Introduction
Training needs assessment (TNA) is a performance measure that any institution that is set with a mission to provide consumer oriented services should undertake.
It is executed in institutions to empower staff members psychologically and mentally. Its main aim is to enhance employee’s skill capacity and make them understand or adopt conventional operating guidelines.
These elements are essential since they ensure that an institution is able to operate effectively towards achieving its entire goals.
Therefore, training is an integral aspect that managers of Harris Teeter Company must put strong emphasis on, to facilitate delivery of quality services that matches consumer expectations.
They should assess in effective manner training, educational and learning needs that their staff members may be having. This is essential in building a strong and cohesive unit that operates under quality ideals with an aim of meeting consumer needs promptly.
When to conduct a Training Needs Analysis
Indeed, managers in various institutions are under obligation to know why and when they should perform training needs analysis. This is important in ensuring that they plan effectively and develop proper strategic measures to promote substantive assessment of activities (Barbazette, 2005).
This explains why there are various reasons why managers of Harris Company should perform extensive training needs analysis. Firstly, the analysis is imperative since it is bound to facilitate the establishment of the entire training and educational needs of staff members.
Secondly, it holds the capacity of enabling the institution’s managers to understand or establish the evident gaps in terms of knowledge, skills and capabilities of the workforce that may hinder them from performing well.
Similarly, its execution is to enable line managers in the company to amicably understand the needs of employees and how learning can help in providing credible solutions to the needs.
Consequently, the question as to “when” the process should be executed is also important in most settings. Preferably, training needs assessment is a process that should be executed continuously.
It should take place frequently especially in the grocery industry to ensure that quality in service delivery is not compromised at any level.
Secondly, institutions such as Harris Teeter Company should perform training needs assessment when there is reduction in performance especially when there is poor treatment of customers, supply of fresh products and maintenance of high stock levels.
This is essential in establishing the causes of diminishing performance, thus promote the development of credible solutions (Blanchard & Thacker, 2010).
The assessment should also be executed by the company managers when employees record unbalanced output levels and when customers complain on quality standards of operations.
Similarly, the company’s managers should conduct the analysis when there is an acute need to maximize the use of the available resources. This is essential in ensuring that resources are utilized effectively.
Plan for conducting effective TNA process
As noted, there are three different levels of TNA that managers of Harris Teeter grocery should execute to ensure comprehensive identification and implementation of right solutions.
The first critical level or step of training assessment is known as organizational level (Barbazette, 2005). At this level of evaluation, the assessors establish general performance level of the institution including general skills, knowledge and abilities that are needed.
It also enables managers to identify general requirements that can aid holistic alleviation of the problems or weaknesses that are depicted.
Variably, it is vital since it facilitates comprehensive mitigation of key factors that impede operations in institutions such as demographic differences and technological changes.
This will enable Harris Teeter Company to prepare its staff members adequately through training to be able to perform well in any environment.
Occupational assessment that focuses on individual’s skill and knowledge examination forms the second level of analysis. It enables managers to identify the occupational discrepancies that exist in an institution and how they can be mitigated (Barbazette, 2005).
The third level entails individual assessment that establishes how well employees are doing their jobs and how well they can cope in new or different workstations.
Based on the presented facts, managers of Harris Teeter Corporation are under obligation to perform training assessments in these three levels to enable them to plan well.
The analysis will also enable them know how to deal with dynamic challenges, avoid evident discrepancies that may impede performance and single out employees who need training in a systematic manner.
Traditional training methods
Currently, there are diverse techniques of training that organizations can chose from when executing skill development initiatives. The techniques have been many due to the technological advancements that have been witnessed in the training industry (Wissman, 2009).
However, organizations especially in the grocery sector still prefer using traditional techniques of training and employee development. This is due to their viability and effectiveness in ensuring that holistic training that entails practical work and theory is provided to employees.
As noted, key traditional learning techniques that are widely used or preferred even to date includes hands-on training system, tutor or instructor-led system, and interactive process.
These training techniques would best suit Harris Teeter Grocery Company since they would help in equipping the company’s employees with quality skills on how to handle customers and serve them appropriately.
In particular, instructor led training system that is aided through the use of blackboard, whiteboard, overhead projectors, videos and storytelling is widely used because it facilitates trainee’s participation.
It remains the most effective technique that has several advantages that outweigh disadvantages.
Firstly, it is an efficient training technique that ensures that every participant acquires the same kind of information without any form of distortion at the same time (Wissman, 2009).
Similarly, it promotes face to face system of interaction that is viable as opposed to computer based training system and others.
Thirdly, it is relatively cost effective especially when it is facilitated with internal professionals. However, its success is largely dependent on how effective the lecturers is and how classroom activities are scheduled especially when large number of trainees are attracted.
Sometimes it is not interactive as expected since the level of effective interaction under such training process depends on individual attitude. These are the major disadvantages of the training approach that requires mitigation.
