Training & Development Needs Assessment: Communication Skills at M&S

This report presents a comprehensive training and development needs assessment, focusing on communication skills within an organization, likely Marks and Spenser. It explores the reasons for undertaking such an assessment, justifying the chosen group communication method, and evaluating its effectiveness. The report also examines the potential negative outcomes of inadequate planning and execution of the needs assessment process. It highlights the importance of addressing communication barriers arising from diverse cultural backgrounds to enhance employee skills and organizational productivity. The assessment emphasizes the need for effective training programs to improve communication, foster better relationships, and ultimately contribute to business success. This document is available on Desklib, a platform offering study tools and solved assignments for students.

Running head: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Training and Development
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................2
1. Explain the reasons for undertaking training development needs assessment............................3
2. Justify the method that is chosen:................................................................................................4
3. Evaluate the needs assessment process used...............................................................................7
4. Examine possible outcomes if needs assessment is not properly planned..................................8
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................9
Reference List:...............................................................................................................................11

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Introduction:
With the rapid progress of globalization business organizations are not restricted within a
specific geographical boundary. In order to draw the attention of global customers organizations
have to expand their entire business process in multinational countries. Communication is one of
the most prominent issues due to which organizational service providers have to face immense
barrier in maintaining effective rapport with the customers. Marks and Spenser is one of the
most prestigious British multinational retailers occupying dominant place in various geographic
locations (Marksandspencer.com, 2018). While making an effective communication inside and
outside the workplace professionals are facing immense barriers due to the entrance of cross-
cultural barriers. People from various geographical backgrounds and attitudes would have to
focus immense challenges in sharing views and thoughts with each other due to communication
barrier. However, this very specific study has focused to give in-depth overview on how
effective training and development session on communication skill would be more effective for
enhancing professional skill and competency level of professionals.
1. Explain the reasons for undertaking training development needs assessment
As per the socio-cultural environment of Australia, it has been observed that people from
diverse cultural backgrounds and attitudes are associated with the business organizations of
Australia. Marks and Spenser is not exceptional to that. This particular organization based on
the skills and competency level of employees has hired the people from different cultural
backgrounds as well as attitudes. As a result, communication barrier is one of the most
prominent issues based on which the organizational productivity is getting hampered. As per the
opinion of Sawitri and Muis (2014), effective communication helps an organization to maintain a

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good rapport among the employees. People belonging to various geographical backgrounds and
attitudes may not be flexible in sharing necessary information regarding the business services
due to language barrier (Murphy, 1995). As a result, customers have to suffer immensely in
getting the services within proper time. Organization has to face difficulties in achieving the
peak of success. In this kind of situation, human resource managers have to take an initiative on
training and implementation program.
The most significant reasons for undertaking training development needs assessment are
as follows:
 Training development needs assessment on communication skill helps to enhance the
professional skill of the employees. Employees feel comfortable to exchange their views and
thoughts regarding the business goal. As a result, both the business employers and business
employees get equal priority and response (Brewster, 2017). Business managers do not have
to face difficulties in taking collective decision with each other. Organization would be able
to expand their business beyond going regional boundary.
 With the rapid growth of globalization business organizations are targeting the customers
from various geographical boundaries (Kissane et al., 2012). While grabbing the attention of
global customers, the service providers of Marks and Spenser should render multi-lingual
flexibility for drawing the attention of people from various cultural backgrounds. As a result,
an effective training is needed based on which the employees would be flexible to deal with
cross-cultural people.
In addition, effective communication helps to build personal rapport among the
employees. In order to provide effective services towards the business organization employees

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need to keep up their enthusiastic zeal. Otherwise, the employees would be able to provide their
best effort towards services. An effective communication and development training would enable
the employees of Marks and Spenser in maintaining effective rapport with each other. As a
result, they would not have to stay with monotonous workflow. As a result, both the customers
and the employees would be equally satisfied from the employers (Moser, 2012). It is undeniable
however that the business sustainability of an organization is highly dependent on the flow of
communication that is followed at the workplace. Based on the business sustainability the image
and reputation of the brand would be highly dependent.
2. Justify the method that is chosen:
While conducting communication development plan Marks and Spenser has decided to
use group communication method in order to involve the employees from diverse cultural
backgrounds and attitudes. Group communication is primarily constituted with two major ways
including small group communication and large group communication. In small group
communication plan, employees are familiar to each other Curtis et al., 2013). Generally, people
from a specific team are involved in small group communication method. On the other hand, in
large group communication method participants may not know each other. In this kind of
situation, the trainer has to take major initiative in interacting with every single participant
effectively.
However, Marks and Spenser primarily follows small group communication method for
developing the communication skill and competency level of the employees. By involving one
particular team from each department, the trainers like to provide effective guidance on how to
improve communication skill. In a group communication, every participant has equal right to

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share their views and thoughts with each other. Trainers like to raise a specific topic based on
which participants tend to maintain an argumentative conversation (Goetsch & Davis, 2014). As
a result, employees who were not very much familiar to other members due to invert nature
become expressive after sharing their thoughts and views.
While maintaining this very specific group communication method, trainers tend to
follow relevant communication models, which help the communicators extensively in
understanding the entire communication flow (Ruck & Welch, 2012). The model of Shannon
and Weaver implies that sender tends to encode the message by using a specific channel to the
decoder. If the receiver gives an effective reply to the sender, the entire communication would be
successful.
Figure 1: Shannon-Weaver Model of Communication
(Source: Bresnahan & Johnson, 2013)

