Employers invest their time and resources into training their team; thus, it is crucial to get the training right from the beginning. But even with good intentions, training programs can be ineffective if the right needs are not identified.
Any mistakes during the training needs identification (TNI) process not only result in the loss and failure. Thus, to save resources and time, employers have to be cautious when conducting TNI and identify the possible mistakes when doing TNI. In this blog, we will dive into the top TNI mistakes that employers make. Let’s dive in!
Common Mistakes Employers Make When Identifying Training Needs
Here is a detailed explanation of the 8 mistakes that can be made when identifying training needs.
When an employer conducts Training Needs Identification( TNI), one of the blunders companies make is designing training programs and not tailoring them to the business objectives.
Example: If an organizational goal is to improve customer retention, but training sessions are solely focused on product knowledge midstream, you have missed the holistic view of the customer journey.
Another common TNI mistake is failing to include critical stakeholders within the scope of TNI. In most cases, training needs are evaluated by HR or L&D personnel without consideration from the department’s leadership, team leaders, or staff members. Consequently, the skill gaps that impact performance are often missed.
Example: Creating a technical training program based only on the trainer’s assumptions without involving the IT team. This can often overlook the actual skill gaps that are crucial for job performance.
Employees can have a belief that a single training program will suit all employees of different departments, roles, or experience levels. Such programs completely disregard individual learning needs and the variations between various teams.
When a mainstream type of training is offered to employees, the employees see the training programs as irrelevant or unexciting. This results in a less-than-desirable learning outcome, such as poor skill development and wasted resources. All such negative outcomes affect the overall return on investment (ROI) for the organization’s training initiatives.
Not all training needs have the same urgency or importance. If everything is given a priority, the priority loses all meaning, and nothing gets attention. Employees become overwhelmed when they try to carry out multiple training programs, and some important skill gaps will still be left unresolved.
Example: Inviting available participants to a session on soft skills one week and a legal compliance and strategy session the next week, without asking which session has the most significant impact on the business.
When organizations design training sessions based on the assumption that employees have no prior knowledge of a certain topic. This often involves implementing repetitive training sessions that lead to disengagement, boredom, and frustration. Such feelings arise from the notion that employees feel their time is precious yet unappreciated.
Example: Conducting fundamental customer service training for a team that requires advanced conflict resolution training instead.
Surveys convey the data in regards to how employees feel or their opinions. However, these don’t measure real skills because opinions don’t always reflect true ability. Only relying on surveys can be misleading. The employees often don’t know exactly what training they need to improve their work. As a result, training decisions based only on surveys may not solve the actual problems.
Example: Creating leadership training with only survey results as a basis, while evaluations indicate that the real gap is in project management skills.
Many organizations determine training needs based only on immediate issues or demand. Addressing training needs temporarily is important; however, planning for long-term employment development is also critical. Ignoring the skill levels needed for the near future means there are limitations to future workplace growth.
For example, focusing only on training employees on how to navigate the existing software system, but providing no training to develop the skills needed for future digital tools or their future leadership roles.
Read More: The Future of Employee Training: Embracing the Power of E-Learning with ARKBO LMS
Many employers view TNI as a single task instead of an ongoing process. Why? Because the business goals, technologies used, and roles in the organization change. This can create skill gaps that can happen at any time.
If TNI isn’t done on an ongoing basis, training plans start to lag, and employees may no longer have the skills to match current demands.
Employers can help prevent common pitfalls in identifying training needs by:
Ensuring training aligns with organizational objectives
Collaborating with relevant stakeholders
Assessing employees' existing skill sets to reduce redundancy
Using multiple data sources for detailed analyses
Prioritizing training needs with high business impact
To empower the workforce while making no mistakes in TNI, LMS (Learning Management System) is important for employers.
LMS like ARKBO LMS offers assessments, analytics, collaboration, and evaluation functionality in one system. These features allow the corporate training initiatives to be purposeful, strategic, and provide real performance improvements throughout the organization. These features make the ARKBO LMS the best LMS in Nepal.
[ You can Book a Free Demo to avail the power of ARKBO LMS to prevent mistakes in your corporate training endeavors. ]
Employers can make mistakes when identifying training needs. These Training Needs Identification ( TNI) mistakes can result in wasted time and resources, as well as decreased employee motivation.
TNI mistakes include misalignment with organizational goals, excluding key stakeholders, and using generic “one-size-fits-all” training. They also involve ignoring existing skills, relying only on surveys, overlooking future training needs, and treating TNI as a one-time event.
To avoid these mistakes that can be made while using TNI, employers are encouraged to engage with stakeholders, prioritize needs, and use different evidence. The use of a Learning Management System (LMS), like ARKBO LMS, can make TNI easier, more effective, and more aligned with the objectives of the business.
Read More: Complete Guide To Learning Management System (LMS)
