Approaches of Training Need Analysis within the Organization and its Significance

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Critical Discussion on Approaches of Training Need Analysis within the Organization and its
Significance
According to Ford (2014), Training Need Analysis (TNA) refers to the process where a
company identifies the training and the development needs of employees so that they are able
perform the job in an effective manner. This involves absolute analysis of the training needs at
the various levels of organization. It is however important to note that technology is undergoing
change at a faster pace that also implies the rising need for training and development of the
employees. It also helps in grooming the employees for next level and also helps the managers in
identifying the key areas of development of the employees.
Sung and Choi (2014) put across that companies have various in house experts for
training the employees on the various aspects of business. Most companies works out a calendar
in advance that list the various sessions that the employees can choose as per the business
requirement for enhancing the needs of the personal development. There are even companies that
send employees for the various training programs outside organizations for getting trained in a
course that is relevant to the job profile. It is to be noted that TNA represents a part of appraisal
process where at the end of year an employee needs to complete the development and training
needs identified by manager.
Bresnahan and Johnson (2013) however put across that the training needs are necessary
whenever the employee lacks skill or knowledge in satisfactorily performing an assigned task. It
becomes necessary when there is a difference between what the employee does in the job and

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what he actually does. However there are different approaches to the training needs analysis as
put forward by the Human Resource (HR) department. These include:
Undertaking Survey involves surveying the potential trainees for the identification of
the specific topics regarding which they need to learn more. It implies that the trainees are
increasingly receptive to resulting program when they seem relevant. The expertise of the group
is either tapped through group discussion, questionnaire and group meeting.
Identification of the Group Recommendation involves group discussion and
questionnaire. Group Discussion resembles the face to face interview technique which is either
structured or unstructured and formal or informal. This can be focused on the analysis of the job
or the problem of the group. It also involves goal setting of the group or the number of themes or
task of the group. The process also involves various group facilitating techniques that involved
nominal process of the group, brainstorming, force field, mirroring of organization, consensus
ranking, sculpting and simulation. Trotzer (2013) identified some advantages of the approach.
This included on spot synthesis of the varied viewpoints, helps in building support for particular
service response and aids the participants in becoming better listeners and problem analyst. In
contrast to this, Hennink (2013) put across some of the disadvantages of the approach. This
involves immense time consuming not only for the consultant but also the agency and production
of data that seems difficult to quantify and synthesize. Questionnaire is usually in the form of
the polls or surveys of stratified or random sample of the respondents. This makes use of varied
question formats that include forced choice, open ended and priority ranking. Besides, it might
be self administered under the controlled or the uncontrolled conditions thereby requiring the
presence of the assistant or the interpreter. According to Brace (2018) some of the advantages of
the approach include reaching a larger number of people in a shorter period of time and it also