Assesng Hr Need

8/3/2019 Assesng Hr Need

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Assessing HRD

Chapter 4


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Why Do Needs Assessment?

Question:

Why is needs assessment information

critical to the development anddelivery of an effective HRD program?


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Needs Assessment

Figuring out what is really needed

Not always an easy task

Needs lots of input

Takes a lot of work

Do it now or do lots more later

First step in both the PDM and HRDprocess models


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Product Development Model(PDM)

Analyze

Design

Develop

Produce Pilot

Evaluate

Deliver

ImproveBy permission: Doty, W.B. (1997) Product Development


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The HRD Process: A DImE


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Comparing the HRD ProcessModel to the PDM/ISD Model

HRD Process Model

Assess

Design

Implement

Evaluate

PDM Model

Analyze need

Design trainingDevelop

Produce pilot

Evaluate pilotDeliver training

Improve


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What is a Need?

A discrepancy between expectationsand performance

Not only performance needs involved


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Various Types of Needs

Performance

Diagnostic

Factors that can prevent problems fromoccurring

Analytic

Identify new or better ways to do things

Compliance Mandated by law or regulation


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Traps in Needs Assessment

Focusing only on individual performancedeficiencies

Doesnt fix group of systemic problems

Startingwith a Training NeedsAssessment

If you know training is needed, why wasteeveryones time?


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Traps in Needs Assessment 2

Using Questionnaires

Hard to control input, often high

developmental costs, hard to write properlyUsing soft data (opinions) only

Need performance and consequence data

Using hard data only Easily measured data is provided, but

critical, hard-to-measure data is missing


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Levels of Assessment

Organization Whereis training needed and under what

conditions?Task Whatmust be done to perform the job

effectively?

Person Whoshould be trained and how?


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Strategic/OrganizationalAnalysis

A broad, systems view is needed

Need to identify:

Organizational goals

Organizational resources

Organizational climate

Environmental constraints


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Why Strategic Assessment isNeeded

Ties HRD programs to corporate ororganizational goals

Strengthens the link between profit andHRD actions

Strengthens corporate support for HRD

Makes HRD more of a revenuegenerator Not a profit waster


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Sources of StrategicInformation

Mission statement

HRM inventory

Skills inventory

Quality of Working Life indicators

Efficiency indexes

System changes

Exit interviews


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Task Analysis

The collection of data about a specificjob or group of jobs

What employee needs to know toperform a job or jobs


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How to Collect InformationFor a Task Analysis

Job descriptions

Task analysis

Performance standards

Perform job

Observe job

Ask questions

Analysis of problems


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A Sample Task AnalysisProcess

Develop job description

Identify job tasks

What should be done

What is actually done

Describe KSAOs needed

Identify potential training areas

Prioritize potential training areas


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Task Analysis for HRD Position

1. List tasks 1. Observe behavior List four characteristics of behavior

Classify behavior

2. Select verb Knowledge of action verbs

Grammatical skills

3. Record behavior State so understood by others

Record neatly

2. List subtasks 1. Observe behavior List all remaining acts

Classify behavior

2. Select verb State correctly

Grammatical skills

3. Record behavior Neat and understood by others

3. Listknowledge

1. State what must be known Classify all information

2. Determine complexity ofskill

Determine if a skill represents a series ofacts that must be learned in a sequence

Job title: HRD Professional Specific duty: Task Analysis

Tasks Subtasks Knowledge and Skills Required

SOURCE: From G. E. Mills, R. W. Pace, & B. D. Peterson (1988).Analysis in human resource training and organizational development(p. 57). Reading,MA: Addison-Wesley. Reprinted by permission.


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A Task Analysis Application

Question:

You have been asked to perform a task

analysis for the job of dispatcher in acity police department. Whichmethod(s) of task analysis do you think

are most appropriate for analyzing thisjob?


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Person Analysis

Determines training needs for specificindividuals

Based on many sources of dataSummary Analysis

Determine overall success of the individual

Diagnostic Analysis Discover reasons for performance


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Performance Appraisal

Relied on heavily in person analysis

Hard to do

Vital to company and individual

Should be VERY confidential

Based too often on personal opinion


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The Employee AppraisalProcess

By Permission: Herbert & Doverspike (1990)


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Performance Appraisal Process

Determine basis for appraisal Job description, MBO objectives, job

standards, etc.

Conduct the appraisal

Determine discrepancies between thestandard and performance

Identify source(s) of discrepancies

Select ways to resolve discrepancies


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Prioritizing HRD Needs

There are never enough resourcesavailable

Must prioritize effortsNeed full organizational involvement inthis process

Involve an HRD Advisory Committee.


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Warning!!

HRD cannot become a slow-actingbureaucracy!!

HRD must respond to corporate needsHRD should be focused on

performance improvement, and not

just training


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Summary

Why is needs assessment so often notperformed in many organizations?

Why shouldorganizations care about

needs assessment?


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SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS1. Identify and briefly describe twotypes of training needs.

ANS: Examples include performance deficiency, diagnostic needs,

analytic, and compliance needs for training/HRD.

2. State onereason why performance appraisal information isinsufficient as the only source of information to conduct a personneeds analysis.

ANS: Appraisals may contain incomplete or inaccurate information.Further, as most often used, appraisals often dont get at all thepossible reasons for any performance issues that are identified.

3. Identify one advantageof linking organizational needs analysisto the organizations strategic planning process.

ANS:This provides the greatest likelihood that what is identified in theneeds assessment process is in fact what is most strategicallyvaluable to the organization.


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ESSAY QUESTIONYou have been asked to perform a task analysis for the jobof secretary in the Management Department at your

university. Which method(s) of task analysis would yourecommend as most appropriate for analyzing this job, andwhy?

Possible answers include:review the existing job description/specifications,observe the job,interview the incumbent,or use any of the more specific task identification methods

I think a top answer will recommend making use ofmultiple methods of task analysis.

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Assesng Hr Need