Training Need Assessment Essay Example

stresses, organizations can provide training as a means of development. Training needs differ based on individual circumstances, similar to how a plate of food holds varying degrees of value for someone who is hungry versus someone who has already eaten a full meal.

For effective worker training, it is crucial to provide tailored training based on individual needs. Without considering these needs, the training will be useless for workers and unbeneficial for the organization, resulting in a wasteful expense. Therefore, trainers should perform a need assessment prior to implementing any program. Training and Development involves interventions aimed at enhancing knowledge and skills of individuals within organizations by designing and delivering learning experiences that improve performance. Ultimately, systematic training programs are intended to enhance worker proficiency, abilities, and job task skills.

Various Human Resource professionals have devised definitions to uphold the principles of training. One of these definitions is provided by Michel J. Jucius, who explains that "Training" solely refers to the process of enhancing the capability, competence, and capacity of an employee to fulfill particular job requirements. The significance of training lies in its ability to enhance productivity.

By achieving more output at a lower cost, better and more economical use of resources, reduced supervision and direction, standardization, better management, versatility, and adaptability can be realized.

Training is a cyclical process consisting of Training, learning, and evaluation. The trainer imparts knowledge, and the trainee learns, which is then applied in the job setting that is known as Transfer. Learning is essential during training; otherwise, it becomes meaningless to transfer the knowledge to the actual job setting. Finally, the training program undergoes evaluation. A proper evaluation serves as a diagnostic

tool to revise programs to achieve goals and objectives.

The first step in training is to recognize the necessity for it, as displayed in the visual representation. The next phase involves selecting a suitable training program based on job requirements. Subsequently, both the trainee and program are prepared for actual implementation of the training. Conducting employee training and evaluating its effectiveness through program evaluation are the most difficult tasks for trainers. If deemed beneficial, both trainer and trainee will receive commendation with improved performance.

In order to succeed in a rapidly changing environment with competition, technology advancements, and privatization, organizations must prioritize their people's ability to anticipate, adapt, and respond quickly. Therefore, training is necessary for the continued growth of any organization by developing its people.

The integration of training with corporate goals is crucial, requiring alignment with the objectives of business leaders. To ensure relevance, training must address future business-related issues, with clear objectives derived from the business's strategic goals and operating plans. Effective management requires a work environment that nurtures continuous learning and development. This can be achieved through the contributions of experienced in-house and external trainers, who are committed to working with participants and fostering an ongoing relationship focused on management development. Such efforts are key to successful human resource development.

In the current business climate, successful companies must develop educational systems and train managers in order to become effective learning organizations. To achieve this, training programs must be continuously flowing throughout the organization, available to employees at all times, not just when specific skills are required. This means forecasting future training needs and providing the necessary programs to employees ahead of time. However, determining these

needs is not a simple process. A training manager must follow a systematic and well-planned needs assessment to avoid wasting resources and not attaining a reasonable return on investment.

Forecasts and prosecutions can be subject to errors because they offer a glimpse into the future. However, training forecasts are crucial as they lay the foundation for all other managerial planning activities. One key aspect of creating a training and development budget is identifying the needs for training. There are two types of training and development forecasts: long-range and annual forecasts of training needs. Both types are necessary for effective management of the training department. Long-range forecasts help organizations project their services and technologies, plan for future developments, analyze manpower forecasts, and look at organizational trends over a period of five or more years.

When designing a training program, it's crucial to consider a range of factors such as economic trends, markets, new products and changes. It's also important to note that the Annual Training Forecasts can provide highly reliable information about immediate training needs. Although these forecasts are based on long-range predictions, they're constantly updated through experience. To effectively operate a training program, there must be specific need in a particular field. Proper classification of training needs is necessary for determining which areas require training. There are five primary areas where training can be implemented: knowledge, skills, techniques, attitude and experience. Organizational training needs pertain to the entire organization while occupational training needs relate specifically to certain categories of employees.

Regarding training, two kinds of requirements should be taken into account: the individual ones that are unique to each worker and the maintenance and development needs essential

for preserving and enhancing current job performance. Multiple techniques can be employed, including skills gap assessment or performance evaluation, to determine which type of training is necessary.

One way to define training need is by measuring the difference between the job specifications and the personal characteristics of an employee. Self-assessment involves individuals evaluating their own strengths and weaknesses to determine their training requirements for their current job. Alternatively, seniors can assess subordinates' performance in their current role compared to expected performance in a higher position to identify necessary training needs.

Performance appraisal forms may include a section to identify necessary training. By communicating this information to the training department, in-house programs can be designed and conducted to address these needs. Another approach is for training personnel to engage in counseling and discussion with individuals and their superiors to determine training needs. The challenge then becomes translating these needs into specific objectives for the training program, including what will be learned and how success will be measured. Once objectives are established, the next step is planning how to achieve them through appropriate training methods.

Selecting the appropriate training method is crucial when preparing a training course. The chosen method will determine how the information is conveyed to the trainees, and can significantly impact the reception and retention of the training message. There are various methods available, including action mazes, incident processes, assignments, in-tray exercises, brainstorming, games, briefing groups, lectures, buzz groups, programmed instructions, case studies, role-playing, clinics, seminars, debates, sensitivity training, demonstrations, talk-discussions, field trips, fishbowl activities and workshops. There is no single right method; effectiveness depends on considering the circumstances and variables at play. After providing training using

any of these methods, the evaluation step assesses whether learning objectives have been achieved and deficiencies corrected. Positive evaluations indicate that these methods can be used in future training programs.

