Training and Development Program: Need Assessment

This article discusses the importance of need assessment in training and development programs for organizations. It covers the identification of performance gaps, methods of need assessment, and possible outcomes if not properly planned or conducted. The article uses Barista Information Technology Limited as an example to demonstrate the need assessment process. The specific need for improvement in team working skills is highlighted, along with recommendations for conducting need assessment in an adequate manner.

Running Head: Need Assessment 1
Training and Development Program

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Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Identification of performance gaps.............................................................................................................4
Justification of chosen method....................................................................................................................5
Evaluation of need assessment process......................................................................................................5
Possible outcomes if needs assessment is not properly planned or conducted..........................................6
Recommendations.......................................................................................................................................6
Summary.....................................................................................................................................................6
References...................................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
The training and development program helps to acquire a set of skills and improve employee
performance. It is necessary to conduct the need assessment within the organization because it
facilitates to achieve the goals and reduce the performance gaps (Thornton & Knight, 2015). The
Inconsistency between the current condition and desired condition can be evaluated to properly
recognize the needs. Barista Information Technology Limited is taken to demonstrate the needs
assessment which aids to identify the performance gaps. It is a manufacturer of mobile phones
and other electronic devices. Various methods are involved under need assessment which shows
the requirement of training and development program within the organization. An improper way
of conducting need assessment may bring the issues which can lead the organization into adverse
situation.

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Identification of performance gaps
It is necessary for the organization to recognize the performance gaps otherwise it will lead
organization in wrong track where it has to face huge losses. There are various steps to recognize
the performance gaps such as recognize skills required, evaluate the performance of team or
individual, measure result and establish the development program (Patil & Kokate, K2016).
Performance gap analysis involves the comparison between actual performance and desired
performance. The performance gaps are mentioned below in the context of needs assessment.
Lack of teamwork skills
It is vital for the organization to have the collaboration and capability among employees. Barista
Company has more than 400 employees in which team are divided to accomplish the process of
manufacturing; the team should have the individual ability and motivate each team member to
improve the productivity of the team.
Improper flexibility and creativity
Innovation is integral part for the technology company to remain in the competition. There is a
lack of flexibility and creativity in the company that may lead the company in to adverse
situation. There is necessary for the company to conduct the training and development program
to fill the performance gap (Ford, 2014).
Learning environment
Learning environment can amplify the productivity of the employee in an adequate manner. It is
found that Barista Company has no effective learning culture in the company that prevents every

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person to endeavor different things in different department. Lack of learning culture can be the
cause of low morale of the employees (Wilson, 2014). It is a big performance gap that represents
the need assessments. Interview is come under quantitative research method which facilitates to
accumulate data as per face to face discussion.
Lack of right people in the organization
Barista Technology Company produces mobile phones and other electronic devices as per the
latest technology and technology has been changing rapidly. Therefore, right people in the
company than best one will provide better performance as per the changed technology. There is a
lack of understanding between groups that reflects the requirement of need assessment within the
organization (Catteau, Piaton, Nicolas, Hennequin & Lassauzay, 2016).

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Justification of chosen method
There are some methods of need assessment that helps to find the place or activity where training
and development program is required. Interviews, surveys, customer feedback, focus groups and
observation have been chosen to conduct the need assessment for Barista Technology Company.
Interviews
Interview process has chosen because it provides immediate feedback from the employee of the
company regarding the issues and investigates probable results (RHD Action, 2016).
Interviewers read the question which presented in the survey questionnaire. It can have huge
understanding of issues and the perception or point of views of each individual of the
organization can be analyzed by approaching this method. I observed that there is a lack of team
work skills that enlarge the performance gaps within the organization.
Survey
Survey is efficient approach to recognize the insufficiency in particular areas of the organization.
A questionnaire has been prepared in which 10 questions regarding team performance, learning
environment, support from leader and adaption of latest technology has been involved. These
questions are more focused towards the needs of the employee and the concerns which they have
within the organization. This method has opted because it can cover large audience in less time.
Customer feedback
Customer feedback is the effective method of need assessment that aids to provide the
information about the area which requires improvement for satisfied the customers. Barista

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Technology Company is connected with large number of customers. Customer feedback has the
potential to make improvements with constructive feedback and get significant approach about
the target audience. This method has opted because it helps to evaluate the performance gap in
an appropriate manner so that training and development program can be conducted for specific
areas to make effective change in the organization (Data-driven Aid Logo, 2016).
Focus groups discussion
It is the method in which 10 participants involved of the Barista Company to discuss about the
concerns. It is the qualitative research method which involves certain questions regarding
training and development program. This method has opted for need assessment because it
includes the instant answer or majority of responses of specific question (Social Cops, 2017). It
has been observed that training program is required for developing the team working skills for
amplifying the revenues.
Evaluation of need assessment process
After considering the different method of need assessment, it is vital for the company to evaluate
the need assessment process. It has been evaluated through analyzing the aspects of performance
gap that there is a requirement of training program in the company. Different methods have been
used to conduct the need assessment which represents the need of training program for
improving the team working skills (Katzenbach & Smith, 2015). It is the specific need which
should be improved to enhance the capability and collaboration among team members. Training
program is considered as the solution of many problems within the organization that able to
increase the productivity of the employees. It would be helpful for the company to bring the
flexibility and creativity in the organization so that innovation can be done by involving groups