Consequently, hands-on and interactive techniques are traditional training systems that still remain in preference in the present day. The techniques facilitate effective on the job training programs that enable employees to learn conventional skills and ways of operation.
The techniques are relevant since they limit wastage of resources especially time that remains a key resource in the grocery industry.
In particular, hands-on method of training facilitate employee’s skill development through cross training, demonstrations, systematic coaching and apprenticeships while interactive system focuses on in-house skill development through the use of internal professionals.
The techniques allow managers to offer relevant training to employees on new procedures of service delivery, use of new equipments and best approaches on how to execute marketing activities or engage with customers.
As a manager in Harris Teeter Company, I would prefer the adoption of these techniques of training especially the use of hands-on and interactive approaches. The approaches will enable the company to offer effective on the job training that is cost effective.
They will give employees the opportunity to acquire first hand skills that are backed with practical capacity. They will also enable employees to know what is expected of them and how to deal with various situations that may emerge in the course of duty.
Analysis of computer based training methods
Computer based training (CBT) techniques are currently gaining momentum due to the increased advancements in the technological sector. The techniques that incorporate the use of computers in classrooms are more effective and efficient.
This is evident since they provide training programs that are centrally located, cheaper and can be updated real time. The techniques include e-learning, web based training, multimedia learning, internet based and online education.
These techniques uses relevant software and hardware set ups that enable various individuals to acquire basic information at their convenience (Blanchard & Thacker, 2010).
As noted by scholars, web based training is rapidly growing to become the most reliable computer based training approach in the market.
It seeks to facilitate the provision of quality programs that are educative to individuals at their convenience such as at home, work or on the road.
Indeed, web based training system would enable managers of Harris Teeter company to save time by instituting in-house employee training instead of sending employees to classroom sessions or seminars.
It will enable the company to capitalize on the available resources and to utilize the staff optimally.
The program is also relevant since it offers a flexible system of training compared to classroom training that requires immense resources that include a trainer, a room and materials together with enough learners (Wissman, 2009).
It reduces training time compared to other training systems since it is customized to meet particular needs of leaners.
Examine the process of training development and implementation
Evidently, there are several training processes that are classified and executed in three broad phases. The phases include planning, implementation and evaluation. Particularly, planning phase entails several activities or processes that must be executed effectively.
Notably, the processes include training needs identification that forms the initial step. The process facilitates proper identification of key gaps and needs that an institution seeks in terms of skill development or knowledge power of employees.
The step enables managers to establish the gap between “what is” and “what should be” in terms of skills, behavior and knowledge (Donovan & Townsend, 2004).
The second step is organizational analysis that helps managers in establishing where training or employee development emphasis should be placed.
It is vital since it promotes proper assessment of an organizations competence levels and weaknesses, thus facilitates the development of amicable solutions to the evident issues.
Employee analysis that promotes the identification of training needs that are specific to various individuals is the third step in the process.
This step holds the capacity of enabling managers at Harris Teeter Grocery Company to understand the performance gap of their employees and design training programs that are relevant towards enhancing their skill levels.
Curriculum development forms the next crucial step that requires proper implementation (Blanchard & Thacker, 2010).
It remains a significant step after the identification of employees training needs since it specifies what learners are to be taught, course structure or content and how teaching is to be executed.
It also provides a clear training framework that must be followed if meaningful achievements are to be realized in institutions such as Harris Teeter Company.
After successful execution of all the processes that planning phase entails, implementation phase follows. This phase is where the actual implementation of the developed curriculum takes place.
This is evident since it is the point where a trainer executes the training plan by ensuring that the programs that are identified are in operation. As noted by Donovan & Townsend (2004), the first step in ensuring proper implementation of a training program is publicity.
At this stage, managers in various training centers always develop training brochures that contains course details and annual calendars containing various opportunities.
These brochures and calendars are distributed to various individuals to inform them about training opportunities and plans. The next crucial step that follows is resource mobilization and distribution to various activity centers to aid training. This is significant since resources should be well managed.
Variably, job analysis, task evaluation and skill gap analysis follows respectively in the training process chain.
They facilitate the establishment of whether right processes are adopted, whether their execution is holistic and whether suitable results are being attained (Donovan & Townsend, 2004).
They are significant especially for the company because they will enable mangers in the company to establish if the trainings are relevant and whether employees are gaining quality knowledge.
References
Barbazette, J. (2005). Training Needs Assessment: Methods, Tools, and Techniques. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.
Blanchard, N. & Thacker, W. (2010). Effective Training: Systems, Strategies, and Practices. Boston: Pearson Education.
Donovan, P. & Townsend, J. (2004). The Training Needs Analysis Pocketbook. Alresford: Management Pocketbooks.
Wissman, J. (2009). Training Methods for Older Adults: Comparing Minimalism and Traditional Training in a Software Environment. Saarbrücken: VDM Verlag Dr. Müller.