Some thoughts on training

Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is a term used often but perhaps sometimes without a full appreciation of what a TNA is or what it can do for an organisation.  The power of a TNA comes from its approach of looking at the training needs within an organisation from the widest possible perspective, ideally involving a training professional who has both experience of TNAs and an understanding of how to interpret the results.  The results of a well-executed TNA are an organisation with a very clear purpose and direction to their training, and a better motivated and engaged workforce.

The basic premise of a TNA is that it identifies the gap between the skills an organisation needs and those that its workforce have; this gap may be due to a current lack of training in certain areas or perhaps a changing need for workforce skills as a result of new equipment or working practices.  The accurate identification of this gap can only be achieved through the conduct of a thorough analysis of all aspects of the organisation - it’s not limited to just the training department.  This is most often where d.i.y. TNAs come unstuck and why training managers find themselves confused about why the new training course they commissioned still isn’t fully preparing the workforce as they’d planned.  Bolt-on solutions can work and do work, but accurately identified and bespoke courses can be much more powerful. 

TNA is a whole-organisation tool that takes a fresh look at the targets, the philosophy, the diverse nature of the workforce, the working practices and much more, to give a more focused direction to your staff training.  A well-conducted TNA has the real power to enhance development of business objectives, as well as to create a more motivated and sustainable workforce.