5 Tips To Conduct Your Corporate Learning Needs Analysis
Workplace training is far removed from traditional schooling. The idea is to equip you to do a very specific job, so the theory portion is lighter. If the training is ongoing, it can be even more micro. Each course can focus on a particular task or topic. This offers more depth and detail than one-off courses. But because your scope is literally limitless, you want to point your training efforts in the right areas. Trying to cover too much ground will only lead to cognitive overwhelm. How can you assess corporate learning needs and avoid wasting precious resources? These insider tips can help you conduct a training needs analysis to find the best continuous learning process for your team.
1. Use Simulations To Identify Gaps
Ignorance is bliss because you don’t know what you don’t know. And without knowledge of the problem—or even awareness that there is a problem—you can’t fix it. In the corporate space, both employees and employers can be blind to gaps. So, you must actively seek them out. Simulations are generally used to practice tasks. But L&D can assign simulated tasks with a different target. The trainee will receive the same brief (e.g. a quest to find emergency safety devices). But the assessor will be looking for what’s missing. When they review the recorded simulation, they won’t just focus on how many items were found or how long it took. They’ll be asking gap-based questions. Where did the trainee look first? Why was that their first searching spot? Where didn’t they look and why? How can I train them to search for the right “hiding spots?” What other gaps are there, even if they’re not directly tied to safety? What common error appeared in sessions with different trainees, and how do we fix it?
2. Conduct Surveys To Identify Their Personal Preferences
Once you have a list of gaps, brainstorm potential solutions. Following the example above, maybe you could create a 360-video-tour of the office, showing all the exits and safety tools. Or develop a simulated map they can navigate. You could teach them a “MacGyver Style” lesson on how to substitute emergency equipment using typical office supplies. Or you could rearrange the office to make safety devices easier to spot. Armed with these thought starters, survey your staff to see what they’d rather do. Invite them to give their own suggestions. They can do the survey anonymously if they wish. Your assessment is then based on numbers. Technically, they’re “voting” for their preferred mode of training.
3. Gamify Your Analysis
The tricky thing with surveys and polls is getting staff to participate. As such, it may be helpful to create an awards program of sorts. They can get points for submissions and rewards if their idea is turned into a course. The incentive should be a badge, icon, or redeemable points. This is because the suggestions that get implemented will be gauged by popularity. You don’t want to end up forking out cash for half your staff; it makes no financial sense. Instead, get creative with your points system. They can have in-course characters modeled after them—name, physical appearance, and even voiceovers. Or have their course branded with their icon as a sign of “sponsorship.” Their points are exchanged for time off or exclusive access to the VIP continuous learning in the workplace library.
4. Evaluate Current LMS Reports
Employee performance, progress, and completion reports help you zero in on weak points in your current strategy (and system). Which resources do employees access more often? Are there any support tools they access for just a few moments before clicking away because they’re no longer relevant? These LMS metrics reveal pain points that you must consider when choosing the ideal continuous learning process, as they shed light on training behaviors and habits so that you can customize your strategy.
5. Seek Peer Data And Verify Via Polls
A lot of us end up in jobs we studied for. So, classmates become industry peers and/or rivals. Sometimes both. This means you do have a data pool. Find out what continuous training is offered in your sector. You can even ask your staff to tell you the type of courses that were available at their previous job. Run a public survey on your corporate social media accounts. These polls allow anonymous entries, so nobody has to worry about corporate “reprisals.” Once you have a list of potential training courses, do a follow-up questionnaire among your staff to fine-tune the strategy. For example, figure out which resources they expect to see in the compliance refresher course, or which support tools they can do without.
Conclusion
You could build the best continuous training curriculum in the world. But if your staff doesn’t need it, they’ll never sign up. And if you force them to, they won’t actively engage. It’s why pre-assessment is such an important step in the continuous learning process. So, how can you perform needs analysis exercises to ensure your L&D efforts are valid? Review simulation recordings with a focus on identifying skill gaps. Run surveys and polls to brainstorm and shortlist course options. And to encourage participation, gamify the survey system. The more people take part, the more accurate your poll results. Meaning your trainees will be more invested once learning begins.
A training needs analysis reveals the strengths and weaknesses of your strategy. Armed with this knowledge, you can find the ideal continuous learning LMS for your team. Use our directory to jumpstart your search and identify the best options for your organization. It features reviews, ratings, and company bios. You can even compare your top three choices to see which tool delivers maximum value for your money.
Download our eBook Continuous Learning In The Workplace: How To Harness The Power Of An LMS For Your Teams to extend training beyond employee orientation.