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of the company. Learning environment will increase due to effective training and requirement of
right people with different skills to fulfill the needs of the company (Keville, et. al., 2017). There
is a need of improvement in leadership skills to motivate employees which can be resolved by
conducting training program.
Organizational analysis
It has been evaluated that organizational analysis helps to determine the need of training in the
organization to attain the goals. It has been found in the company that there is a lack of learning
environment which impacts the team working skills. It can be fulfilled by conducting training
program because it approaches every person to learn and involve in new things. The specific
need of improving team working skills can be enhanced appropriately by conducting training
program (Taplin, Foster & Shortell, 2013). The methods of need assessment are helpful to find
out the particular part where training program can bring the change in the positive manner.
Person analysis
There is a lack of guidance from leaders of the company that increase the performance gap and
enhance the need of training. It has been evaluated that many leaders of the organization do not
give proper attention to the employees that may bring a breakthrough in the company. It shows
the gap between current condition and desired condition which can be accomplished with the
help of training program. Team working skills can be improved if each team member has the
potential to handle the situation.
Task analysis

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Task analysis can be done by breaking job into major functions and break functions into major
tasks. There is a need of free work environment in which employees of the company can do their
experiments. Distributed team should be delegated responsibilities as per their efficiency which
can be examined through training program. The training program enables employee to involve in
various activities on the behalf of team which will improve the productivity of the employee as
well as organization (Ferreira & Abbad, 2013).
Performance analysis
Performance of the employee is vital for the organization as it increase the revenue of the
company. Need assessment has ability to find out the gap between current performance and
desire performance and make prepare employees both mentally and physically to involve in the
training. There is a two kind of training programs such as on-job training and off-job training
which can be helpful to increase the team work skills of the employee (Silberman & Biech,
2015).

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Possible outcomes if needs assessment is not properly planned or conducted
Need assessment should be conducted in an adequate manner because inappropriateness in the
need assessment may bring the adverse situation in the environment of the company. It will have
impact on the performance of the company. Need assessment is essential because training
program might be incorrectly used as a resolution to a performance concern. Need assessment
helps to prevent unnecessary expenses on the training program of the company which is
unrelated to the organization’s business strategy due to improper planning of TNA may cause the
unnecessary expenses. It is a strategic process which should be conducted before implementing
the training program as it aids to find out the performance gap to improve the specific areas of
the company for improvement. There are 400 employees working with Barista Information
Technology Company to provide the quality products in technology to the customers. The
current and potential customer may get dissatisfied from the services due to ineffectiveness of
need assessment. As it has been analyzed that there is a need of team working skills which is
identify with the help of need assessment. In case need assessment is conducted without proper
planning or using proper method, it would be difficult to evaluate the area which requires
improvement and training program would be conducted for wrong purpose or area of
improvement (Salas, Cannon-Bowers & Weaver, 2017). It increases the attrition rate within the
organization and due to lack of managerial skill and better understanding between employee and
employer cannot retain employees as well as customers.
Recommendations
It is recommended to the Barista Information Technology Company to conduct the need
assessment program with full efficiency because it helps to find out the major performance gap

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for which training program is required. It has been found that team working skill is the major
need for the company to improve the productivity of the organization. It should be considered by
the company that every person has different skills and potential that should be observed while
conducting need assessment process. Along with that adequate instruments should be found to
motivate trained employees and increase the number of trainings. Trainings require to be targeted
in order to connect with the requirements of the job and to escape go beyond of the participants.
Training need assessment should be revised and executed in an adequate manner accordingly.
Company need to focus on improving the team work skills as it is the need and specific area to
improve. Lack of improvement in specific areas may affect the other areas of the organization
(Smith, 2017).
Summary
It has been summarized that training and development program is essential process of every
company. It increases the productivity of the employee which impacts the revenues of the
company in positive manner. The need assessment process has been implemented in the Barista
Information Technology Company to identify the gap between the current outcome or conditions
and potential conditions or outcomes. It is vital for the company to conduct or plan need
assessment process for the company in an adequate manner otherwise it may lead the company
in adverse situation where employees can get frustrated and attrition rate can increased. The
possible outcome due to ineffective need assessment has been evaluated. There should be proper

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planned need assessment to reduce the unnecessary expenses and increase rate of unsatisfied
customers.

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References
Catteau, C., Piaton, S., Nicolas, E., Hennequin, M., & Lassauzay, C. (2016). Assessment of the
oral health knowledge of healthcare providers in geriatric nursing homes: additional
training needs required. Gerodontology, 33(1), 11-19.
Data-driven Aid Logo, (2016). Why needs assessments are so very important. Retrieved from:
http://datadrivenaid.org/2015/04/why-needs-assessments-are-so-important/.
Ferreira, R. R., & Abbad, G. (2013). Training needs assessment: where we are and where we
should go. BAR-Brazilian Administration Review, 10(1), 77-99.
Ford, J. K. (2014). Improving training effectiveness in work organizations. Psychology Press.
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organization. Harvard Business Review Press.
Keville, S., Conlan, L. M., Adlington, B., Brindley, R., Abraham-Smith, K., Shaverin, L., ... &
Nel, P. W. (2017). Can voicing conflict within experiential learning groups facilitate
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RHD Action, (2016). Need Assessment Tool. Retrieved from:
https://rhdaction.org/sites/default/files/RHD%20Action_Needs%20Assessment
%20Tool_FINAL.pdf.

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Salas, E., Cannon-Bowers, J. A., & Weaver, J. (2017). 12 Command and Control Teams:
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