A Guide to Conducting a Training Needs Analysis [Free Template]

Want to improve employee efficiency and performance? Conducting a comprehensive training needs analysis might be your answer.

Training needs analysis is a key tool in the arsenal of any L&D professional, trainer, or training consultant. It’s effective in determining learning and development areas you need to focus on to address performance gaps that get in the way of achieving organizational goals. In this article, we will explain what a training needs analysis is, provide a guide for conducting this analysis, and helpful examples.

What is a training needs analysis?

Training needs analysis (TNA) is a process to identify the gap between the actual and the desired knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in a job.

The need for such analysis usually arises due to an organizational problem. It can be a lower-than-expected quarter for the sales team, changing technology threatening to impact the continuity of train operators, or constantly low customer satisfaction scores forcing the product team to be more agile and customer-focused. In all these instances, the problems can potentially be resolved through training.

In other words, when a lack of knowledge, skills, or abilities causes the problem, conducting a training needs analysis and subsequent training can be a viable solution.

Conversely, training needs analysis won’t be effective if it’s broader organizational issues that cause the problems. This may mean that instead of a lack of knowledge, skills, or abilities, our diagnosis may point out that sales are low because of a mismatch between the work and the rewards. Or that customer satisfaction is low because the top-down driven product strategy is not in line with what customers are looking for.

These problems cannot be solved through training (alone) but require organizational interventions.

An example we’ve run into is assertiveness training that a large county hospital was looking to purchase from a respected vendor. The problems were increased harassment incidents and medical errors caused by nurses not speaking up. The organization was looking to train these nurses on assertiveness.

During the intake, the trainer realized that the organizational culture was highly hierarchical and that it was common for people who did speak up to be fired or otherwise punished. The trainer refused to participate, explaining that the hospital first had to work on a culture where it was safe to speak up before training its staff. Doing it the other way around could have devastating consequences for the nurses.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

KSA refer to the knowledge, skills, and abilities that an employee must have to perform their responsibilities within their roles. They’re listed in the job description and guide candidates and employers to assess the person’s chance to succeed.

Topics and subjects that can be used when performing work functions when the person is hired.

• Knowledge of accounting principles and practices
• Knowledge of budget control policies and procedures

Technical or manual proficiencies are usually gained or learned through training. They are observable and measurable.

• Skills in analysis and problem-solving
• Skills in using Microsoft Excel and accounting software

Capacity to apply knowledge and skills to perform a task. It also includes personal and social traits which are innate or acquired without formal training.

• Ability to process large amounts of numerical data
• Ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines

Training needs analysis levels

There are three levels of training needs analysis based on your organization’s goals and the knowledge and skills required for goals at each level:

• Organizational level TNA – It determines training needs related to performance metrics, new employee knowledge at the company-wide level, and continuous training to optimize company performance and productivity to achieve its goals. It’s designed to address problems and weaknesses of the organization as well as to further improve the company’s current competencies and strengths. More importantly, it takes into account other factors like trends and changes in the economy, politics, technology, and demographics.
• Group/job role level TNA – This type of analysis identifies specific training needed to upskill a team, department, or business unit. Moreover, it determines which occupational groups experience skills gaps or discrepancies and ways to eliminate them.
• Individual level TNA – This training needs assessment is dedicated to an individual or individuals in a team. It is conducted in conjunction with a project or changes that could impact each team member. It is also used for an employee’s personal development for future career advancement.

What is the purpose of conducting a training needs analysis?

The purpose of training needs analysis is to identify and bridge the knowledge and skills gaps in the workforce to achieve optimal performance. TNA also uncovers the reasons for the gaps and helps determine the different approaches to removing those gaps.

• Aligning training with business goals – Alignment ensures that you’re investing in training that will help your organization achieve its business goals. Identifying the short and long-term objectives for your organization and the skills needed to achieve them helps L&D professionals to focus on the scope of the training.
• Uncovering skills and performance gaps early on – Performance gaps occur, for instance, when a business is undergoing change or new technologies emerge. As such, employees need to constantly upskill to acclimate to these changes. TNA allows organizations to resolve these gaps before they become a major issue. However, a study by PWC pointed out that only 40% of employers are upskilling their workers to address skills and labor shortages.
• Prioritizing training – A TNA will help you determine which training you need to prioritize with respect to time and budget. “Training needs analysis is critical if you want to ensure you don’t waste resources, time, and energy,” notes Emily Chipman, executive coach and principal consultant at Rushman Consulting Solutions. “When done correctly, people learn more quickly, there is a greater impact on job performance, and it reduces the frustration that comes for employees when taking on new roles and tasks, thereby impacting employee engagement.”
• Planning targeted training– You can create training plans that target exactly the skills and knowledge you identified are missing, so resources are invested properly.
• Determining who gets trained – With TNA, you can make sure that specific people get trained on what they need. Customizing your training program based on your employees’ needs allows you to maximize the benefits of your training programs.

Training needs analysis doesn’t only benefit the organization, but also positively impacts employee experience. Karolina Kijowska, Head of People & Culture at technology startup PhotoAiD, explains that they conduct training needs analysis not only when a problem arises.

“We also go for it when employees ask for more growth opportunities because we want to offer them the best-tailored training. L&D programs based on training needs analysis helped our organization raise eNPS scores from 57 to 65 points. That’s because we provide employees with the training opportunities they asked for,” Kijowska points out.

