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.
What is training needs analysis?

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.
Why is needs analysis important?

Careful analysis of needs is important because:
• Unless the right quality of human capital is present, organisations may struggle to implement strategies and achieve targets. Analysing the areas where capability needs to be enhanced allows organisations to create a human capital investment strategy to support business objectives.
• Providing learning opportunities to staff enables them to develop and achieve personal and career goals.
• Well-planned training is an effective retention strategy, particularly for ambitious and externally mobile employees.
• All training provision should be designed to meet previously identified learning needs in order to be cost-effective. If an initial assessment using the correct assumptions is made about who needs to learn what, then it is likely that effective training or learning provision will result.
• Having a clear idea of what needs to be learned and the outcomes expected provides a foundation for training and learning professionals to evaluate the effectiveness of implementation of the learning strategy.
When to undertake training needs analysis

TNA can be undertaken at a number of levels.
• For the organisation as a whole - usually undertaken by the Learning and Development (L&D) team or the HR department. The aim is to understand the amount and types of learning that will be needed to ensure that all employees have the right knowledge, skills and attitudes to perform the jobs they do. Ultimately such a survey is ensuring that the skills will be available for the organisation to meet its strategic objectives, and may cover the short-term (within a year) or look to the longer term in order to ensure the supply of the right skills at points in the future. The latter may be very important if human capital needs are going to be changing with business circumstances, if it will take several years to either recruit people with the right skills, or develop existing employees’ skills and knowledge to the level required in the future. Such an analysis may also investigate the alternative routes of deciding whether to buy in talent (if it is available) or grow the capabilities of those currently employed.
• For a specific department, project or area of work. These may be one-off projects, where a change or a new way of working, or a reorganisation necessitates changes in the jobs people do. Research will have to be carried out on what demands the new or changed jobs will make and any gaps identified between employees’ current skills and the skills needed to meet the new demands. Even if no radical changes are planned senior managers expect their business partners to continuously analyse and update the requirements for learning in their areas of responsibility.
• 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.