Learning Needs Analysis: Identifying and Addressing Learning Gaps

This essay delves into the critical topic of learning needs analysis, exploring the identification and assessment of skill gaps within organizations. Focusing on the job or occupational level, the essay examines the discrepancy between required job qualifications and employee capabilities. It introduces a comprehensive approach, considering organizational objectives, employee qualifications, and task requirements. The essay uses MTN's call center as a case study to illustrate the practical application of these concepts, emphasizing the importance of training in bridging identified gaps. Furthermore, the essay discusses the significance of ongoing analysis and alignment with organizational goals. It concludes by highlighting the role of practice and different approaches in achieving desired learning outcomes, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive approach in determining learning gaps. The essay uses references to support arguments.

Learning Needs 1
LEARNING NEEDS
By (Name)
Course
Professor’s name
University name
City, State
Date of submission

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Learning Needs
Though learning needs may seem to be straightforward, there are times when this is not
the case and a deep analysis is required to identify the needs. Most importantly, when there is a
difference between the expected outcome and the real outcome, then an analysis is required
mainly to identify the cause of the difference. Though not always, a persistent difference may be
caused by lack of certain requirements needed to achieve the expected outcome. Some of the
required amendments may be the identification and provision of the learning needs which is
classified into three categories viz job or occupational level, individual level, and the
organizational level. In this essay, the focus shall be on the job or occupational level and shall
incline broadly in discussing how learning needs are identified and the methods used to identify
these needs. The essay will streamline in focussing the understanding of learning needs, how
these literature learning can be implemented in the real world, reasons for choosing a certain type
of approach and the synthesizing of the literature work in the real world. The second part shall
include collaboration where a certain review shall be discussed and lastly a conclusion.
Job or occupational level approach in determining the learning needs in relation to a
specific job or task. The approach mainly considers the difference between the job requirement
which is usually laid out in a job description and the qualification of the employee holding that
specific position or who is intended to occupy the position. One can argue that the person who
fulfills all the requirement should be the one to be hired but this is usually not possible since
rarely do you find such a person (Rumsey et al, 2013). In that reality, the hiring is done to the
person who possesses most of the qualification as described for that position. When the hiring is
done, then the hired person is trained so that they can fully qualify to perform the tasks
associated with that position. This can be done through the process known as induction where the

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newly hired person is accorded the on-job training (Mupepi 2017). Learning needs can,
therefore, be said to be the gap between the employee’s knowledge, skills and experience and
those required to perform the tasks involved in a certain position.
According to Bryman and Bell (2015), usually the literature in class contains a
qualitative approach and seems like just a belief and a layout of how things are supposed to be
executed. The challenge comes in when converting this knowledge into the actual activities. The
challenge comes in when in the real world one gets different circumstances that require that
knowledge that was taught in class (Fry et al 2014). In relation to this, we will be inclined to look
at MTN which is a telecommunication company and our focus shall be on their call center
department.
The approach adopted here is the comprehensive approach in that the needs of an
organization in terms of objectives are looked into, the qualification of the employee in a specific
position and the requirement to perform the tasks associated in that position. Since the
achievement of an activity expected outcome is the main reason an employee is engaged, this
approach seems to take care of all the requirements’ considerations in order to achieve the
expected outcome (DeNisi and Griffin, 2017). In that sense, all the aspects of the analysis seem
to be considered since the organization, tasks, and individuals are considered.
In a call center, the main objective is to handle all customers’ needs exhaustively and be
able to solve their problems to their satisfaction. In this sense, one needs to handle all the queries
with deep knowledge of the organization activities to the expectation of the customer (Michael
2013). In a comprehensive approach, the organization objective is considered in the sense that
the organization requires their customer to have a sense of care and a customer attraction and
retention objective is assumed here. To achieve the maximum outcome, the employees are first

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introduced to the systems of the call center for example how one handles the telephone,
introduction part, and handling of the customer. It also involves training on how to access
customer information and transferring calls if need be. The second part involves the training of
the activities and products of different department and those of the company as a whole (Mellow,
2014). For the part of the middle managers, it does not only involve training on handling
customers but also the junior employees. The gap is identified by how the employees perform
and what is expected.
Collaboration
According to Ferreira (2013), the analysis looks at two perspectives which is, first where
are we? And secondly, where do we go? In his argument, history is important but should not
form the main base for determining the training needs. According to Ferreira (2013), an analysis
should be carried out every now and then to determine the present position and situation and
align it with the organization’s objective. If there is a deviation between the requirements of the
two, only then the approach can be implemented so as to align the current position to the future
organization goals and objectives.
Conclusion
According to the science of training and development of an individual in terms of the
skills gained through learning, it’s is said that practice is what makes it perfect. It can greatly
influence the effectiveness of an outcome. Achieving the desired results will only depend on
what happens during the process of learning. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge that
different situations require different approaches. In this sense, the learning needs require
approaches that shall bring the required outcome. A comprehensive approach is among the best
approaches for determining the learning gap. Not always that the learning needs are

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straightforward but sometimes an analysis of the causes of the gap between the expectation and
the actual outcome is required. If it is understood that the cause of the shortcoming is brought
about by the learning gap, only then that the learning and training should be the solution.

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References
Bryman, A. B. A., 2015. Business Research Methods. illustrated, annotated ed. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Denisi, A. Griffin. R., 2017. HR. 4 ed. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Ferreira, R., 2013. Training needs assessment: where we are and where we should go. BAR -
Brazilian Administration Review, Volume vol.10 no.1 Rio de Janeiro, p. 14.
Fry, H. et al., 2014. A Handbook for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: Enhancing
Academic Practice. Revised ed. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge.
Mello, A., 2014. Strategic Human Resource Management. 4 ed. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Michael, A., 2013. Knowledge Management and Competitive Advantage: Issues and Potential
Solutions: Issues and Potential Solutions. Hershey: IGI Global.
Mupepi, M., 2017. Effective Talent Management Strategies for Organizational Success.
Hershey: IGI Global.
Rumsey, G. et al., 2013. Personnel Selection and Classification. Hove: Psychology Press.