Need Assessment

Session 6
Chap - 4
Pages 106-133
 Needs Assessment
• A process by which an organization’s HRD needs are
identified and articulated
• An organization’s goals and its effectiveness in reaching
these goals
• Discrepancies or gaps between employees’ skills and
the skills required for effective current job performance
• Discrepancies (gaps) between current skills and the
skills needed to perform the job successfully in the
future
• The conditions under which the HRD activity will occur
 Needs Assessment
• When it is not conducted:
– A needs assessment can be a difficult, time-
consuming process
– Action is valued over research
– Incorrect assumptions are made that a needs
assessment is unnecessary because available
information already specifies what an
organization’s needs are.
– There is a lack of support for needs assessment
What is a Training or Development ‘Need’

• Gap
• Diagnostic needs
– Focus is on the factors that lead to effective
performance
• Analytic needs
– Identify new or better ways to perform tasks
• Compliance needs
– Mandated by law
 Levels of Needs Analysis
• Strategic/organizational analysis
• Task analysis
• Person analysis
STRATEGIC / ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS

• Components of a Strategic/Organizational
Needs Analysis
– Organizational Goals
– Organizational Resources and Core Competencies
• Strengths / Weaknesses
– Organizational Culture and Climate
– Environmental Constraints
• Legal, social, political, and economic issues faced by an
organization
 STRATEGIC/ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS -
Advantages
• Strengths and weaknesses of the present workforce
• Potential changes to HR policies needed to match new
organizational strategies
• Training and HRD implications connected to changes in
organizational strategy
• Appropriate training and HRD delivery mechanisms to
match organizational strategy
• HRD evaluation efforts to demonstrate the
contribution of HRD to the strategic management of
the organization
Sources of Strategic/Organizational Analysis

• Organizational Goals and Objectives

• Human Resource Inventory
• Skills Inventory
• Organizational Climate Indexes
– Labor-Management data— strikes, lockouts, etc. Grievances,
Turnover, Absenteeism, Suggestions, Productivity, Accidents
Short-term sickness, Observation of employee behavior, Attitude
surveys, Customer complaints
• Analysis of Efficiency Indexes
– Costs of labor, Costs of materials, Quality of product, Equipment
utilization, Costs of distribution, Waste, Late deliveries, Repairs
Sources of Strategic/Organizational Analysis
(Contd.)
• Changes in System or Subsystem
– Inputs , outputs, throughputs
• Management Requests or Management
Interrogation
• Exit Interviews
• MBO or Work Planning and Review Systems