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There is an axiom which states that all training provision should be based on the
accurate identification of learning needs. However, all too often the actual process of
identifying training needs is undertaken in a 'quick and dirty' fashion or, worse still,
omitted altogether. This factsheet outlines an approach that will help to ensure that
training supports organisational objectives.
Learning or training?
Strictly speaking, the analysis of gaps in knowledge and skills identifies what
employees will need to learn in order to be fully competent in the jobs they will be
doing now and in the future. How these gaps are filled may involve formal or informal
training provision, or other opportunities for the necessary learning to be carried out.
However, training and learning professionals have been using the acronym ‘TNA’ for
the process of identifying these gaps for many years, and this factsheet follows that
tradition, without necessarily insisting that the means of filling the gaps is through
formal training.
TNA is the systematic gathering of data to find out where there are gaps in the
existing skills, knowledge and attitudes of employees. It involves the gathering of
data about existing employees’ capabilities and organisational demands for skills,
and the analysis of the implications of new and changed roles for changes in
capability.
It often flows from the business strategy, as the aim of identifying needs is to be able
to build a plan to offer appropriate learning opportunities to fill the gaps identified and
ensure that there is sufficient capability for the organisation to meet its objectives.
• For the individual - often this will take place at appraisal with the
employee and their line manager. Needs may cover enhancing skills to
improve performance on the current job, to deal with forthcoming
changes, or developmental needs that will enable the individual to
progress their career.
There is a need for L&D/HR to ensure that analyses at these three levels are
considered in conjunction with one another. One effective way of doing this is via a
two way dialogue with managers when information is being sought for a TNA, and
when the results of the analysis are communicated.
In some organisations an organisational level analysis is only undertaken for
particular reasons, for example, a change in overall business, HR or learning
strategy, or when key leaders change. In others it can be an annual process or
updating. At a departmental level, L&D may initiate the process when they feel that
training or learning provision may have moved out of alignment with business
strategy, or when major change is being planned. For individuals, the review of
current skills and learning needs often is planned into the performance management
or appraisal process. See our factsheets on performance management and
performance appraisal for more information.
Knowing what jobs will be done, now and in the future is the first step. Then comes
the more detailed analytical process for each category of employees covered:
• What capabilities will be required to carry out the job? (the person
specification)
• What capabilities do existing employees possess? (a formal or informal
skills analysis)
• What are the gaps between existing capabilities and the new
requirements? (the learning specification).
Capability analysis
The task then becomes one of comparing current and new roles with the demands
set out in your organisation’s framework, or against generic frameworks. Where
current employees’ capabilities have also been matched against a framework, then it
becomes easier to identify the gaps.
‘Attitudes’ or motivation, or personal interests are very important inputs to the TNA.
For example the AMO theory of Appelbaum et al1 states that performance is a
function of employees’ Ability, Motivation and Opportunity to participate. Where
changes impact adversely on individual motivation, or, for example, involve the
breaking up of existing teams, then some of the plans set after the TNA may include
organisational development interventions to investigate people’s issues and find
ways of realigning their views with the organisation’s objectives.
Either the three categories or your organisation’s competency framework are needed
to ensure that when new jobs are created, existing ones are changed, and new
people recruited, a full comparison is made between current capabilities and job
demands.
Technology and How jobs are done now, in terms of organisation and resources
organisation of available. What technologies do people use, and how this might
work change. Changes may also be planned in terms of numbers of
people to carry out the targeted performance or in terms of the
way they are supervised or managed.
Employee Who is currently employed in the area you are analysing. Whether
demographics numbers are increasing or decreasing, who is joining and leaving.
What categories of employees are included.
Past experience What previous knowledge, skills, and behaviours have been
expected in the past, and are required currently. This may be
linked to the organisation’s competence framework. Experience of
past training interventions.
Job roles / What individuals are doing at the moment, and what implications
responsibilities any changes will have for their roles.
Length of time in The length of time people have spent in their current role might
job have an important bearing when it comes to meeting any
identified training needs.
Employee attitudes How employees feel about change that is going on and whether
and culture they see it as opportunity or threat. How this will affect their
willingness to learn and acquire new skills. Whether the
organisation wants to change attitudes, for example in the way
customers are treated, or to focus on particular performance
standards.
In deciding what types of data need collecting, it helps to rule out those which won't
or aren't likely to be relevant and then 'go' with the rest. In terms of relevance, it is
essentially a question of looking at why the TNA is being undertaken in the first
place, the range of job holders involved, and the number of people that will be
included. If there is change, this may include an examination of all groups of
employees who may be impacted, directly or indirectly.
Having planned the extent of the analysis, including the types of data which will need
to be collected, the next stage is to decide how the information required can be
collected. Some possible ways of collecting data are:
Much of this data will be sensitive, particularly where knowledge and skills gaps are
exposed for individuals, so their needs have to be respected. In addition, there are
often times when major change is planned from which learning needs will arise, and
senior management wish to keep the plans secret. In these situations, the learning
professionals may need to convince senior management that they will need to gather
data in order to plan timely interventions that will contribute to the success of the
initiative, and that this can be done in a way that maintains confidentiality.
Line managers and their staff may be guided to look at individual needs for learning
and training at the time of performance appraisal. Sometimes this may be done by
comparing the level of competence achieved by the individual against the
organisation’s competence framework. Even if this level of structure is not available,
then a statement of what the individual needs to learn in terms of new knowledge,
enhanced skills and changes in attitude is prepared at appraisal time and may be
built into a personal development plan.
Line managers need training to carry out effective appraisals and to identify needs –
CIPD members can use our activities for improving appraisal skills. There is also a
case study on our website looking at the approach taken by TNT UK Ltd, the express
and logistics delivery service.
Effective liaison with a business partner can also help the process and provide L&D
with the information on the individuals’ needs. This process may be more difficult
when an individual seeks more long-term career advice, or has aspirations outside of
their current function. Again, a close liaison between L&D and the line managers can
overcome these issues.
Collating the information from the TNA will allow a number of outputs:
All these outputs will need to be discussed and agreed with the stakeholders
concerned – most obviously senior management, and managers of the people
covered by the TNA.