thorough assessment to determine the root cause and the best next course of action. 

Unfortunately because many executives have been victims of poorly run, invalid and inconclusive surveys, it is not unusual for them to roll their eyes at the thought of wasted time and money. How could we blame them for their reactions? To provide real value, training needs assessment surveys need to be just the opposite. 

After more than two decades helping clients get a better handle on what they need to do to pinpoint development needs and improve performance, we know exactly how to go about the survey process. The key is to make sure that any assessment is used to properly initiate the change process, align leadership and employees, pinpoint skill gaps against a proven standard, customize training, predispose participants and guide coaching and individual development plans.

Here are four tips critical to success.  The surveys must be:

1. Action-driven, not opinion-driven assessments.
When you invest in a company-wide needs assessment, you owe it to your workforce and your leadership to ensure that smart decisions will be made and targeted action will be taken as a result of what you learn. Surveys should not be distributed for curiosity’s sake but to get a handle on exactly what needs to change to improve performance and, ultimately, business results.  Only begin an assessment if you are willing and able to do something about what you find.

2. A reasonable survey length.
If a training assessment is too long, you risk overtaxing the patience of the respondents and putting too great a burden upon those who must interpret the results. Shorter assessments when properly designed and customized will give you the information you need without wasting anyone’s time.

3. Properly introduced and implemented learning assessments.
Employees need to understand that the survey has a clear objective and believe that the findings will make things better for them as individuals, for their team and for the organization as a whole. Relevancy is critical.  And, for them to be candid, the anonymity of responders must be guaranteed. 

4. Training assessments focused on the issues and situations that will have the greatest impact on business performance.
First you need to be clear about the strategy and business priorities of the organization. Then you need to identify the critical few behaviors that drive toward those goals. The survey questions should be targeted to get at how well and how often your people are exhibiting those behaviors. The gap between where they are and where they need to be will define the areas that need improvement. Choose the few most critical moves to make rather than spread your efforts too broadly. 

The Bottom Line
Use proven training needs assessments to target performance improvements that will have the greatest business impact.  Practitioners who measure and share the link between behaviors and results make a true difference. 

Learn more at: http://www.lsaglobal.com/training-needs-assessment/