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The role of an efficient trainer would be maintaining coordination between sender and
receiver. Due to the language barrier, encoder sometimes fails to transmit messages to the
receiver. Trainer in that situation plays the role of an intermediary who helps to reduce the
communication gap between two employees (Keep, 2014). As per the initiative taken by human
resource manager of Marks and Spenser, the appointed trainers by using interactive method try
to enhance the communication skill of the employees who have linguistic barrier. As a result, the
communication barrier that actually happened between two persons of different cultures was
overcome. In addition, employees after getting guidance from a professional trainer can get the
opportunity to improve their skills and competencies (Eggenberger, Heimerl & Bennett, 2013).
As a result, customers get immense systematic response from the service providers, which
ultimately left a positive impact in achieving business success.
3. Evaluate the needs assessment process used
While focusing on small group communication method the trainers have to face immense
challenges as well. Mort Feldmann, Level and Liu (2013) emphasized that while employees are
involved in a small group communication, trainers do not get the scope in evaluating the
performance level of an individual. In some cases, it has been observed that an individual due to
introvert kind of nature is unable to express point of views in front of large number of people.
While participating in a group communication that employee is still unable to expose in front of
everyone. In this kind of situation, the trainer is unable to enhance communication skill of that
individual. However, Buabeng-Andoh (2012) opined that interpersonal communication method
is more effective in improving the performance level of an employee. Interpersonal
communication method enables to maintain an effective face-to-face communication with each
other. In this very specific conversation, the employee can expose personal issue to the trainer.

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After identifying the issue, trainer can select appropriate training and development method for
that individual. Therefore, it is observed that these particular employees would be able to rectify
the mistake more quickly.
As per the opinion of Brewster (2017), training and development on interpersonal
communication skill is a long-term method. Organization has to bear large amount of money for
providing individual training in quest of developing communication skill and competency. As a
result, human resource managers of Marks and Spenser would have to face innumerable barriers
in implementing individual training and development session. However, after making an in-
depth evaluation about the various aspects of training and development session it can be
concluded that group communication method is very much effective in making collective
decision. As per the opinion of Bratton and Gold (2017), with the help of an effective group
communication method, employees get the opportunity to enhance personal skill and knowledge.
In addition, with the help of participative form of decision making managers do not have to face
challenges in taking any kind of strategic decision. In addition, every organization tends to fix up
a certain amount of budget for training and development purpose. Therefore, individual training
method on communication skill may be expensive for Marks and Spenser.
4. Examine possible outcomes if needs assessment is not properly planned
Brewster (2017) stated that arranging training and development session is not the
ultimate. The organization has to focus on planning and implementation program. In order to
plan an effective training on communication skill human resource managers have to be
concerned on using some of the major training instruments such as technological devices,
necessary physical equipments, an organized room and so on. After arranging these props, the

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human resource managers have to plan on how to implement this training program so that it can
be effective for the employees. Buabeng-Andoh (2012) opined that if the technological devices
were not well set up within training room, the trainers would not be able to show their
demonstration with the help of audio-visual aid. Trainees would feel bore if the entire training
method is based on lecture and verbal presentation.
In order to make an effective audio-visual presentation the technological devises would
have to be active and prominent. In addition, the trainers should have the competency in
overcoming any kind of technological barrier. Eggenberger, Heimerl and Bennett (2013) opined
that trainer should have alternative props as well based on which they can handle the
technological barrier and continue the development program. In addition, due to the lack of
proper physical equipments such as chairs, pen-drives, black boards, electricity and on the entire
planning method can be demolished. Therefore, the human resource managers have to make a
major concern regarding those training instruments.
Moreover, barrier may arise on the planning, method training, and development program
as well. If group communication method does not become fruitful for developing the
competency level of employees of Marks and Spenser, the trainer would have to use alternative
method as well. Otherwise, the objectives of training and development program would be
meaningless. In addition, Marks and Spenser would have to focus on needs and demands of the
employees as well. Bresnahan and Johnson (2013) opined that if group communication method
does not become effective for the employees, the entire budget allocated for the training and
development plan would be fruitless. Therefore, Marks and Spenser should follow alternative
development plan as well based on which the trainers after facing any kind of crisis at the
workplace can easily overcome the challenge.

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Conclusion:
The entire study has provided detailed analysis on how training and development session
on communication skill would help the employees of Marks and Spenser in evaluating their
competency level in dealing with the customers. Communication is one of the most prominent
issues due to which organizational service providers have to face immense barrier in maintaining
effective rapport with the customers. People from various geographical backgrounds and
attitudes face difficulties in dealing with the service providers of Marks and Spenser due to
communication issue. Therefore, human resource managers of this organization after identifying
the issue of communication have focused to provide training and development session on
communication skill. As a result, people of diverse cultural backgrounds and attitudes are able to
communicate with each other effective. In this very specific study, various importance of
arranging this kind of training and development session is discussed. The methods that are used
for conducting the training and development session effective are discussed effectively.

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Reference List:
Bratton, J., & Gold, J. (2017). Human resource management: theory and practice. Palgrave.
Bresnahan, M. M., & Johnson, A. M. (2013). Assessing scholarly communication and research
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Brewster, C. (2017). The integration of human resource management and corporate strategy.
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Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper
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