Training needs analysis best practices

• Start with the desired outcome. Identify which activities lead to these organizational outcomes before identifying training activities. This outcome can be an organizational or departmental goal. Or it could be an individual that needs improving.
• Manage expectations. Training and training need analysis requires advanced stakeholder management. Stakeholders include employees, service users (or customers), educational providers who design and deliver the program, and internal sponsors who pay for the educational event. Ensuring that the training satisfies all groups is crucial for its success. In other words, when a manager thinks a communication training session will solve all their internal problems, you need to manage their expectations.
• Use an integrated approach. Research shows that training programs that place new skills in a broader job or organizational perspective and integrate them with other organizational processes and activities are more successful. This does not mean that you cannot focus your training on something specific, but you must place what people learn into an organizational perspective.

Next, let’s have a look at how to conduct a training needs analysis.

How to conduct a training needs analysis

When conducting a training needs analysis, it is good practice to follow a standardized process.

We will go through each of the training needs analysis process steps using an example, explain the different elements to account for, and define what is needed to move forward to the next step. In our example, we will assume that a training solution can fulfill an organizational need.

Step 1. Defining organizational goals

As described earlier, a training needs analysis is always initiated by an organizational symptom or pain point. Filip Moriau calls this ‘organizational stress’ in the context of future skills in the video below.

2. Organizational level training needs analysis example

Another example of a training needs analysis would be on an organizational level. Let’s consider a simple example of a training needs analysis (TNA) conducted at an organizational level for a company experiencing a decline in sales performance over the last quarter.

An analysis of sales data and employee feedback indicates that the sales team lacks advanced negotiation skills and up-to-date knowledge of the latest product features, which are critical for closing deals.

• Increase quarterly sales performance by 15% to reverse the recent decline and improve overall revenue.

• Effective negotiation with clients to secure sales
• Accurate and persuasive presentation of product features and benefits

• Skills:
  • Advanced negotiation techniques, including how to overcome objections and close deals
  • Effective communication skills for presenting product features in a compelling way
  • Up-to-date information on the latest product features and how they compare to competitors
  • Understanding of customer needs and how the company’s products meet those needs
  • The sales team requires training in advanced negotiation techniques and an in-depth product knowledge update, including competitive analysis.
  • Organize a series of workshops on advanced negotiation skills led by an external expert
  • Conduct product training sessions to update the team on the latest features, benefits, and competitive positioning

  3. Hiring Manager example

  Steve Dion, Founder & CEO of a leadership consultancy company Dion Leadership, shares a training needs analysis example from a client. The company was looking to implement interview training on their relatively new process. A training needs analysis revealed that the problem wasn’t that hiring managers didn’t know or understand the process.

  “They too often “freestyled” their approach to interviews to fit their comfort level, thus missing key points the process was designed to address, which resulted in poor hires,” says Dion. “The training solution we designed covered not only the mechanics of the process, but the “whys” of each detail, the “unlearning” of old habits, and the clarification of expectations and support.”

  Training needs analysis template

  

  Get our free training needs analysis template to conduct effective analyses at your organization:

  Training needs analysis questions

  In each step of the training needs analysis process, you can ask specific question that will help you conduct the assessment in an effective way.

  • What problems are occurring in the organization?
  • What is the organization trying to achieve?
  • Which organizational goals require the biggest change in employee behaviors?
  • Which departmental goals are lagging?
  • Which individual performance goals should be improved?
  • Can these problems be solved through different behaviors?
  • Which job behaviors contribute to the goals defined in step 1?
  • If the listed job behaviors are ‘fixed’, does that bring us closer to the goals defined in step 1?
  • Do the listed job behaviors align with our organizational core values?
  • Which cultural cues reinforce undesirable behavior?
  • What other influences play a role in reinforcing undesirable behavior?
  • Which skills are required to display the behaviors we defined in step 2?
  • Which knowledge components are required to display the behaviors we defined in step 2?
  • Once the listed skills and knowledge components are taught, will the relevant job behaviors always be displayed?
  • What is hindering the display of relevant job behaviors once the listed skills and knowledge components are taught?
  • Is all the information required to start the training design and development process present?
  • Are there non-training alternatives that we can deploy that will have a similar effect?

  Over to you

  Training needs analysis is vital in helping organizations determine the specific learning needs of employees so that they can be more effective and productive in their roles. It can also uncover in-demand skills that are currently lacking in the workforce.

  It might be an arduous task, but without performing TNA, your training initiatives are bound to fail, and you might end up wasting company resources on irrelevant learning programs.

  FAQ

  What is a training needs analysis?

  Training needs analysis helps organizations idetify the gap between the actual and the desired knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) in a job. It can be used to develop L&D programs to train new hires, identify new projects, boost staff productivity, advance individual careers, and develop employees with leadership potential.

  Why is a training needs analysis important?

  Training needs analysis and subsequent training can help solve organizational problems caused by a lack of knowledge, skills, or abilities. Moreover, it provides the insights and steps to ensure the success of your training programs.

  How to conduct a training needs analysis?

  Conducting a training needs analysis involves four steps:
  1) Define organizational goals
  2) Define relevant job behaviors
  3) Define required knowledge and skills
  4) Develop training

  What are TNA tools?

  Training Needs Analysis (TNA) tools are methodologies and instruments used to identify gaps in employee skills, knowledge, and abilities within an organization. These tools, including surveys, interviews, focus groups, and performance data analysis, help in designing targeted training programs to address those gaps.