Organizations are being forced to reconsider their HRD strategies due to rapidly changing circumstances and policies. The new focus is on expanding the skills of human capital and empowering them to play a crucial role in the organizational process. The emphasis is now on employees as key assets who can help produce, expand, and meet the challenges of the global economy. This shift in logic recognizes the potential for growth and development that employees bring to the organization.

The organizational priority of grooming employees necessitates a clear focus on ethics, future goals, and capability. This led Mahendra Associates to develop appropriate Training and Development programs, which also enhance their branding value in the market. The present study aims to examine the HRD strategies implemented at MAST and how training programs have helped attain their objectives. Specifically, the research objectives are to identify training needs across various divisions of MAST.

To evaluate the significance of Training for the professional growth of MAST employees and understand its advantages for the company, while also determining whether Training can enhance MAST's overall productivity and support its Business Development goals for products, services, and processes.

The methodology used for this research involved the use of research instruments, specifically questionnaires, designed to gather information from employees at MAST. As data was collected through the questionnaires, personally asking employees about their training requirements and the company's working conditions was also employed. An explorative research approach was taken to obtain relevant data. The primary method of

collecting data involved the use of structured questionnaires from employees, while secondary data was collected from sources such as textbooks, journals, lectures, and notes.

Tools for collecting data include structured questionnaires administered through face-to-face interviews with respondents. The questionnaire, consisting of 35 questions covering all company training measures, was distributed to 50 employees across various departments. Of those, over 60% returned their completed questionnaires for analysis. The filled-in questionnaires were evaluated and analyzed to determine percentages of different categories. This data was then visually depicted using flow charts and graphs, and suggestions were offered wherever feasible.

Data analysis was conducted using a 35-question questionnaire with varying levels of complexity. Among the questions asked to MAST 33 employees, one inquired about their assessment of the training provided. The findings revealed that 30% rated it as excellent, while 46.62% considered it to be good. Nevertheless, a portion of employees expressed unfavorable views; specifically, 6.66% gave it a bad rating and 13.32% abstained from answering.

The survey revealed that MAST employees are seeking more training opportunities from their company. It covered the significance of training, preferred types (on-the-job or off-the-job), and its correlation with productivity. More than 60% of respondents favored on-the-job training, while over 60% recognized the importance of training for personal growth and development. All surveyed employees acknowledged that training has a positive impact on productivity. Most participants noted that workplace training was effective in enhancing their personality, as well as developing decision-making and problem-solving skills which can lead to gaining new skills and building confidence.

According to a survey, 87% of employees believe that training is effective in boosting workforce morale. Additionally, many agree that it can decrease expenses

and improve efficiency. All employees expressed appreciation for conference-style training on common topics and welcomed the idea of mock sessions and cross-functional training, which were assessed for their importance.

Employees ranked visual and practical methods as their preferred mode of training. They also provided their training requirements, which helped develop new programs. The employees had a positive attitude towards the work culture and expressed satisfaction in being a part of it. When asked about growth prospects at MAST, they responded affirmatively, citing superior learning opportunities that enhance their potential for advancement.

The pie chart reflects the response to MAST's training programs, showing that employees credit their performance to the effective training conducted by the organization's efficient HR team. This indicates a strong connection between training and development and employer branding. The analysis also reveals that the training programs at MAST were satisfactory, resulting in a well established HRD unit taking adequate measures to enhance employee contribution in a phased manner.

In spite of being the authorized and number one distributor of 3M, MAST faces significant competition in the market for its high-income group products, particularly in big cities. The company provides job-specific training, preferring to hire new blood based on experience and age. Employees are trained in new technologies and encouraged to understand their concepts. MAST aims to make every department a participative one, requiring training in diversification of products and services. Performance appraisal is used to identify training needs, with officers expected to identify their need for training in the process.

According to the study, more individuals have received general training compared to product training. The company has recognized the need for transformation of existing HRD

policies due to the complexity in the market. To meet the requirements of employees, new training and development techniques should be implemented. In order to remain competitive and dynamic, the company may need to: emphasize quality, time management, individual integrity, and work ethics; periodically review training inputs to accommodate changing work scenarios and meet worker and customer expectations; encourage knowledge updating and sharing through company learning centers and benchmarking; and recognize high achievers to boost morale and create a high performing organization.

The project aimed to identify the training needs of various divisions of MAST and research how to do so efficiently. The results of the research support the notion that training and development can enhance all aspects of a company, improving its functioning. Additionally, feedback from MAST employees indicates that they welcome and respond positively to measures taken for training and development. In today's competitive global market, companies must implement effective training programs, and using this research, MAST can establish a more efficient and coordinated training and development system.

Effective training programs can enhance a company's reputation among both customers and employees, as evidenced by research highlighting the positive correlation between employee training and development and organization improvement. Sources consulted for this research included the websites for Google, HR.com, and Mahendra Associates.

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David Leigh's (1984) Handbook for Designing and Delivering Training for groups, McGraw Hill in New York, Virmani B. R and Seth P's (1985) Management Training and Development, Vision Books in New Delhi, Raymond A. Noe's (1989) Employee Training and Development by

Gulf Publishing Company in Houston, Pfeffrer's (1994) Competitive advantage through people: Unleashing the power of the work force in Harvard Business Press from Boston, MA, Robyn Peterson's (2002) Training Need Analysis by Gower Press in London, Reports on Training Needs and Evaluation (2004) by ICFAI Publication, Training and Development-HRM Review by Human Resource Management-ICFAI Publication, and IBS Business School magazine (Volume-7, August-December 2006), which focuses on Employer Branding in HRM.

The Indian Journal for Training and Development was published in Volume xxxvi from July-Sept, 2006 and then in Volume xxxvii from Jan-Mar, 2007.