Approaches of TNA
Approaches of TNA
A Training Needs Analysis (TNA) is used to assess an organization’s training needs. The root of
the TNA is the gap analysis. This is an assessment of the gap between the knowledge, skills and
attitudes that the people in the organization currently possess and the knowledge, skills and
attitudes that they require to meet the organization’s objectives.
APPROACHES OF TNA
Determining training needs or tna involves collecting data on both the current situation within
the organization and its actual requirements. There are several tna approaches available which
can achieve this, including:
The most common type of tna (training needs analysis) is really a combination of reviewing both
how well a job is performed in total, and how well the individual tasks are performed within the
job. I.e. a combination of performance and task analysis.
Training can involve the changing of employees' knowledge, skills, attitudes and
behavior. To ascertain the appropriate requirements of each job carry out a tna in terms of
these four factors, which are described below.
Knowledge - facts, procedures, principles and basic skills. Training which involves
improvement of knowledge is tending to move more towards the use of self-instruction
methods.
Skills - aims to change the behavior of the trainee, usually by seeing and hearing the
new skills, practicing them and receiving feedback on progress.
Attitudes - this is the hardest factor to alter, as it is affected by many variables outside
the training process, such as the manager's behavior, company policy, the peer group, etc.
Examples of attempts to change attitudes could include making employees more customer
and service-oriented, gaining acceptance of organizational change or improving loyalty and
commitment towards the organization.
Behavior - replacing old work habits with new ones, by attempting to modify employee
behavior. Behavior is activity which can be seen and measured. Note that training of this
nature will require reinforcement once the employee returns to the job.
Group needs, on the other hand, refer to the need for a number of employees to change
their behavior collectively. Examples include team-building exercises designed to increase
group cohesion or introducing new technical information to a group.
1. Reactive Training - identifies existing weaknesses and acts to remedy them. These
weaknesses take the form of barriers which prevent the achievement of set objectives, and
can be identified by various symptoms. Examples may include production problems, poor
quality control, labor turnover, absenteeism, accidents, grievances, interpersonal conflicts,
customer complaints, ineffective use of staff specialists, poor supervision and management
practices, unknown or misunderstood objectives, and various others. (Note that the
symptoms may require solutions other than training - this will require further
investigation.).
2. Proactive Training - prepares of employees to handle future changes, both within and
external to the organization. This is a longer-term approach, oriented towards development.
Changes which may affect organization plans include product type and demand, work
process, technology changes, legislation, financial factors, political issues and business
expansion/contraction.
The contribution that training makes to organizational growth and success will be
recognized.